Why is this anthology different from all other anthologies?

A boost in Jewish young adult fiction feels necessary at this point in time, when identity and marginalization are so present in American media and politics. But the concept also feels like a daunting and even risky proposition, with a potentially un-uniform organizing thesis.

After all, being Jewish doesn’t mean only one thing. Jewish identity represents a vast and nuanced spectrum of lifestyles, beliefs, and experiences. For some, being Jewish may mean everything; for others, it might mean little to nothing, overshadowed by other elements of individual identity.

Still, the core nugget of commonality still remains.

‘It’s a Whole Spiel’ review

Into this somewhat ambiguous space comes It’s a Whole Spiel: Love, Latkes, and Other Jewish Stories, a new young adult anthology edited by Katherine Locke and Laura Silverman. Including stories from David Levithan, Nova Ren Suma, Dana Schwartz, and many others, It’s a Whole Spiel explores the lives of contemporary Jewish teens and young adults, in all of their foibles, fears, and faith.

The diverse nature of Jewish identity turns out to fit perfectly into the anthology format. If it cannot comprise the whole of Life As A Jew (and nothing really could) It’s a Whole Spiel offers a nuanced and faceted collection that strongly signals at its complex existence.

Embracing the idea of the spiel (Yiddish for story) lends particularly strength to the concept. After all, being Jewish is itself a kind of story. Connection to the faith and culture — and sometimes, even the lack of connection — is an alchemy of legend and logistics.

Stories of the past, be it hundreds of years ago or last week, create the stories of young Jews today. The cascading narratives of It’s a Whole Spiel exist within this framework, bolstering the idea that you create your own Jewish story, even as it creates you.

And the options are limitless. Your Jewish story might be navigating the life of a more religious crush. It might be a story of Israel, exploring a complex country and finding yourself in the process — or, in some cases, getting more lost than ever. Your story might link back to the Holocaust and history, or it might be a political action story, bound to the most current social traumas.

Jewish stories are coming-out-while-Jewish stories, and finding-a-party-when-you’re-lost-on-Shabbat stories, and bonding-over-Maccabee-fanfiction stories.

There are some gaps in the span of representational stories here — the stories in It’s a Whole Spiel primarily represent American kids, mostly white and of Ashkenazi descent. It would have been gratifying if the anthology had expanded further, exploring the experiences of non-white Jews and those with Sephardic, Mizrahi, and various other segments of Jewish identity, which are often erased in the American perception of Jewish life.

Related: Katherine Locke and Laura Silverman discuss ‘It’s a Whole Spiel’

Still, in other quadrants, It’s a Whole Spiel presents a wide variety of identities among its Jewish protagonists. Many of the stories’ characters identify as LGBT, and handling mental illness is also a strong theme. The anthology also presents an appreciably broad spectrum of religious practice and philosophy, reflecting the infinite ways in which teens and young adults connect with their Judaism.

Some stories focus on secular teens navigating Jewish experiences for the first time, feeling out their personal links to a multifaceted culture. Others approach Judaism as an integral element of protagonists’ lives, both culturally and through a welcome variety of religious observances. Sometimes experiences overlap (Birthright trips to Israel and Friday night meals are a common thread) and sometimes they don’t.

As in life, It’s A Whole Spiel doesn’t set limits around what makes a story a Jewish story, or indeed a person a Jewish person. In Mayim Bialik’s introduction to the anthology, the author and actress writes of the challenges of Jewish identity, the “fractures” that can characterize Jewish experiences.

But Bialik also notes that these ragged spaces present opportunities for new and ever-evolving Jewish stories — and Jewish lives.

“There is no “right” way to live, or think, or be,” she writes. Instead, young Jews should embrace the many facets of this complex identity, finding their own stories amidst the nuances of history, modern life, and your own personal needs.

As the tales in It’s a Whole Spiel relate, it may not be an easy journey. But there will certainly be a spiel to share at the end.

It’s a Whole Spiel: Love, Latkes, and Other Jewish Stories, edited by Katherine Locke and Laura Silverman, will be available on Sept. 17 from your local independent bookseller and other internet vendors.