I have a special appreciation for Valerie Frankel’s compilation of this, the first volume of her Jewish Science Fiction and Fantasy series. As the contributor of a 20-page entry to the Encyclopedia Judaica (2nd Edition) on the same topic back in 1999, I thought I’d hit all the beats. Alas, not even close. Yids in space!? You have no idea. Scholars and fans rejoice, because this mammoth and indispensable undertaking will not soon be surpassed.

Sheldon Teitelbaum, co-editor of Zion's Fiction: A Treasury of Israeli Speculative Literature

Frankel takes a broad view of speculative fiction and traces the way the Jewish people throughout history have used science, the supernatural, and fantasy to explain and interact with the world around them. Her willingness to be expansive in her subject matter allows her to gather evidence that strays far beyond the traditional definition of the genre, but clearly fits. The formalization of science fiction as a genre included numerous Jewish authors, editors, and publishers and Frankel provides a rationale for their participation, demonstrating that it is the latest evolution in a long history of using the same techniques of understanding their world and trying to bring about social and scientific change.

Steven H. Silver, author of After Hastings