by Philippa Miller
—
This past summer, I was looking for a book for my tween to read for summer reading. I wanted to find one that he would relate to, specifically about being Jewish. Many of the books, though, seemed to be Holocaust related. I thought about some of the books that I’ve read over the years, and it seemed like the same thing—most books that had to do with Jews were related to the Holocaust. Jean Meltzer, author of The Matzah Ball, came to the same conclusion. She found that many non-Holocaust books on the market only had a side character that was Jewish or the Jews died in the end. Especially in the romance category, there were very few Jewish rom-coms.
In the last four years Meltzer has written five books—all with Jewish characters and themes throughout.
She wanted to see herself in books and, especially with a young niece (who is an Einstein graduate), she wanted her niece to see that, too. In the last two years, as a Jewish author, she said it has been harder to be seen, heard, and read because of rising antisemitism. Living in Virginia, she usually does her book launches in nearby Maryland, where the community is more welcoming.
On a visit to Huxley & Hiro in Wilmington, she mentioned to author Jamie Brenner—another Jewish author who moderated the conversation—that it is particularly important in today’s climate to have these Jewish voices heard and supported by Jews because otherwise they’ll disappear. She continued that she was surprised to have been approached by Huxley & Hiro about coming in for an author talk because the owners weren’t Jewish, and she appreciated that they were so welcoming.
One of the founders of the book store, Claire van den Broek, repeated what Meltzer had to say, that even in the book seller community there was a lot of pressure to highlight and support Palestinian authors and store owners but not the other way around. van den Broek disagrees with this—she didn’t start a book store for political reasons but to share her love of books.
With a PhD in German studies, she said that most of the scholars she learned about were Jewish and wrote many papers that focused on these Jews. Not to mention her appreciation for the “great literary tradition of the Jewish people.” van den Broek continued, “I want to highlight good books—many of my favorite authors are Jewish—and that is what I’m going to have in my bookstore.”
Jean Meltzer’s newest novel, The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah, along with her other books, can be found at Huxley & Hiro.
Workaholic Jewish producer Evelyn Schwartz has landed the opportunity of a lifetime: producing a live, prime-time broadcast of A Christmas Carol. But the pressure is immense. Between the stress of needing the show to be a success, the migraines she battles daily, the painkillers she has to ration to manage them, and the constant struggle to balance her energy, time, and emotions, Evelyn is stretched thin. After a minor head injury, her exhaustion takes an unexpected turn—she begins hallucinating her own Hanukkah-themed version of the holiday classic.
Instead of the traditional three ghosts of past, present, and future, Evelyn is visited on Hanukkah by eight ghosts of heartbreak, each one tied to a painful memory—and each featuring her ex-husband, David. As the familiar scenes play out, she feels like she is being punished for the things that she did, or didn’t do, and can’t seem to identify the moral lessons she’s meant to learn. With David now present on set and back in her life after two years, the memories bring up feelings that make everyone wonder why they divorced in the first place.
Having been friends since they were kids, David was always in her life, until one day he wasn’t—when he left, walking out on their marriage and life in Manhattan, and never looked back. He was one of her biggest heartbreaks. With memories bringing them closer together, all seems to be going well until the production’s difficult “Scrooge,” a high-maintenance English star, derails not only rehearsals but also the affection that seems to be growing between Evelyn and David. As dramatic as he may be, though, this Scrooge has some insight into these heartbreaks and their relationship. It is possible that Scrooge did learn a thing or two about the ghosts of Christmas, and relays that wisdom to the reconnecting pair.
Many of Evelyn’s heartbreaks were relatable and gave me some perspective—on love, life, and marriage. Meltzer captures the truth that heartbreak isn’t always about being a bad person; it’s often the result of choices made before we have the tools or experience to make better ones.
So, what’s the point of revisiting all these ghosts of heartbreak? You’ll have to read to find out. Funny, surprisingly inspiring, and a great read, Jean Meltzer’s latest book won’t leave you with any heartbreaks this Hanukkah season.
About the Author:
Now that all four of her children can read independently, PHILIPPA “PHILI” MILLER has more time to read books of her own choosing. She is excited to share some of those books with this new column highlighting books with Jewish themes. As a former PJ Coordinator, she wants to make sure that your kids from 0–12 are signed up for PJ Library or PJ Our Way so they, too, can read great Jewish-themed books.
