You will notice some big changes here and on Instagram today, and more in the coming days!  The Jewish Poets Collective is now Esther Poetry Journal. A bit on why this is happening… I had been pondering the past year of the Jewish Poets Collective, what’s worked, what hasn’t, and how I can create an…

I’m very sorry to announce that due to circumstances beyond my control the Snapshot of Israel Now poetry reading has been canceled and will not be rescheduled.  The Rosh Chodesh open mic event for November 23 is still on the schedule.

November 2!  Did anyone remember to say, “rabbit, rabbit” yesterday? It’s funny the things that stay with you. I’m almost 56 years old and yet I remember very clearly my second-grade teacher, Ms. Maas, telling us we had to say “rabbit, rabbit” as soon as we woke up the first of each month so that…

Recent Releases Worth Sharing It’s been a busy month of poetry readings and getting the second issue of the journal out, but I am determined, on this last day of October, to share with you some recent releases that I think are well worth your time. Below you will find information on new books by…

I am so excited to have finally released the second issue of the Jewish Poets Collective poetry journal! It’s been roughly one year since I founded the Jewish Poets Collective, and here we are with two issues of the journal and multiple poetry readings that have all helped to build community and support Jewish poets…

I hope those who observed had a meaningful Yom Kippur and an easy fast. And as times speeds on, we’re nearly at Sukkot, the first full day of which is October 7, which is also the two year anniversary of the attack against Israel by Hamas and Gazan civilians. The amount of death, suffering, and destruction…

Before I share what’s coming up in October, I want to include the recording from Baruch November’s September 18 reading, which was wonderful. If you were unable to attend, you can watch it here. Baruch read from his book, The Broken Heart Is The Master Key (Ben Yehuda Press, 2025), which you can purchase on…

The fall session of the Jewish Poets Collective is in full swing, and before I provide a preview of October events, I want to share that Baruch November’s reading is this week, September 18th. I’m very excited at how many people have registered to attend, but there’s plenty of room for more, so please register…

The award winning poet Jamie Wendt’s Laughing in Yiddish (Broadstone Books, 2025) begins with the poem The Guests. It is Sukkot, and the poet’s children are holding the etrog and lulav as the poet welcomes ancestors to the Sukkah. The poet writes“We tell the children, Memory is inherited, Ash is in your bones.”The collection ends…

Many thanks to the Jewish and ally poets who submitted their work for the Fall Issue.During this submission period the Jewish Poets Collective received submissions from poets in China, England, Israel, Europe, and all over the United States, and once again the variety of thought and experiences of our community shines through. I’m looking forward…