Totally Booked with Zibby

Episode: Zeeva Bukai Wins a National Jewish Book Award
Host: Zibby Owens
Guest: Zeeva Bukai
Date: February 27, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Zibby Owens sits down with Zeeva Bukai, the acclaimed author of The World Between and The Anatomy of Exile. The conversation centers on Bukai’s latest novel, her inspirations drawn from her family history and personal experiences, and how trauma, memory, and Jewish identity shape both her fiction and her life. Zibby delves into the process and intention behind Bukai’s writing, the complexities of her characters, and her recent recognition in the literary world, including a National Jewish Book Award nomination.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Zeeva Bukai and Her Work

• Author Background: Zibby introduces Zeeva Bukai, highlighting her previous accolades, publications, and current role as Assistant Director of Academic Support at SUNY Empire State University. (01:18–02:57)
• New Novel: Focus is on her novel The World Between, notable for its unique structure and emotional depth.

2. Exploring The World Between

• Plot Summary:
  • Zeeva describes the story as centering on a former Yiddish actress who, after her marriage collapses, returns to her old apartment in Tel Aviv and later finds herself in the care of nuns at a hospice in Jaffa, unsure how she arrived. The narrative is a journey of piecing together fractured memories across places from New York to Siberia, with much of the story written in the form of letters to her husband, Max. (03:28–04:27)
• Narrative Devices:
  • Epistolary structure: The book is written as direct addresses to Max, an absent yet central character. Bukai elaborates on how this form allows the protagonist’s memories and trauma to surface gradually. (04:27–05:17)

3. Characters and Sources of Inspiration

• Family Roots and Fiction:
  • Bukai discusses how her mother’s early years in a Siberian children’s home during WWII inspired the book’s emotional core, though much is fictionalized. Acting, a formative part of her own life, becomes central in the protagonist’s identity. (05:17–07:33)
  • Notable influence: The character Max is modeled in part on Binyamin Semach, a real-life teacher and influential figure in Israeli theater.
• Memorable Characters:
  • Rothman, a fictional character, is deeply impactful within the story. Zibby brings up a powerful and haunting scene involving Rothman, underscoring Bukai’s ability to evoke empathy and vivid imagery. (04:27–05:17)

4. Trauma, Memory, and Jewish Identity

• Unpacking Exile and Survival:
  • Bukai shares her intent to explore the lesser-known forced exile of Jews to Siberia, rather than the oft-tread territory of Holocaust camps. She draws from family experience to illuminate this shadowed aspect of Jewish history. (08:22–09:00)
• Psychological Resonance:
  • The conversation turns to the long-lasting effects of trauma, and how coping, survival, and memory shape individuals and families across generations. Bukai points out that even if people physically move on, mentally they may continue to relive painful memories, especially in old age. (13:11–14:56)

5. Literary Craft and Process

• Balancing Tragedy and Resilience:
  • Despite the somber themes, Bukai asserts that her protagonist’s humor and sense of self prevent the novel from reading as wholly bleak. The meta-layer of her protagonist acting on stage becomes both metaphor and coping mechanism. (15:24–16:46)
• Immigrant Experience:
  • Bukai recounts her own journey of immigration from Israel to the US at age four, her persistent sense of being “neither here nor there,” and how this duality infuses her work. (16:54–19:00)
  • Quote: “The idea of ‘nishtahein, nishtahel,’ which means neither here nor there in Yiddish, is a big aspect of this book, and that feeling is something that I know very well.” (16:54)
• Writing Journey:
  • She describes her gradual shift from acting to writing, motivated by motherhood and the impracticality of an acting career. Bukai’s path to publication was slow, filled with self-doubt and incremental effort. (19:03–19:46)

6. Recognition and Encouragement

• National Jewish Book Award:
  • Bukai responds to being shortlisted for the prestigious award, expressing shock, gratitude, and a long view of her thirty-year journey as a writer. (19:03)
• Advice for Aspiring Writers:
  • Quote: “Just stick to it. You have to always push yourself forward.” (19:46)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On memory and loss:
  “If anything, this book is really a collection of memories of this person’s life. I think the book shows one way that people cope or don’t cope…” – Zeeva Bukai (13:11)
• On the impact of exile:
  “I felt that I did want to explore the whole other issue that was going on during the Second World War for Jews, and that was their exile into Siberia by the Soviets. That is an aspect of the Holocaust that we don’t read about a lot. And so I really did want to get at that.” – Zeeva Bukai (08:22)
• On finding inspiration in family and mentors:
  “His demeanor, or I should say his affect and his appearance, is actually based on a teacher of mine… Binyamin Semach, who was an exceptional actor and choreographer here in the United States. His brother… was one of the founders of the Habima Theater, the National Theater of Israel.” (05:17)
• Zibby on the power of the novel:
  “Small, but so powerful. I mean, just took my breath away. Kind of powerful. Really, really good. Beautifully written.” – Zibby Owens (03:04)

Excerpt Read by Zibby (09:00)

“In the camp I carried a tin bowl with me everywhere. Anyone who lost their bowl starved… When Rothman and I went back to Krasnovich in search of our relatives and neighbors, we found strangers in our houses… They chased us off like we were dogs come begging for a meal and warned that if we came back, they’d murder us… Rothman said it was because they didn’t want to give back what they’d stolen from us. But I think it was because we dared to survive. Live Jews are a nuisance.” (09:00–10:55)

Key Timestamps

• 01:18 — Zibby introduces Zeeva Bukai and her literary background
• 03:28 — Zeeva summarizes the premise of The World Between
• 04:27 — Discussion of the epistolary structure and characters
• 05:17 — Inspiration from family history and mentors
• 08:22 — Bukai on representing Siberian exile in literature
• 09:00 — Zibby reads a key passage about loss and return
• 13:11 — Conversation on trauma, survival, and psychological impact
• 15:24 — The protagonist as an actor and the theme of performance
• 16:54 — Bukai’s immigrant story and connection to her themes
• 19:03 — National Jewish Book Award recognition and reflection
• 19:46 — Bukai’s advice for writers

Tone and Language

The tone is thoughtful, warm, and deeply personal, balancing intellectual insight with emotional candor. Bukai and Owens both speak candidly about intergenerational trauma, loss, resilience, and the creative process. Their discussion moves fluidly from literary critique to personal anecdote, making the conversation intimate and engaging for lovers of literary fiction and Jewish history alike.

Summary

This episode provides a moving portrait of Zeeva Bukai as both a writer and a human being, grounding her literary success in lived experience and a nuanced understanding of history, trauma, and identity. Listeners gain insight into The World Between’s craft and heart, Bukai’s inspirations, and the perseverance needed to write stories that matter.