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Canadian Jewish Writers

© Paula E. Kirman

Jewish Canadian writers have made a tremendous impact on Canadian Literature. Some of Canada's biggest and brightest literary names have been of the Jewish faith, and their writing demonstrates that one's culture definitely has an impact on one's writing.

Mordecai Richler is usually the first name to come to mind when thinking of Canadian Jewish writers. The late Richler often incorporated Jewish symbolism and themes into his work, featuring Jewish main characters. The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz almost got him into a bit of trouble, since the money-hungry, self-centered Kravitz was almost the perfect stereotype that anti-Semites attribute to Jewish people. When I interviewed him a few years ago, Richler said that he never intended for Duddy to be representative of Judaism -- he was just a character.

Irving Layton is a poet who also uses Jewish imagery in his work. He writes about life and anti-Semitism, as only a Jewish person can -- after all, when you're Jewish, these things are part of your life. Earlier in the 20th century, A. M. Klein wrote some extensive poems on anti-Semitism, but they did not go over well, as his use of rhyming couplets lacked the emotional intensity of post-modern writers.

Leonard Cohen's Judaism has been as mysterious and transient as the man himself. Having dabbled in other religions, Cohen's work has a spiritual flair that is not always necessarily Jewish in theme.

It is interesting to note that while Judaism is a part of all of these writer's works, none of them are what most rabbis would consider to be observant Jews. However, unlike Christianity which requires that one take a leap of faith in order to be considered part of the religion, Judaism is inherited -- and inherent. It is impossible to separate one's Jewishness from oneself, even is one chooses to be secular.

Today, Irving Layton's son David is continuing the family flame by writing his autobiography Motion Sickness a few years back. Evan Solomon is a novelist and broadcaster who has been involved in the literary world for some years.

There are many others of course, and the future of Canadian Literature will no doubt be filled with a good dose of Jewish wit and culture for years to come.

The copyright of the article Canadian Jewish Writers in Canadian Literature is owned by Paula E. Kirman. Permission to republish Canadian Jewish Writers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.