The History of Jewish Book Month
Did you know that it’s the first week of Jewish Book Month? Your questions answered below!
Mordecai Richler addressing audience, Jewish Book Month event, Jewish Public Library, November 1979. JPL Archives, Photograph Collection, ID: 1255-[83-007]-PR000337
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What is Jewish Book Month?
For one month each year, libraries across North America celebrate Jewish literature through events and activities. Each year, the Jewish Book Council creates a poster to mark the occasion; many of their posters throughout the years are found in the offices of staff at the JPL and in our Archives!
Zachary Baker, left and Naomi Caruso, right, with their Dreyfusiana exhibition and the official poster for Jewish Book Month, 1982. JPL Archives, Photograph Collection, ID: 1255-[83-008]-PR000392.
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Why do the dates always change?
This year, Jewish Book Month runs from November 13 to December 13. The dates change every year because it is the month leading up to Hannukah, which this year starts on December 14th.
Group portrait of Saul Bellow, Rochl Korn, and Chava Rosenfarb and unidentified woman (behind) during Jewish Book Month event, 1968. JPL Archives, Photograph Collection, ID: 1255-[84-210]-PR007241
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When did it start?
Jewish Book Month goes all the way back to 1920, an initiative by librarian Fanny Goldstein at the Boston Public Library. It started as Jewish Book Week, and expanded to a whole month in 1943. It also used to take place around Shavuot, but changed time of year when it expanded in length.
Jewish Book Month display, Jewish Public Library (4099 Esplanade), 1944. JPL Archives, Photograph Collection, ID: 1255-[83-270]-PR006268.
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What has the JPL done to celebrate over the years?
It’s possible that the Jewish Public Library has been celebrating Jewish Book Month since its very first years. At times, we’ve had entire committees dedicated to programming for JBM, and hosted lectures with famous authors, such as:
Mordecai Richler, 1979
Haim Gouri, 1994
Susan Sontag, 2001
Andrei Codrescu, 2001
Oriana Fallaci, 2002
Chava Rosenfarb, 2004
Jonathan Safran Foer, 2006
Salman Rushdie, 2017
Anne Michaels
Cynthia Ozik
Roger Kamenetz
Nancy Huston
Do you have memories of Jewish Book Months passed? We’d love to hear them in the comments.
Group portrait of the Committee for Jewish Book Month at the Jewish Public Library, 1982. JPL Archives, Photograph Collection, ID: 1255-[83-008]-PR000373.
Standing, left to right: Esti Jedeikin, Manya Oupcher, Henri Bernard, Sara Rosenfeld-Zulberberg, Barbara Kay, Chaim Spilberg, Mrs. I. Fisher, Suzanne Dadoun, Felix Lazarus, Naomi Caruso.
Sitting, left to right: Abraham Trapunsky, Rose Rosaminer-Ross, Liba Augenfeld, David Augenfeld, Molly Karp.
Group portrait of Tibi Rome, Saul Bellow, Irving Layton, and David Rome at Jewish Book Month event, Jewish Public Library, 1968. JPL Archives, Photograph Collection, 1255-[84-210]-PR007240.
