Jewish Book Council

== History ==

== History ==

The Jewish Book Council (JBC)'s origins date to 1925, when [[Fanny Goldstein (librarian)|Fanny Goldstein]], a librarian at the West End Branch of the [[Boston Public Library]], set up an exhibit of [[Jewish literature|Judaic book]]s as a focus of what she dubbed "Jewish Book Week".{{Cite web |title=Fanny Goldstein, librarian and founder of Jewish Book Week, is born |url=https://jwa.org/thisweek/may/15/1895/fanny-goldstein |access-date=2024-01-16 |website=Jewish Women's Archive |language=en}} In 1927, with the assistance of Rabbi S. Felix Mendelssohn of Chicago, Jewish communities around the United States adopted the event.{{Cite web |date=2020-11-16|first=Heidi |last=Rabinowitz |title=More than 90 years later, how Jewish Book Month became a tradition |url=https://forward.com/culture/458617/more-than-90-years-later-how-jewish-book-month-became-a-tradition/ |access-date=2024-01-16 |website=The Forward |language=en}} Jewish Book Week proved so successful that in 1940 the National Committee for Jewish Book Week was founded, with Goldstein as chairperson.{{Cite web |title=Fanny Goldstein |url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/fanny-goldstein |access-date=2024-01-16 |website=www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org}} 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 language|Hebrew]] literature.{{Cite web |date=2015-03-20 |title=Jewish Book Week Committee Publishes First Annual in English, Yiddish and Hebrew |url=https://www.jta.org/archive/jewish-book-week-committee-publishes-first-annual-in-english-yiddish-and-hebrew |access-date=2024-01-16 |website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |language=en-US}}

The Jewish Book Council (JBC)'s origins date to 1925, when [[Fanny Goldstein (librarian)|Fanny Goldstein]], a librarian at the West End Branch of the [[Boston Public Library]], curated an exhibit of [[Jewish literature|Judaic book]]s to encourage book giving during the Jewish holiday of [[Chanukah]] as a focus of what she dubbed "Jewish Book Week".{{Cite web |title=Fanny Goldstein, librarian and founder of Jewish Book Week, is born |url=https://jwa.org/thisweek/may/15/1895/fanny-goldstein |access-date=January 18, 2024 |website=Jewish Women's Archive |language=en}}{{cite web|title=A Finding Aid to the Fanny Goldstein Papers 1933–1998 Manuscript Collection No. 205|url=http://americanjewisharchives.org/collections/ms0205/|publisher=The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives|accessdate=5 August 2014}}{{Cite web |title=Fanny Goldstein, librarian and founder of Jewish Book Week, is born |url=https://jwa.org/thisweek/may/15/1895/fanny-goldstein |access-date=2024-01-16 |website=Jewish Women's Archive |language=en}} She repeated the exhibit in 1926, inspiring a call by Rabbi S. Felix Mendelssohn of Chicago for the observance of a Jewish book week.{{Cite web |date=November 16, 2020 |title=More than 90 years later, how Jewish Book Month became a tradition |url=https://forward.com/culture/458617/more-than-90-years-later-how-jewish-book-month-became-a-tradition/ |access-date=January 18, 2024 |website=The Forward |language=en}} In 1927, with Mendelssohn's assistance, Jewish communities across the United States adopted the event.{{Cite web |date=2020-11-16|first=Heidi |last=Rabinowitz |title=More than 90 years later, how Jewish Book Month became a tradition |url=https://forward.com/culture/458617/more-than-90-years-later-how-jewish-book-month-became-a-tradition/ |access-date=2024-01-16 |website=The Forward |language=en}} Jewish Book Week proved so successful that in 1940 the National Committee for Jewish Book Week was founded, with Goldstein as chairperson.{{Cite web |title=Fanny Goldstein |url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/fanny-goldstein |access-date=2024-01-16 |website=www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org}} 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 language|Hebrew]] literature.{{Cite web |date=2015-03-20 |title=Jewish Book Week Committee Publishes First Annual in English, Yiddish and Hebrew |url=https://www.jta.org/archive/jewish-book-week-committee-publishes-first-annual-in-english-yiddish-and-hebrew |access-date=2024-01-16 |website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |language=en-US}}

Jewish Book Week activities proliferated and were extended to one month in 1943. At the same time, the National Committee for Jewish Book Week became the Jewish Book Council, reflecting its broader scope. In March 1944, the [[National Jewish Welfare Board]], which would ultimately become the [[Jewish Community Center|Jewish Community Centers Association]] (JCCA), 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 the JCCA, the Jewish Book Council maintained an executive board, composed of representatives from major American Jewish organizations and leading figures in the literary world.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

Jewish Book Week activities proliferated and were extended to one month in 1943. At the same time, the National Committee for Jewish Book Week became the Jewish Book Council, reflecting its broader scope. In March 1944, the [[National Jewish Welfare Board]], which would ultimately become the [[Jewish Community Center|Jewish Community Centers Association]] (JCCA), 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 the JCCA, the Jewish Book Council maintained an executive board, composed of representatives from major American Jewish organizations and leading figures in the literary world.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

On January 1, 1994, the Jewish Book Council became an independent non-profit organization, splitting off from the JCCA. The Council's executive board voted to create an independent entity.{{Cite web |last=Futterman |first=Allison |date=2019-06-06 |title=Naomi Firestone-Teeter: Between the Pages of the Jewish Book Council |url=https://jewishjournal.com/culture/299670/naomi-firestone-teeter-between-the-pages-of-the-jewish-book-council/ |access-date=2024-01-17 |website=Jewish Journal |language=en-US}}

On January 1, 1994, the Jewish Book Council became an independent non-profit organization, splitting off from the JCCA. The Council's executive board voted to create an independent entity.{{Cite web |last=Futterman |first=Allison |date=2019-06-06 |title=Naomi Firestone-Teeter: Between the Pages of the Jewish Book Council |url=https://jewishjournal.com/culture/299670/naomi-firestone-teeter-between-the-pages-of-the-jewish-book-council/ |access-date=2024-01-17 |website=Jewish Journal |language=en-US}} Under executive director Carolyn Starman Hessel from 1994 to 2015, who had been called the "Jewish [[Oprah Winfrey|Oprah]]", JBC's activities and influence grew. Hessel is credited with launching the careers of [[Nathan Englander]], [[Myla Goldberg]], [[Nicole Krauss]] and [[Jonathan Safran Foer]] by selecting them and sending them on tours of the Jewish book fairs.{{Cite web |last=Kissileff |first=Beth |date=December 26, 2014 |title=Carolyn Starman Hessel, Jewish world's book maven, turns the page |url=https://www.jta.org/2014/12/26/united-states/carolyn-starman-hessel-jewish-worlds-book-maven-turns-the-page |access-date=January 18, 2024 |website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |language=en-US}}

Under executive director Carolyn Starman Hessel, who had been called the "Jewish [[Oprah Winfrey|Oprah]]", JBC's activities and influence grew. On April 1, 2015, Naomi Firestone-Teeter, who had been with JBC since 2006, succeeded Hessel.{{Cite web |date=2015-03-13 |first=Anna |last=Goldenberg|title=New Director of Jewish Book Council Announced |url=https://forward.com/culture/216609/new-director-of-jewish-book-council-announced/ |access-date=2024-01-17 |website=The Forward |language=en}}

On April 1, 2015, Naomi Firestone-Teeter, who had been with JBC since 2006, succeeded Hessel.{{Cite web |date=2015-03-13 |first=Anna |last=Goldenberg|title=New Director of Jewish Book Council Announced |url=https://forward.com/culture/216609/new-director-of-jewish-book-council-announced/ |access-date=2024-01-17 |website=The Forward |language=en}}>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/31-year-old-exec-crowned-the-new-jewish-oprah/|title = 31-year-old exec crowned the new 'Jewish Oprah'|website = [[The Times of Israel]]}}>

In response to the [[Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions]] movement within the literary world during the [[Gaza war]], the JBC began an initiative to encourage Jewish community authors and readers to support Jewish books and authors.{{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=Haley |title=Literary icons fight back against growing antisemitism in their midst |url=https://jewishinsider.com/2024/11/petition-jewish-writers-palestinian-festival-of-literature-israel/ |access-date=21 April 2025 |work=[[Jewish Insider]] |date=2024-11-01}} In 2026, a group of 42 anti-Zionist and non-Zionist Jewish authors published an open letter criticizing the JBC for what they say was "narrowing its vision to a Zionist approach to Jewish culture". JBC CEO Naomi Firestone-Teeter stated she had engaged in good faith with the authors and said the letter was a "difference in expectations" about what it can stand for.{{cite news| title = 42 Jewish authors slam Jewish Book Council for ‘bias toward centering Israeli and Zionist voices’ | newspaper = [[The Forward]] | author = Andrew Lapin | date = 10 April 2026 | url = https://forward.com/fast-forward/817957/42-jewish-authors-slam-jewish-book-council-for-bias-toward-centering-israeli-and-zionist-voices/}}

In response to the [[Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions]] movement within the literary world during the [[Gaza war]], the JBC began an initiative to encourage Jewish community authors and readers to support Jewish books and authors.{{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=Haley |title=Literary icons fight back against growing antisemitism in their midst |url=https://jewishinsider.com/2024/11/petition-jewish-writers-palestinian-festival-of-literature-israel/ |access-date=21 April 2025 |work=[[Jewish Insider]] |date=2024-11-01}} In 2026, a group of 42 anti-Zionist and non-Zionist Jewish authors published an open letter criticizing the JBC for what they say was "narrowing its vision to a Zionist approach to Jewish culture". JBC CEO Naomi Firestone-Teeter stated she had engaged in good faith with the authors and said the letter was a "difference in expectations" about what it can stand for.{{cite news| title = 42 Jewish authors slam Jewish Book Council for ‘bias toward centering Israeli and Zionist voices’ | newspaper = [[The Forward]] | author = Andrew Lapin | date = 10 April 2026 | url = https://forward.com/fast-forward/817957/42-jewish-authors-slam-jewish-book-council-for-bias-toward-centering-israeli-and-zionist-voices/}}

==Jewish Book Month==

==Jewish Book Month==

'''Jewish Book Month''' is an annual event sponsored by the JBC in the month before the [[Chanukah]] gift-giving season (roughly during the month of November). Book fairs are held in most major cities with Jewish communities, albeit not in New York, and feature lectures by visiting authors.{{cite web | last=Rosen | first=Judith | title=What's Hot at the Jewish Book Fairs? | website=publishersweekly.com | date=2003-09-08 | url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA321290.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010151730/http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA321290.html | archive-date=2008-10-10 | url-status=dead | access-date=2025-04-28}}

Jewish Book Month is an annual event sponsored by the JBC in the month before the [[Chanukah]] gift-giving season (roughly during the month of November). Major cities with Jewish communities, albeit not in New York, sponsor book fairs and feature lectures by visiting authors.{{cite web | last=Rosen | first=Judith | title=What's Hot at the Jewish Book Fairs? | website=publishersweekly.com | date=2003-09-08 | url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA321290.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010151730/http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA321290.html | archive-date=2008-10-10 | url-status=dead | access-date=2025-04-28}}> For the industry, they are a major marketing tool. According to ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' book fairs generate over $3 million in annual revenue.{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA255204.html|title = /404}} For many years the JBC held its annual meeting simultaneously with [[Book Expo America]], enabling Jewish book fair planners to look over the forthcoming books and meet the authors.[https://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA255204.html Selling the Jewish Book – 28 October 2002 – ''Publishers Weekly''] In 2004, this system was replaced by an annual meeting of the [[#JBC Network|Jewish Book Network]] coordinated by the JBC.>

Jewish communities sponsor the fairs to promote Jewish culture. For the industry, they are a major marketing tool. According to ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' book fairs generate over $3 million in annual revenue.{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA255204.html|title = /404}} For many years the JBC held its annual meeting simultaneously with [[Book Expo America]], enabling Jewish book fair planners to look over the forthcoming books and meet the authors.[https://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA255204.html Selling the Jewish Book – 28 October 2002 – ''Publishers Weekly''] In 2004, this system was replaced by an annual meeting of the [[#JBC Network|Jewish Book Network]] coordinated by the JBC.

The beginnings of Jewish Book Month can be traced to [[Fanny Goldstein (librarian)|Fanny Goldstein]], a librarian at the [[Boston Public Library]] West End Branch.{{cite web|title=A Finding Aid to the Fanny Goldstein Papers 1933–1998 Manuscript Collection No. 205|url=http://americanjewisharchives.org/collections/ms0205/|publisher=The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives|accessdate=5 August 2014}} In 1925 she curated an exhibit of Jewish books to encourage book giving during the Jewish holiday of [[Chanukah]].{{Cite web |title=Fanny Goldstein, librarian and founder of Jewish Book Week, is born |url=https://jwa.org/thisweek/may/15/1895/fanny-goldstein |access-date=January 18, 2024 |website=Jewish Women's Archive |language=en}} She repeated the exhibit in 1926 and this inspired a call by Rabbi S. Felix Mendelssohn of Chicago, Illinois, for the observance of a Jewish book week.{{Cite web |date=November 16, 2020 |title=More than 90 years later, how Jewish Book Month became a tradition |url=https://forward.com/culture/458617/more-than-90-years-later-how-jewish-book-month-became-a-tradition/ |access-date=January 18, 2024 |website=The Forward |language=en}} The observance of Jewish Book Week was coordinated in Boston by the Boston Jewish Book Week Committee, founded in 1930 and headed by Fanny Goldstein. The National Committee for Jewish Book Week was then organized in 1940. In 1943 the JBC took over the duties of the national committee, and Jewish Book Week was extended to become Jewish Book Month.{{cite web|last1=Kingsolver|first1=Joy|title=Goldstein, Fanny (1888-26 Dec. 1961)|url=http://www.anb.org/articles/09/09-00897.html?a=1&n=Goldstein%2C%20Fanny&d=10&ss=0&q=1|publisher=American National Biography Online|accessdate=5 August 2014}}

The Council was run by [[Carolyn Starman Hessel]] who is credited with growing Jewish Book Month and the associated book tours into one of the most important marketing events in American publishing, and a cultural center of American Jewish life, from 1994 to 2015. Hessel is credited with a knack for picking hot new novelists; she is said to have launched the careers of [[Nathan Englander]], [[Myla Goldberg]], [[Nicole Krauss]] and [[Jonathan Safran Foer]] by selecting them and sending them on tours of the Jewish book fairs.{{Cite web |last=Kissileff |first=Beth |date=December 26, 2014 |title=Carolyn Starman Hessel, Jewish world's book maven, turns the page |url=https://www.jta.org/2014/12/26/united-states/carolyn-starman-hessel-jewish-worlds-book-maven-turns-the-page |access-date=January 18, 2024 |website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |language=en-US}} In 2015 Hessel was named as one of ''[[The Forward]]'' 50.{{cite web |url=http://forward.com/series/forward-50/2015/ |title=Forward 50 2015 |publisher=Forward.com |accessdate=2015-11-11}} Naomi Firestone-Teeter became the executive director of JBC in 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/31-year-old-exec-crowned-the-new-jewish-oprah/|title = 31-year-old exec crowned the new 'Jewish Oprah'|website = [[The Times of Israel]]}}

The annual meeting is, effectively, an annual author's audition. ''[[The New York Times]]'' calls it, "a bizarre rite of passage: the Jewish book tour casting call." [[Jeffrey Goldberg]] characterized the audition as an experience "somewhere between [[JDate]] and a camel auction." Authors of books that range from serious works of religious history to comic novels stand and speak for precisely two minutes to an audience of over one hundred organizers of Jewish book fairs and lecture series. Getting signed to a tour of these venues is said to have the power not merely to launch a Jewish-themed book, but to lift titles from Jewish to general success.[https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/books/review/Donadio-t.html "Star Search"], Rachel Donadio, June 24, 2007, ''[[New York Times]]''

The annual meeting is, effectively, an annual author's audition. ''[[The New York Times]]'' calls it, "a bizarre rite of passage: the Jewish book tour casting call." [[Jeffrey Goldberg]] characterized the audition as an experience "somewhere between [[JDate]] and a camel auction." Authors of books that range from serious works of religious history to comic novels stand and speak for precisely two minutes to an audience of over one hundred organizers of Jewish book fairs and lecture series. Getting signed to a tour of these venues is said to have the power not merely to launch a Jewish-themed book, but to lift titles from Jewish to general success.[https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/books/review/Donadio-t.html "Star Search"], Rachel Donadio, June 24, 2007, ''[[New York Times]]''