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Chanel Dubofsky

Chanel Dubofsky Headshot

Chanel Dubofsky (she/her) lives in Brooklyn, New York. Her writing on gender, sexuality, reproductive health, and pop culture can be found in New York Magazine, Lilith, Rewire, and others. She is currently working on a novel about American Jews in Israel and Palestine in the aftermath of the 1967 war, and appears in the new documentary My So-Called Selfish Life, about the choice to be childfree. In 2015, she earned an MFA in Fiction from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Follow her on Instagram at @cdubofsky.

Blog Posts

Lech by Sara Lippman Book Cover

"Lech" Complicates Familial Relationships

Chanel Dubofsky

As Lippmann's characters in Lech excavate their lives in search of clarity, they're ultimately left with this truth: what we're told to believe about ourselves and the world is never all there is.

Shmutz Book Cover by Felicia Berliner

“Shmutz” Subverts the Traditional Ex-Orthodoxy Narrative

Chanel Dubofsky

Felicia Berliner's debut novel Shmutz upends the notion of a binary choice so frequently seen in literature concerning Jews living unhappily in insular communities.

Carly Manes and the cover of her book What's An Abortion, Anyway?

Interview with Carly Manes, author of "What’s An Abortion, Anyway?"

Chanel Dubofsky

We spoke with Carly Manes about Jewish faith and abortion, the obstacles in getting the book into the world, and how Jewish communities can support the fight for reproductive justice.

Sally Priesand, 1972

On Not Going to Rabbinical School

Chanel Dubofsky

Let's be clear: I did not make it to the application process for rabbinical school. I didn't even request an application. I came close, but luckily, before I did anything, I managed to figure out the difference between a calling and an impulse. In this case, I probably should have felt a little more called to actually engage with the Torah, instead of hoping that my ambivalence would resolve itself. (Update: it has not.)

Topics: Rabbis
Chanel Dubofsky

Wide, Lush, Sharp, Bright

Chanel Dubofsky

Truthfully, I always needed other writers. As you know if you’re a writer, letting people into your brain is kind of like letting someone see you naked:  Just…be careful. Not everyone deserves it. Finding the like minded is an unbelievable gift. Finding those who understand what it’s like to have a universe in your head, or to need a pen all the time, or what it is like when you read a perfect sentence, is what keeps a writer from going crazy.

I need other writers because when I talk about my work out loud, it gets bigger and clearer. I see what’s there. Writers are (fine, I am) a cranky, unpredictable lot. Finding us can be hard; getting us together can be even harder. Sometimes it’s a matter of luck, so if you think you might be onto something, I would recommend jumping on it immediately. It’s not often that an opportunity comes along like the Rising Voices Fellowship that’s serious about cultivating writers and community. The right company makes a difference. I promise.

Princesses of Long Island

Princesses of Long Island: Not Good For The Jews (Or, Really, Anyone)

Chanel Dubofsky
Jordyn Rozensky

I don’t watch a lot of reality tv. I was recently chatting with a good friend of mine, the managing editor of Heeb, and he challenged me to think about why this show upsets me more than other shows. I probably made it through a third of a Jersey Shore episode before turning it off. I do have to wonder—were we, as a Jewish population, up in arms about the dangers of ethnic stereotypes before we were a victim of such portrayals?

Princesses of Long Island: We React

Chanel Dubofsky
Jordyn Rozensky

After the initial episode of Princesses of Long Island aired, I sat down with my friend Chanel Dubofsky  (who, it is worth mentioning, shares a name but none of the traits of one of the stars of the new reality TV show.) We decided to transcribe our conversation, as we attempted to take on and understand the issues behind the show.

Topics: Television
Chanel Dubofsky Headshot

J.A.P.: Let’s Keep It Unpalatable

Chanel Dubofsky

We can be powerful women who know what we want. We should be, and we should be able to be without having to define ourselves according to antiquated parameters. Let’s set up new paradigms, and push beyond attachments to class and gender performance.

Topics: Antisemitism
Annual Luncheon Comic by Liana Finck

Troublemaking is an Unpredictable Sport

Chanel Dubofsky

 “When women talk about their accomplishments, it’s a signal to others to stop liking them,” said Rachel Sklar. “For men, success correlates with positive feelings. Women want to be well liked, they don’t want to rock the boat. We have to support our troublemakers.”

Topics: Feminism

The Jewish community needs to step up and speak out for abortion rights

Chanel Dubofsky

There are many reasons that Sarah Tuttle-Singer’s piece, “My Jewish Abortion,” in Tuesday’s Kveller,

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How to cite this page

Jewish Women's Archive. "Chanel Dubofsky." (Viewed on December 11, 2024) <https://jwa.org/blog/author/chanel-dubofsky>.