"The Full Range of Jewish Experience." A Chat with Nora Gold, Editor of Jewish Fiction Journal

A magazine for “Jewish-themed literary fiction"

Good day! I come with tidings of another editor interview, freshly wrapped.

Earlier this week I spoke with Nora Gold, Founding Editor of Jewish Fiction Journal. This magazine accepts “Jewish-themed literary fiction (a short story or an excerpt from a novel).”

Nora began the magazine in 2010 when magazines were transitioning to the digital era. She wanted to fill a gap in what she describes as “an absence of Jewish storytelling.” Nearly 15 years later the magazine has published 37 issues and 600 works of fiction, one-third of which are translations.

One of the biggest surprises of the magazine, Nora said, has been those translations. The editorial team, which has consisted of five-six other editors, has selected works from Syria, Albania, Argentina, and beyond, all in order to showcase “an increasingly multilingual and multicultural body of literature” and “the full range of Jewish experience around the world.”

Writers need not be Jewish in order to publish here. There are only two criteria for acceptance. One is “literary excellence.” Second is that the work “has to be Jewish fiction.” But what exactly is “a Jewish story”? Nora described this question as far more complicated than it may seem, and one which she and her staff frequently discuss in depth. A key consideration is whether the “Jewish element is inextricable” from the story itself.

As the conversation shifted to current events, Nora described what she views as virulent antisemitism in the literary world and beyond. In response, she says this magazine is “filling an important need right now” and also “a safe space.”

How else are stories selected for the journal? How closely do these editors work with writers on editorial changes? What are these editors seeing a lot of in submissions right now? What are common reasons for rejection?

For all that and more, my dear friends, you will have to tune in!

Jewish Fiction Journal is open for fiction submissions year-round. There is no fee to submit. Stories should be 1,500 - 6,000 words.

To all those who came out to participate, thank you for attending! Your faces are the sweet, mulled apple cider on my brisk November day.

And, of course, thank you to Nora for taking the time to take us behind the scenes of another lovely little lit mag.

This interview is free and available to all.

Views expressed by any editor during an interview do not necessarily reflect my own.