Jamie Herndon writes: “I have to admit: when I think of science fiction and fantasy, I don’t often think of Jewish themes. At least, I didn’t use to. Which is ironic, because the Hugo awards are named after Hugo Gernsback (nee Gernsbacher), a Jewish immigrant to the U.S who coined the term “science fiction.” More stories in SFF are containing explicitly Jewish themes and characters. These Jewish fantasy books and sci-fi novels include not just Jewish characters, but Jewish themes, stories inspired by Kabbalistic elements or Jewish folktales/fables, or spiritual elements.