20 Questions for Bracha Stein & Chani Judowitz

Bracha Stein is the pen name of a humor writer and Mishpacha staffer who lives in Jerusalem.

Chani Judowitz is an illustrator and fine artist who lives in Lakewood, New Jersey. Their collaboration on the weekly Kichels comic is the stuff bestsellers — and must-read back pages — are made of.

My ideal work environment

Bracha: A remote mountain cabin abutting a lake in which I will produce works of genius with calm and serenity. In real life, though, my creative process involves lots of nervous pacing and procasti-working as I wander my home in search of inspiration and/or distraction, so perhaps that might not pan out exactly as I’m envisioning it.

Chani: Currently my ideal work environment is my new art studio, with a hot coffee and/or some Diet Snapple Half ‘n Half.

Deadlines make me

Bracha: Produce. No deadline, no Kichels.

Chani: I have mixed emotions about deadlines. They make me very productive, but I really can’t handle last-minute pressure. Generally, I try to be organized about deadlines and submit early. With a weekly deadline like the Kichels, this is sometimes impossible. So let’s just say that I’m becoming more flexible as time goes by.

I’ve learned the most from writing about

Bracha: Reading. Hands-down, the best way to learn, improve your craft, and procrastinate (when you’re not pacing).