Jewish Identity and Diversity in American Comic Books

Author talk with graphic novelist Julian Voloj

12:00 pm | Seminar Room

Jewish Arts and Bookfest
Sunday, May 3, 2026

at UC Berkeley’s Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley,  CA

The American comic book industry was created by Jews, but for a long time, Jewish identity did not play a role in the medium, and when it did, the stories were primarily focused on Ashkenazi identities. This now changes with the introduction of Hyphen: Jewish Stories In Our Own Words, a graphic novel anthology celebrating Jewish diversity by telling the stories of Jews from Ethiopia, India and other Diaspora communities. This talk takes a look at the evolution of Jews in comics, but also Jewish comic books.

Ages 12 and up

About Julian Voloj

Julian Voloj is the author of sev­er­al crit­i­cal­ly acclaimed graph­ic nov­els, often focus­ing on historical and/or biographical topics, including books on Superman co-creator Joe Shuster, chess genius turned madman Bobby Fischer and “Liberty,” retelling the chaotic creation story of the Statue of Liberty. He serves as the exec­u­tive direc­tor of Be’chol Lashon, an orga­ni­za­tion cel­e­brat­ing Jew­ish diver­si­ty through arts, cul­ture and sto­ry­telling. With the Hyphen: Jewish Stories in our own words anthol­o­gy he com­bines both his pas­sions, cel­e­brat­ing diver­si­ty through com­ic book sto­ry­telling. Born in Ger­many to Colom­bian par­ents, he lives in New York.

About the Book: Hyphen

Hyphen is a powerful celebration of Jewish life—amplifying voices that have too often been overlooked. This collection features 12 deeply personal, real-life stories of Jews from racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse backgrounds around the world. Each story is told in their own words and uniquely illustrated by a roster of acclaimed international artists. From ancient traditions to modern journeys, these voices reflect the true diversity of the Jewish experience today.

Not stories about them—stories by them.

At the heart of Hyphen is the belief that Jewish identity is not one-size-fits-all. By empowering contributors to tell their own stories, Hyphen offers an authentic, nuanced, and deeply human look at what it means to belong.