New local publishing house melds Zionism and art

Thursday, October 16, 2008 | by stacey palevsky

Zionism. The word doesn't immediately conjure up thoughts of abstract paintings and poetry.

Yet a new publishing company in the Bay Area intends to change that.

"I really want to make Zionism relevant in ways that young people are engaged today — which is through art and culture," said Polly Zavadivker, co-founder of Miriam Books, a nonprofit Zionist arts and culture publishing house operated by Zavadivker and Alan Kaufman, a local author and artist.

Miriam Books began this year, and its first publication featured Kaufman's Zionist paintings and essays by well-known Jewish activists, writers and thinkers.

Zavadivker will speak about the endeavor at the Contra Costa Jewish Book and Arts Festival on Oct. 26. One of the things she'll talk about is how the Information Age is both a challenge and opportunity for the Jewish people.

"The global spread of anti-Zionism is really facilitated by technology, but it's also an opportunity to look at how we connect and get our information, of which we have unprecedented access," she said.

Miriam Books was borne out of Kaufman's frustration and disappointment. In 2007, he alleged that a San Francisco art gallery owner refused to print a catalog showcasing his works because of their overtly Zionist titles (such as "The Flight of Israel's Foes" and "The Battle for Israel").

Meanwhile, the 28-year-old Zavadivker (who met Kaufman two years ago when she interviewed him for PresenTense magazine) had been feeling frustrated that so few of her peers shared her interest in and support of Zionist ideals.

"Zionism is not really compelling to [my] generation," she said. "It's more likely to stir up negative associations among young Jews than anything else."

Kaufman thought that with an artsy (as opposed to political) entry point, young Jews might be interested in talking and thinking about Zionism.

"Young Jews know nothing about Zionism," he said. "They think it's a bunch of stuffed suits of their parents' generation talking about fundraising. They don't understand the real implications of Zionism — to empower yourself as a Jew in this world."

Zavadivker and Kaufman started Miriam Books — and continue to operate it — as volunteers. They secured some seed funding from a local foundation, and also from Jewish organizations such as the Jewish Community Relations Council and BlueStarPR.

They hope to publish two more works in 2009: a graphic novel about olim in Israel, written and drawn by a Jerusalem woman, and an anthology of essays about Zionism.

"The ultimate goal is the formation of a new Jewish intelligentsia," Kaufman said.

Kaufman grew up in the Bronx in the 1950s and today lives in San Francisco. His daughter is currently serving in the Israel Defense Forces. He has published two books and been anthologized in numerous collections.

Zavadivker grew up in San Ramon with her parents, Soviet émigrés who came to the United States in 1979. She now lives in Santa Cruz, where she's pursuing a doctoral degree in European Jewish history.

"I consider myself a progressive Zionist, trying to live up to classical principles of Zionism," she said. "But I've found that increasingly difficult. I feel like I'm always playing defense."

She added that the Bay Area is the ideal place to launch Miriam Books.

"The Bay Area is where movements start. And because Zionism is especially taboo here, this is the best place to create a change."




Polly Zavadivker will speak about "How to be Part of Generation Z (Z = Zionist) in the Digital Age" at 2:15 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Contra Costa JCC, 2071 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek.

For more information about Miriam Books or to purchase the catalog of Alan Kaufman's artwork and related essays, visit http://www.miriambooks.org.




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