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


It’s ‘Hanukkah in the summer’ as New Yorkers raid the Jewish Book Council’s shelves

Jewish Book Council’s annual “Raid the Shelves” event, which, for $25, allows members of the public to take home as many of the nonprofit’s spare books as they can carry.

 CHILDREN BROWSE books at the Cairo International Book Fair, with the participation of about 51 countries in the 54th edition of this fair, in Egypt, Jan. 31.

New program aims at fostering the art of Hebrew translation


Novel by Meir Shalev translated into Belarusian for the first time

 Meir Shalev

Placing children’s literature at the head of the class

SASA Setton is engaged in a range of activities to promote the creation of original Hebrew literature for children and increased Hebrew literacy throughout Israel.

 2022 Winners of SASA Setton Children’s literature prize with SASA Setton officials and then-culture and sport minister Chili Tropper.

Robert Gottlieb, legendary editor who championed Joseph Heller, Robert Caro dies at 92

A famous workaholic, he reportedly was reviewing proofs of a book by the Jewish author Cynthia Ozick while helping his pregnant wife through labor.

Book 521

A Missouri school district could ban ‘Maus,’ citing concerns about ‘explicit sexual material’

Over the past year, several other Jewish books have been caught up in purges across multiple states, including an illustrated adaptation of Anne Frank’s diary and more.

Cover of the book 'Maus' by Art Spiegelman

Swedish Iranian author, Iranian Israeli actor discuss challenges of diaspora identity

In a conversation with Charhi, Hashemzadeh Bonde discussed her family’s move from Iran to Sweden and the process of coming to terms with her multifaceted identity.

 (L-R) Author Golnaz Hashemzadeh Bonde and actor Liraz Charhi speak at the Jerusalem Writers Festival, May 10, 2023.

Israeli writer Eshkol Nevo takes center stage in Bulgaria

 Eshkol Nevo

This four-year-old Emirati boy is the world's youngest-ever author

At only 4 years and 218 days of age, Saeed Rashed al-Mheiri published his debut children's book, The Elephant Saeed and the Bear.

Books

Novelist Ayelet Gundar-Goshen brings a taste of Israeli culture to Brazil

Novelist Ayelet Gundar-Goshen recently toured Brazil with her husband, the screenwriter Yoav Shutan-Goshen.

  Ayelet Gundar-Goshen