Hi Anna, I was actually surprised to see that essay, especially because *Hidden* is included on the list and Leah Sokol does know the Haredi market, as far as I know, since she writes for that market - there are lots of Haredi kids' books about Soviet Jewry. We may not want to promote or recommend all of them, but they do exist! A non-comprehensive list below. Many are either set during the Holocaust or involve conspiracy plots with the main setting in America or Israel, and a large proportion are about the Lubavitcher Rebbe and are from Chabad publishers.
A couple questions, though: 1) How are you defining "for young readers"? Does that include YA, or just through MG? 2) How are you defining "about Soviet Jewry"? Does that include books that have a character who emigrated from the Soviet Union, even if that character is not the center of the story? Does it include discussion of Soviet Jewry even if no actual Soviet Jewish characters appear in the story? and a bonus 3) A big feature of many Haredi children's books is a lack of periodization, so it's often not clear whether a book is set in the Soviet Union or Czarist Russia, and a few clearly set in the second half of the 20th century illustrate the characters in "shtetl-style" clothing, blurring the temporal boundaries. A related blurring is calling every Soviet country "Russia," including Ukraine. On the one hand, these are clearly not going to make it onto a recommended list because that's a serious flaw. On the other, if this list is meant to be a resource for librarians and scholars, would you include them? Also, a non-Haredi title: Esther Hautzig's *The Endless Steppe *(1968). The doctors plot: comics : how the Lubavitcher Rebbe saved the Jews of the Soviet Union from destruction Gruner, Levi-Yitzchak; Zaiantz, Menachem; Brill, Yishayahu Brill, Yishayahu Malchut Haketer Books 2014 Dudi & Udi on the spy's trail Leon, Sarah; Cholodovsky, Chana Cholodovsky, Chana Shchakim 2016 The spy, the fire and the KGB: great stories of great Chassidim Weiss, Mendy; Yarḥi, G'aḳi Yarḥi, G'aḳi BSD Publishers 2016 Pinchy & Itchy on a spying mission Rosen, R.; Prager, Moshe Comics: Kosher Comics for Kids 2017 Pinchy & Itchy. 5, And the mystery in the cellar Rozen, R.; Prager, Moshe R. Rosen 2017 The submarine sailed at midnight: the comic! Safra, M.; Ḥanan, Yaʻaḳov; Argaman, Shemuʼel Ḥanan, Yaʻaḳov Tfutza Publications 2018 The Kids from nowhere: below zero - 3 Irenstein, Hadas; Katz, Adi Comics: Kosher Comics for Kids 2019 Iron curtain: suspicion & survival, disaster & disguise : the true story of a young boy. 2 Gruner, Levi-Yitzchak Malkhut ha-keter 2020 Pinchy & Itchy. 7, In the lion's den Rozen, R. R. Rosen 2020 Passport to Russia Gross, Sukey Menucha Publishers 2021 (reprint, orig. 1993) The Jewish underground. 1 Gruner, Levi-Yitzchak; Yarhi, Shneur Yarhi, Shneur Malkhut ha-keter 2021 Samarkand: the underground with a far-reaching impact. adventures of a Jewish boy in Russia Zaltsman, Hilel; Hershḳovits, M. M. Hershḳovits, M. M. Yachad 2022 Time travelers *(location not actually identified in the text, and the era seems to be more Empire than Soviet, but it is cataloged as Soviet)* Einhorn, P. H.; Studio Segelowitz Studio Segelowitz Lechaim Productions 2022 Our man in Russia *(some might argue not a young reader book, but it was read widely by teens)* Bendet, Mayer; Ben-Zweig, Jacob Bash Publications 1985 The Floating Minyan of Pirate's Cove: The Adventures of Emes Junior Interpol *(plot relies on American Haredi perceptions of Soviet Jewry to some extent)* Miriam Stark Zakon Judaica Press 1986 The Story of the Steipler Gaon: The Life and Times of Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky *(the Steipler moved to Poland to get away from the Soviets, but the book provides description of Soviet Jewish existence)* Teller, Hanoch; Dershowitz, Yosef Dershowitz, Yosef Artscroll-Mesorah Publications 1986 One Good Turn Sarah Schleimer Feldheim Publishers 1990 Rebbe Mendel presents In search of lost treasure: a map-- a code -- and the way back home Sternfeld, Nathan; Bichman, David; Sklar, Chana Devorah Feldheim Publishers 2012 Lights from the North: a story of Jewish courage in communist Russia Even Chen, D.; David, Racheli; Wagner, Devorah; Rand, Chanie David, Racheli; Wagner, Devorah; Rand, Chanie Comics: Kosher Comics for Kids 2013 Nati & Tzviki: the double mystery Hefets, Atarah; Rabiner, Yehudit Rabiner, Yehudit Tfutza Publications Israel Bookshop Publications 2013 Trap in Shanghai Tsevi Aryeh Adler Comics: Kosher Comics for Kids 2017 Titanic 3: A Formula for Danger *(the whole series revolves around the Titanic's sinking in 1912, but this one in particular, which happens decades later, involves the KGB)* Avraham Ohayon Feldheim Publishers 2020 Mystery on the Siberian plains Adler, Tzvi Aryeh; Ben Hamo, Eliezer Ben Hamo, Eliezer Chazak Entertainment and Distribution 2021 Escape! 3 Ohayon, Avraham Feldheim Publishers 2022 Samarkand: the underground with a far-reaching impact. adventures of a Jewish boy in Russia Zaltsman, Hilel; Hershḳovits, M. M. Hershḳovits, M. M. Yachad 2022 Defiance Yaffe, Rochel Menucha Publishers 2023 The Natan Club Kodesh, N. Menucha Publishers 2023 Iron Curtain 2 Levi Yitzchak Groner Malchut Haketer Books, BSD Publishers 2022 Iron Curtain 1 Levi Yitzchak Groner Malchut Haketer Books, BSD Publishers 2022 Escape from Europe Levi Yitzchak Groner Malchut Haketer Books, BSD Publishers 2020 Emergency Landing 1 Levi Yitzchak Groner Malchut Haketer Books, BSD Publishers 2018 Dr. Dainy Bernstein *ey/they* Hebraica Library Specialist University of Pennsylvania Libraries --- *Artifacts of Orthodox Jewish Childhoods <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.benyehudapress.com/books/artifacts-of-orthodox-childhoods/__;!!KGKeukY!wl2oB_G1aDhyGyRgtXw85s6FY1DBq6R-Oui0i--LBg1wWV03niGZ8Ms91izhzHifFoOlwg0d0GAGGsz0lJ_XxHKP0Au6$ >* [image: Two smiling toy Torah scroll childrens toys, beneath the book's title: "Artifacts of Orthodox Jewish Childhoods"] --- *My work hours are flexible and I send emails on my own schedule. I do not expect you to respond outside of your work hours, which may differ from mine due to time zone, scheduled meetings, or personal preference.* On Mon, Oct 21, 2024 at 3:10 PM Anna Olswanger via Hasafran < [email protected]> wrote: > As an outgrowth of her article "They Forgot to Tell Their Children": Where > are the Jewish Children's Books about Soviet Jewry?" that appeared in the > Summer 2024 issue of the Association of Jewish Libraries News and Review, > author Leah Sokol > As an outgrowth of her article "They Forgot to Tell Their Children": Where > are the Jewish Children's Books about Soviet Jewry?" that appeared in the > Summer 2024 issue of the *Association of Jewish Libraries News and > Review,* author Leah Sokol and I have created a bibliography of > children's books about Soviet Jewry. > > The bibliography is organized by chronology of publication date and is now > uploaded into the AJL Bibliography database: > > > https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://jewishlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Soviet-Jewry-Bibliography.pdf__;!!KGKeukY!wl2oB_G1aDhyGyRgtXw85s6FY1DBq6R-Oui0i--LBg1wWV03niGZ8Ms91izhzHifFoOlwg0d0GAGGsz0lJ_XxBfc8_dA$ > > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://jewishlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Soviet-Jewry-Bibliography.pdf__;!!KGKeukY!1nVT65gIC9HEyCErw3Wk59r-j62PLmiUEUOmxNYkt9hDcaB3GlOBgEMrue9RKqGD8asD9bjLkUO-YqiK2zTU$> > > The bibliography is a work in progress, and we welcome suggestions of > other books. > > Chag sameach, > > Anna Olswanger > > *Anna Olswanger *| Director | Olswanger Literary LLC > 16-60 Chandler Drive | Fair Lawn, NJ | 07410-2715 > *t:* 201-791-4699 | *w:* > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.olswanger.com__;!!KGKeukY!wl2oB_G1aDhyGyRgtXw85s6FY1DBq6R-Oui0i--LBg1wWV03niGZ8Ms91izhzHifFoOlwg0d0GAGGsz0lJ_XxOagQVTF$ > > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.olswanger.com/__;!!KGKeukY!1nVT65gIC9HEyCErw3Wk59r-j62PLmiUEUOmxNYkt9hDcaB3GlOBgEMrue9RKqGD8asD9bjLkUO-Yh38N1bP$> > | *twitter:* @AnnaOlswanger | *instagram:* @AnnaOlswanger > > __ > Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual > author > and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries > (AJL) > ================================== > Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: > [email protected] > To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: > https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran > Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: [email protected] > Ha-Safran Archives: > Current: > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran*40lists.osu.edu/maillist.html__;JQ!!KGKeukY!wl2oB_G1aDhyGyRgtXw85s6FY1DBq6R-Oui0i--LBg1wWV03niGZ8Ms91izhzHifFoOlwg0d0GAGGsz0lJ_XxP1pdQwm$ > > Earlier Listserver: > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran*40lists.osu.edu/maillist.html__;JQ!!KGKeukY!wl2oB_G1aDhyGyRgtXw85s6FY1DBq6R-Oui0i--LBg1wWV03niGZ8Ms91izhzHifFoOlwg0d0GAGGsz0lJ_XxP1pdQwm$ > > AJL HomePage > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.JewishLibraries.org__;!!KGKeukY!wl2oB_G1aDhyGyRgtXw85s6FY1DBq6R-Oui0i--LBg1wWV03niGZ8Ms91izhzHifFoOlwg0d0GAGGsz0lJ_XxLMn8UHD$ > > -- > Hasafran mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran >
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