Nice Jewish Books

Nice Jewish Books is a podcast focusing on adult Jewish fiction sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL.) Not only is AJL the leading authority on Judaica Librarianship, its members are a community of readers and bibliophiles. On this podcast, we chat with authors about Jewish literature, genre fiction, works in translation, and more. As long as a book has a Jewish theme or character, it's a candidate for our show!

Nice Jewish Books is a fiction podcast hosted by Sheryl Stahl, with 61 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Sheryl Stahl hosts Nice Jewish Books, a fiction show with 61 episodes published.

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  Episode #5

  Wild Grapes by Miriam Flock

  May 17, 202630 minS2026

  <p></p> <p >It is 1918 and Bluma has waited four long years for her husband, Sender, to bring her and their three daughters from Romania to America. When the tickets fail to arrive, she takes their future into her own hands.</p> <p >Packing up her children, Bluma journeys across the ocean to rural Ohio—only to discover a crumbling farmhouse, a failing farm on the brink of foreclosure, and a husband more interested in studying Talmud than in actual farm work. In a strange new country, can she protect her dreams for her daughters: education, independence, and marriages built on...

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  Episode #4

  Blood of Birds by Jay Bailey

  Apr 20, 202647 minS2026

  <p><br /> The newly crowned King David was making all kinds of radical reform in his kingdom. High on the list was establishing six cities of refuge where men accused on manslaughter would be safe from people seeking blood vengence. But with a new system in play; how long will it take for someone to figure out a way to pervert it? Join me for a conversation with author Jay Bailey about his book, Blood of Birds.</p> <p>Follow along with the transcript. and check out the author's website.</p> <p> Support the author, AJL, and independent book stores b...

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  Episode #3

  Accidental friends with Susan Josephs

  Mar 13, 202648 minS2026

  <p >What happens when two strangers are brought together by the same heartbreaking loss? Can friendship help heal the soul?</p> <p >After Rose's husband, Maury, and Nina's fiancé, Jeff, are killed in a tragic car accident, the two women form an unexpected bond. What begins in shared grief grows into something deeper—through memories, regrets, and the search for a way forward. Despite their decades of age difference—Rose at 93 and Nina in her thirties—they connect through their shared love of dance, Nina's passion for yoga, and the complicated emotions that follow loss.</p> <p >Author Susan Josephs brings...

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  Nice Jewish Books

  AJL Fiction Award Winners 2026

  Feb 19, 202633 minS0

  <p >Every year, the Association of Jewish Libraries Fiction Award committee scours the literary world for books with significant Jewish content. They look for extra-ordinary writing, accurate depictions of Jewish life in all its diversity, and contributions to the field of Jewish literature. This month I am excited to speak with Rena Citrin about the 2026 award winners for the best Jewish fiction published in 2025.</p> <p>Follow along with the transcript.</p> <p>Support the author, AJL, and independent book stores by buying their books here.</p> <p>Thanks to:</p> The Association of Jewish Libraries Heidi Rabinowitz, podcast mentor...

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  Episode #1

  Alive and Beating / a conversation with Rebecca Wolf

  Jan 19, 202648 minS2026

  <p >Six lives. One city. A phone call that will change everything.</p> <p >In Alive and Beating, Rebecca Wolf brings us to Jerusalem just days before Passover, where six diverse characters balance family, work, and life-threatening illnesses. After a devastating bus bombing, an organ donation sets off a question that drives the novel: who will get the call that saves their life?</p> <p >Join me on Nice Jewish Books for a conversation with Rebecca Wolf about grief, grit, and the fragility of hope.</p> <p>Follow along with the transcript.</p> Rebecca can be reached through email at a...

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