From the Editors

Almost three years ago, the Bridges editors started brainstorming about doing a issue by young Jewish women. All of us were over thirty--some well over--and aware that younger generations experience and practice feminism and Jewish feminism in new ways. We wanted to hear from them. We also recognized we need to listen to them. As Angela Davis recently reminded an audience, she was twenty-five when she first became an international icon of protest and radical change. In fact, many revolutionary and transformative movements have been led by youth: activists in the labor, anti-war, Civil Rights, and feminist movements; early Zionist pioneers; the organizers and fighters of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and other resistance efforts were often teenagers or in their twenties. If the movements for peace and justice have appeared to stall in recent years, perhaps challenging the segregation of the generations is called for. Achieving respect for both youth and age can only benefit us all.

Over the past year, several new anthologies of writing by young feminists and queers have been published: To Be Real: Telling the Truth and Changing the Face of Feminism edited and with an introduction by Rebecca Walker; Generation Q: gays, lesbians and bisexuals born around 1969's Stonewall riots tell their stories edited by Robin Bernstein and Seth Clark Silberman; Listen Up: Voices from the Next Feminist Generation edited by Barbara Findlen; the new issue of the feminist journal Calyx, Present Tense: Writing and Art by Young Women; and the academic feminist journal Signs has a forthcoming issue by/about young women. These are all important works to read. However, these publications have included very few pieces addressing Jewish identity and activism. This issue of Bridges begins to fill that gap. We extend our appreciation to Amanda Seigel for so enthusiastically coordinating the editing of this work. She has been a joy to work with--wish we could've met face to face. As Amanda explains in her introduction (page 8), Bridges editors communicate over long-distances almost entirely by e-mail.

In addition to the special section of writing and art by young Jewish women, this issue includes fiction and poetry by Lilian Nattel, Jill Bellrose, Maggie Jaffe, Jill Hammer, and Kenith Simmons. And don't miss Ruth Kraut and Debrah Cohen's review of Marcia Falk's long- awaited The Book of Blessings. Bridges' Fall 1997 issue will feature work by Sephardic and Mizrahi women. We are always seeking manuscripts about Jewish women's activism and substantive responses to anything we've already published.

If you've wondered why Bridges appears irregularly--every six to nine month--it always has to do with money. Despite having no large donor, foundation, or university backing, we are committed to publishing a quality journal with lasting value. We depend on you, our readers, to make it happen. Please use the pages at the back of this issue to subscribe, make donations, order gift subscriptions and note cards. We very much appreciate your continuing support, and look forward to hearing from you.