The Hidden Jews of Dune With DZ Kalman

Frank Herbert spent five books showing how faiths merge, mutate, and drift beyond recognition. Then, in Chapterhouse: Dune, he wrote in a community of Jews who had not changed at all. Abu and Leo gather critical takes from Jewish readers and scholars, then sit down with historian DZ Kalman to ask whether representation that gets things wrong can still be worth having.

This episode contains SPOILERS for all six of Frank Herbert's Dune novels, up through Chapterhouse: Dune!

IN THIS EPISODE

Rebecca, the Rabbi, and the deal the Bene Gesserit struck with a people nobody could find

Where Kwisatz Haderach actually comes from in Jewish mysticism, and why nobody knows how Herbert found it

A theory about Beverly Herbert's death, the to-do list she left behind, and what Daniel and Marty have to do with any of it

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

DZ Kalman's essay on the Jews of Dune: jellomenorah.com

DZ Kalman's podcast, Belief in the Future: podcasts.apple.com

Michael Weingrad, Jews of Dune: jewishreviewofbooks.com

Jonathan Weidenbaum, The Holy Versus the Sacred: doi.org

Leigh Kimmel's Chapterhouse Dune review: billionlightyearbookshelf.com