Literature

'A Life of the Mind': New biography reexamines the mind of Hannah Arendt - review

Recently discovered archival material and underutilized sources in German to illuminate her experiences and ideas, about antisemitism and Zionism as well as philosophy.

Hannah Arendt in 1958.
Dinaw Mengestu attends the PEN America 2026 Spring Literary Gala at American Museum of Natural History on May 14, 2026 in New York City.

PEN America president resigns after report warns of threats to Jewish, Israeli authors

Rare medieval Sefardi Torah scroll from the late 13th or early 14th century on display at ANU, Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv.

'Proclaim Liberty Throughout the Land': America’s relationship with the Torah - review

Kim Philby, 1955

'Stalin’s Apostles': The Cambridge Five and the lost world of Jewish Communism - review


Rescued from the archives and wrestled into print: Behind Chaim Grade's last Yiddish novel

Finished or not, “Sons and Daughters” is a vivid, Tolstoyan examination of what Kirsch calls “a family struggling with the meaning of Jewishness in the twentieth century.”

Chaim Grade’s "Sons and Daughters" was originally serialized in the 1960s and '70s, in New York–based Yiddish newspapers.

Canarit Audiobooks: An Israeli firm making books more accessible for busy consumers

A new Israeli venture makes literature more accessible and alluring for busy consumers.

 An illustrative image of headphones around books.

Yossi Avni-Levy wins Sapir Prize for Literature

Avni-Levy will receive NIS 180,000 ($50,000) and his novel will be translated into Arabic and another language of his choosing, broadening its reach and fostering cross-cultural dialogue.

 FROM LEFT, winner of the 2024 Sapir Prize, Yossi Avni-Levy, Mifal Hapais chairman Avigdor Itzhaky, former president of the Supreme Court Esther Hayut, Mifal Hapais CEO Benjamin Dreyfus. and winner of the 2024 Sapir Prize for a debut book, Ayal Hayut-Man.

'Dictionary of Fine Distinctions': A book on subtle differences in the English language - review

Dictionary of Fine Distinctions merits study at your leisure. Burnstein describes his little volume as “Nuances, Niceties, and Subtle Shades of Meaning.

 An illustrative image of an excerpt from an English dictionary.

Rebecca Makkai, whose grandfather drafted a Nazi-era antisemitic law, is writing a novel on fascism

Bestselling author Rebecca Makkai, whose grandfather wrote WWII-era laws that Jews from public spaces, will be writing a book on fascism.

 Selection of Hungarian Jews on the ramp at Auschwitz-II-Birkenau in German-occupied Poland, May/June 1944, during the final phase of the Holocaust. Jews were sent either to work or to the gas chamber.

The SASA-Setton Prize for Children's Literature celebrates creativity, healing, and heritage

The SASA-Setton Prize honors authors and illustrators who inspire through children’s literature, bridging art and healing and uniting diverse communities in Israeli hospitals and beyond.

Sonia Gomes de Mesquita, representing the donor family, alongside the recipient of the 2024 SASA-Setton Prize for Children's Literature in the Lifetime Achievement category, Tamar Verete-Zehavi.

Benny Edvy’s The Lost Orphan Boy Brings resilience and forgotten histories to life

Exploring themes of courage, women’s strength, and survival, Edvy’s debut novel sheds light on the harrowing journey of Yemenite Jewish orphans and the enduring legacy of their community.

 Benny Endy, author of "The Lost Orphan Boy"

Hylenia: The great prophecy brings Jewish culture to young adult fantasy

Exciting twist: Tusak is expanding his career experience as a breaking news desk intern at 'The Jerusalem Post'.

The cover of 'Hylenia: The Great Prophecy'.

2024 Sapir Prize longlist: Israel’s top authors compete for prestigious award

12 authors vie for the 2024 Sapir Prize, Israel's top literary honor, with winners set to be announced in January.

 AUTHORS NATALIE MESSIKA and Eshkol Nevo are two of the nominees.

Brenner literature prize goes to Yossi Avni-Levy

Over the decades, the Brenner Prize has recognized the contributions of some of Israel’s most celebrated authors.

 BRENNER PRIZE winner Yossi Avni-Levy.