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  • Rohr Literary Prize Symbolizes New Stature of Jewish Culture

    It’s been a very good year for Tamar Yellin. Last fall, the British writer and teacher won Hadassah magazine’s Ribalow Prize for her 2005 novel “The Genizah at the House of Shepher,” as well as the Reform Judaism Prize for Jewish Literature for “Kafka in Bronteland,” her 2006 short story collection. This week, “Genizah” bagged… More ▸

  • Israeli Films Need U.S. Screens, but Offer Something in Return

    Midway through the Contra Costa International Jewish Film Festival in this San Francisco surburb, the theater is filled for a screening of the 2005 Israeli film “What a Wonderful Place.” Susan Richman drove in from Martinez with her husband. He’s Jewish, she’s not. “We thought this sounded interesting, and it won some awards in Israel,”… More ▸

  • News Brief

    Following protests by Jewish organizations, a major Belgian bookstore stopped sales of a novel containing the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion.” CEJI-a Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe and the Simon Wiesenthal Center had called on the Relay-Press Shop chain to stop carrying the book, a novelized version of the “Protocols.” CEJI also called… More ▸

  • Launch of His Book in N.Y. Symbolizes Peres? Long Career

    ? The event at Manhattan?s 92nd Street Y was billed as the launch of a national tour to promote the publication of Shimon Peres? official biography, the life story of the last active Israeli politician whose career extends back before the establishment of the state. In fact, however, the tour had kicked off two hours… More ▸

  • Arts & Culture Angst over Identity Has Young Writers

    Aaron Davidman, artistic director of San Francisco’s Traveling Jewish Theatre, recently wrote a short performance piece called “Letter to Uncle Morris.” In this reflection on contemporary Jewish identity, the character named Uncle Morris pokes fun at the title of Davidman’s company. “What kind of a name for a theater is that?” Uncle Morris asks. “We’re… More ▸

  • News Brief

    The National Yiddish Book Center received a $2 million gift. The donation from the Kaplen Foundation of New Jersey was the largest single gift in the 27-year history of the center in Amherst, Mass., according to a release. More ▸

  • News Brief

    The National Yiddish Book Center is to receive $750,000 for a Yiddish fellowship program for college students. More ▸

  • News Brief

    Finalists were named for the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature. The Jewish Book Council, administrator of the new prize, announced last Friday that the winner will be chosen in March and the $100,000 prize will be awarded in May. More ▸

  • Around the Jewish World French Jews Appear to Be Opting

    With the French presidential election three months away, conservative candidate Nicolas Sarkozy is gaining strength in the Jewish community. But are voters being swayed by Sarkozy’s strong support of Israel and tough stands on suburban violence and Islamic fundamentalism, or do they just not think much of his opponent, Segolene Royal of the Socialist Party?… More ▸