Redefining the Boundaries of the Sacred
An Exploration of Jewish Religious Texts and Graphic Novels
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/post.12297Keywords:
Jewish graphic novel, biblical and rabbinic literature, JT Waldman, Jessica Tamar Deutsch, Jordan Gorfinkel and Erez ZadokAbstract
This essay considers three recent Jewish graphic novels that synthesize biblical and Rabbinic texts with exegetical illustrations. Designating these works as sacred graphic novels provides an opportunity for considering the boundaries of the genres of, and interrelationship between, sacred Jewish literature and graphic novels. The concept of sacred graphic novels is explored by analyzing J.T. Waldman’s Megillat Esther, Jessica Tamar Deutsch’s Pirkei Avot and Jordan Gorfinkel and Erez Zadok’s The Passover Haggadah. While all three texts involve exegesis, what distinguishes these works is the integration of the actual text of the sacred writings in question. This integration changes the ways that the graphic novels are used as religious texts and religious texts as graphic novels and leads to a broader understanding of sacred Jewish literature.
References
Baskind, Samantha, and Ranen Omer-Sherman. 2008. “Introduction.” In The Jewish Graphic Novel: Critical Approaches, ed. Samantha Baskind and Ranen Omer-Sherman, xv-xxvii. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press.
Crumb, R. 2009. The Book of Genesis Illustrated. New York City: WW Norton.
David, Marianne, and Javier Muñoz-Basols. 2012. “The Sarajevo Haggadah: A Cultural Metaphor for Diaspora Studies.” In Defining and Re-Defining Diaspora: From Theory to Reality, ed. Marianne David and Javier Muñoz-Basols, 251-270. Oxfordshire: Inter-Disciplinary.net
Deutsch, Jessica Tamar. 2017. The Illustrated Pirkei Avot: A Graphic Novel of Jewish Ethics. Philadelphia: Print-O-Craft.
Eisner, Will. 1978. A Contract with God. New York City: Baronet Books.
Epstein, Marc Michael. 2011. The Medieval Haggadah. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Epstein, Marc Michael. 2015. “Introduction.” In Skies of Parchment, Seas of Ink: Jewish Illuminated Manuscripts, ed. Marc Michael Epstein, 1-18. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
“For One Author, Pirkei Avot is Both a Sefer and a Coloring Book.” 2019. Jerusalem Post, 1 May. Internet edition. https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/For-one-author-Pirkei-Avot-is-both-a-sefer-and-a-coloring-book-588347?fbclid=IwAR2d1-o-7WR-xXCUmTGKgiCRxhwlOj3jWPlGsvxHHiVUtWHMiH4-ZCyoRFI. Accessed July 9, 2019.
Gorfinkel, Jordan, and Erez Zadok. 2019. Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel. Jerusalem: Koren Publishers.
Greene, Virginia. 1992. “’Accessories of Holiness’: Defining Jewish Sacred Objects.” Journal of the American Institute for Conservation 31: 31-39.
“Had Gadya.” 2007. In Encyclopaedia Judaica, 2nd ed., ed. Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik, 190, vol. 8. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA.
Harris, Julie A. 2002. “Polemical Images in the Golden Haggadah (British Library, Add. MS 27210).” Medieval Encounters 8: 105-122.
Hoffman, Adina, and Peter Cole. 2011. Sacred Trash: The Lost and Found World of the Cairo Geniza. New York: Nextbook.
McCloud, Scott. 1994. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. New York: HarperPerennial.
Reingold, Matt. 2016. “Jewish Sexualities in J.T. Waldman’s Megillat Esther.” In Visualizing Jewish Narrative: Jewish Comics and Graphic Novels, ed. Derek Parker Royal, 41-54. London: Bloomsbury Academic.
Soltes, Ori Z. 2003. “Images and the Book of Esther: From Manuscript Illumination to Midrash.” In The Book of Esther in Modern Research, ed. Leonard Greenspoon & Sidnie White Crawford, 137-175. London: T&T Clark International.
Soltes, Ori Z. 2009. “The Graphic Novel From Diaspora to Diaspora: James Sturm’s The Golem’s Mighty Swing and JT Waldman’s Megillat Esther in the Tree of Contexts.” Paper presented at the Conney Conference on Jewish Arts: Madison, WI.
Sousanis, Nick. 2015. Unflattening. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Spiegelman, Art. 1986. Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale: My Father Bleeds History. New York: Pantheon Books.
Uli?ná, Lenka. 2019. “Modern Genizot: ‘Sacred Trash’ Reconsidered.” Muzeológia a Kurtúrne Dedi?stvo 7: 143-154.
Waldman, JT. 2006. Megillat Esther. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society.
Ware, Chris. 2012. Building Stories. New York City: Pantheon
Vick, Susan, and Marc Michael Epstein. 2015. “Illuminating the Present: Contemporary Jewish Illumination.” In Skies of Parchment, Seas of Ink: Jewish Illuminated Manuscripts, ed. Marc Michael Epstein, 215-228. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Crumb, R. 2009. The Book of Genesis Illustrated. New York City: WW Norton.
David, Marianne, and Javier Muñoz-Basols. 2012. “The Sarajevo Haggadah: A Cultural Metaphor for Diaspora Studies.” In Defining and Re-Defining Diaspora: From Theory to Reality, ed. Marianne David and Javier Muñoz-Basols, 251-270. Oxfordshire: Inter-Disciplinary.net
Deutsch, Jessica Tamar. 2017. The Illustrated Pirkei Avot: A Graphic Novel of Jewish Ethics. Philadelphia: Print-O-Craft.
Eisner, Will. 1978. A Contract with God. New York City: Baronet Books.
Epstein, Marc Michael. 2011. The Medieval Haggadah. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Epstein, Marc Michael. 2015. “Introduction.” In Skies of Parchment, Seas of Ink: Jewish Illuminated Manuscripts, ed. Marc Michael Epstein, 1-18. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
“For One Author, Pirkei Avot is Both a Sefer and a Coloring Book.” 2019. Jerusalem Post, 1 May. Internet edition. https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/For-one-author-Pirkei-Avot-is-both-a-sefer-and-a-coloring-book-588347?fbclid=IwAR2d1-o-7WR-xXCUmTGKgiCRxhwlOj3jWPlGsvxHHiVUtWHMiH4-ZCyoRFI. Accessed July 9, 2019.
Gorfinkel, Jordan, and Erez Zadok. 2019. Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel. Jerusalem: Koren Publishers.
Greene, Virginia. 1992. “’Accessories of Holiness’: Defining Jewish Sacred Objects.” Journal of the American Institute for Conservation 31: 31-39.
“Had Gadya.” 2007. In Encyclopaedia Judaica, 2nd ed., ed. Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik, 190, vol. 8. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA.
Harris, Julie A. 2002. “Polemical Images in the Golden Haggadah (British Library, Add. MS 27210).” Medieval Encounters 8: 105-122.
Hoffman, Adina, and Peter Cole. 2011. Sacred Trash: The Lost and Found World of the Cairo Geniza. New York: Nextbook.
McCloud, Scott. 1994. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. New York: HarperPerennial.
Reingold, Matt. 2016. “Jewish Sexualities in J.T. Waldman’s Megillat Esther.” In Visualizing Jewish Narrative: Jewish Comics and Graphic Novels, ed. Derek Parker Royal, 41-54. London: Bloomsbury Academic.
Soltes, Ori Z. 2003. “Images and the Book of Esther: From Manuscript Illumination to Midrash.” In The Book of Esther in Modern Research, ed. Leonard Greenspoon & Sidnie White Crawford, 137-175. London: T&T Clark International.
Soltes, Ori Z. 2009. “The Graphic Novel From Diaspora to Diaspora: James Sturm’s The Golem’s Mighty Swing and JT Waldman’s Megillat Esther in the Tree of Contexts.” Paper presented at the Conney Conference on Jewish Arts: Madison, WI.
Sousanis, Nick. 2015. Unflattening. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Spiegelman, Art. 1986. Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale: My Father Bleeds History. New York: Pantheon Books.
Uli?ná, Lenka. 2019. “Modern Genizot: ‘Sacred Trash’ Reconsidered.” Muzeológia a Kurtúrne Dedi?stvo 7: 143-154.
Waldman, JT. 2006. Megillat Esther. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society.
Ware, Chris. 2012. Building Stories. New York City: Pantheon
Vick, Susan, and Marc Michael Epstein. 2015. “Illuminating the Present: Contemporary Jewish Illumination.” In Skies of Parchment, Seas of Ink: Jewish Illuminated Manuscripts, ed. Marc Michael Epstein, 215-228. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Published
2020-09-15
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Reingold, M. (2020). Redefining the Boundaries of the Sacred: An Exploration of Jewish Religious Texts and Graphic Novels. Postscripts: The Journal of Sacred Texts, Cultural Histories, and Contemporary Contexts, 11(1), 81–101. https://doi.org/10.1558/post.12297
