FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Evie Saphire-Bernstein, evie@jewishbooks.org
MAY 17, 2023 Jewish Book Council
Inaugural Event for Global Jewish Literary Alliance Connects Jewish Writers and Readers
May 17, 2023 – The Global Jewish Literary Alliance officially launched with a virtual kick-off event on Thursday, May 4th. The event, entitled A Global Literary Conversation: Artists in Captivity, featured the 2023 Wingate Prize winner Simon Parkin, and his book, The Island of Extraordinary Captives: A Painter, a Poet, an Heiress, and a Spy in a World War II British Internment Camp, and the 72nd National Jewish Book Award winner for the Young Adult literature category, Susan Wider, and her book, It’s My Whole Life: Charlotte Salomon: An Artist in Hiding During World War II/ The conversation was moderated by Doron Krakow, CEO of the JCC Association of North America, and you can watch their conversation here.
The Global Jewish Literary Alliance is a new international collaboration with Jewish Book Council, The Wingate Prize, JW3, and the JCC Association of North America. The Global Jewish Literary Alliance aims at connecting writers and readers together across the globe. It will provide resources and community for Jewish writers, and those writing books of Jewish interest, and encourage more writers to write Jewish content and explore what that might be, as well as provide annually updated resources to connect professionals and writers and create community. The Alliance hopes to support a global ecosystem of Jewish arts and culture, with a specific focus on the literary arts, ensuring writers have the resources they need to write Jewish books, that readers are aware of these works, and that Jewish communities and institutions have the resources they need to create meaningful programs and events around Jewish literature.
The Covid pandemic showed the benefits of connecting with people around the world and showed the possibilities of trans-Atlantic collaborations, something upon which the Global Jewish Literary Alliance will expand.
The event also launched the Global Jewish Literary Alliance’s online Resource Center, which will provide information on funding opportunities, residences, and events for the Jewish writing community. Additional resources will be added on a bi-yearly or yearly basis.
The founding members of the GJLA are The Wingate Prize (UK), Jewish Book Council (US), JCC Association of North America (US and Canada) and JW3 (UK). Additional organizations in multiple countries will be invited to join as members in the future.
For more information, please visit www.jewishbookcouncil.org or contact Jewish Book Council at evie@jewishbooks.org or (212) 201‑2920.