Information
- Location:
- New York, NY, 10018
- Phone:
- 212-201-2920
Favorite Pages
Events
2 past eventsSee All
- Jerusalem Writing Seminars
Stern House
Monday, July 20 at 9:00am - National Jewish Book Award Cer...
Center for Jewish History
Thursday, March 5 at 7:30pm
Extended Info
Mission Statement:
The Mission of the Jewish Book Council
is to:
Promote the reading, writing
and publishing of quality
Jewish content books.
Serve as the continental center
for information about the North American
Jewish literary scene.
Serve as the coordinating body
of Jewish literary activity in
North America.
About the Jewish Book Council:
History
The Council's origins date back to 1925, when Fanny Goldstein, a librarian at the West End Branch of the Boston Public Library, set up an exhibit of Judaic books as a focus of what she called Jewish Book Week. In l927, with the assistance of Rabbi S. Felix Mendelsohn of Chicago, Jewish communities around the country adopted the event.
Jewish Book Week proved so successful that in 1940 the National Committee for Jewish Book Week was founded, with Fanny Goldstein as its chairperson. Dr. Mordecai Soltes succeeded her one year later. Representatives of major American Jewish organizations served on this committee, as did groups interested in promulgating Yiddish and Hebrew literature.
Jewish Book Week activities proliferated and were extended to a one-month period in l943. At the same time, the National Committee for Jewish Book Week became the Jewish Book Council, reflecting its broader scope. In March of the following year, the National Jewish Welfare Board, which would ultimately become the Jewish Community Centers Association, entered into an agreement with the Book Council to become its official sponsor and coordinating organization, providing financial support and organizational assistance. This arrangement reflected the realization that local JCCs were the primary site of community book fairs.
While under the auspices of JCC association, the Jewish Book Council maintained an executive board, composed of representatives from major American Jewish organizations and leading figures in the literary world.
The Jewish Book Council Today
On January 1, l994, the Jewish Book Council became an autonomous organization. This was precipitated by a JCC Association decision to cease all funding and organizational assistance. Convinced that the Jewish Book Council remained essential to the People of the Book, the Council's executive board voted to create an independent entity. The new organization is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation chartered in the State of New York. It is supported, to a large degree, by dedicated and interested individuals and foundations in the Jewish community.
Programs:
Jewish Book World
National Jewish Book Awards
Jewish Book NETWORK
Jewish Book Month
Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature
Jewish Book Exhibitors Association
JBCIsrael
Conference Services
Jewish Fiction Writers' Conference
Jewish Children Writers' Conference
Journalism/Jewish Literature Taglit-Birthright Israel trip
Taglit-Birthright Israel Alumni Association Book Club
Jewish Book Council
Jewish Book Council David Ostow: Punk Rock Visits the Holy Temple for the JBC/MJL author blogging series
Jewish Book Council Mical Ostow, author of So Punk Rock, blogs for JBC and MJL on Writing Religion for Young Adults, including a list of recommended reads!
Jewish Book Council Irina Reyn wins the Goldberg Prize
Jewish Book Council "Serving Literature By the Tweet" from the NYTimes
Jewish Book Council
Tina Brown asks Philip Roth about the future of the novel http://jewishbooks.wordpress.com/2009/10
Jewish Book Council Ellen Frankel on "The Tower of Babel and Crisis of Translation"
Jewish Book Council Forwarding the latest in Jewish lit: The Forward features a healthy dose of Fall 2009 titles on their website. Check out all of the great content
Jewish Book Council Reviews of From Couscous to Kasha, Drawing in the Dust, Primo Levi's Universe, & Cat in the Ghetto from the fall JBW http://bit.ly/3MU3N2
Jewish Book Council Ellen Frankel: "What is Jewish Literature?"
Jewish Book Council Ellen Frankel blogs for MJL and JBC: "Making the Bible PG: How Children’s Bibles Differ"
Jewish Book Council November 2nd: Jonathan Safran Foer on Eating Animals
Jewish Book Council In the Sukkot Market with guest blogger/artist Eliyahu Alpern
Jewish Book Council JDub Records Adopts Jewcy
Jewish Book Council
Beyond Pain Towards Celebration: http://jewishbooks.wordpress.com/2009/10
