To combat the “general culture of fear,” the Jewish Book Council launches initiatives to support authors and books – eJewishPhilanthropy

Since October 7th, being an author related to Israel has not been easy. The renowned literary magazine appears in March Guernica published an essay by an Israeli author that discusses the current war in a nuanced way. Ten employees resigned in protest. “Guernica regrets the publication of this article and has retracted it,” the editor wrote.

Book awards ceremonies became platforms for anti-Israel activists. There were protests at conferences. Appearances by Jewish authors were canceled. Prominent literary social media accounts used their platforms to denounce writers they classified as “Zionists,” and a blacklist titled “Is Your Favorite Author a Zionist?” circulated.

“What we’re seeing is a general culture of fear now emerging across the industry,” said Naomi Firestone-Teeter, CEO of the Jewish Book Council eJewishPhilanthropy – but it’s not new. “The quiet part is now said loudly.”

In February, the Jewish Book Council (JBC) began collecting reports on anti-Semitism in the literary world, prompting immediate opposition from the literary community. Since then, over 100 incidents have been reported.

Based on what has been received, JBC is launching numerous initiatives this month to support and promote Jewish authors and books, including marketing grants, support groups, book clubs and a workshop on legal rights for writers. The Council will continue to publish its Witness Series that presents works by Jewish authors grappling with a post-October year. 7 world.

JBC is partnering with the Maimonides Fund to provide marketing grants of $18,000 to $36,000 for non-fiction, fiction, and children's books that are “Jewish books in general” and not specifically related to Israel or the Zionism, said Firestone-Teeter.

Grants are made before books are contracted for publication to “send an important signal to the publishing community that we will have.” [authors’] We will put our money into supporting Jewish books,” she said.

New authors are most affected in the current environment, James Kirchick, author of Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washingtonwho wrote about literary censorship The New York TimeseJP said, adding that many are not political writers, but the current climate is targeting anyone who has a positive view of or connection to Israel. Those with established careers can speak up without fear of being hit just as hard.

Over the past year, JBC has held support groups for MFA students who feel isolated from their peers. The council has also organized frequent visits from experienced authors and agents. This month, JBC is launching weekly free support groups for anyone in the literary field led by Wendy Grolnick and Marian Getzler-Kramer, two licensed psychologists.

JBC also offers grants and micro-grants to Jewish community organizations to attract Jewish books and authors. “As the doors close, we want to make sure we’re opening more doors for our authors and our community partners,” Firestone-Teeter said. They also start book clubs for college graduates and their families. The first opens this month at Duke University.

To celebrate the 99th anniversary of Jewish Book Month, JBC is hosting a “Celebrate Jewish Books.” Support Jewish Authors campaign, which works with organizations committed to promoting Jewish books and authors.

In collaboration with Artists Against Antisemitism, JBC has created a guide to help bookstores better understand anti-Semitism and support Jewish books and authors. The organization seeks to reach before an incident occurs, not after.

“The role of the writer in a society is to be courageous enough to be able and willing to consider, confront and be curious about the most difficult, delicate and complicated matters with which we live,” said Elisa Albert, whose most recent author is book The Growling Girl and Other Essayssaid eJP. “You are only silenced when you are afraid. And I can't begrudge anyone's fear. It is completely understandable to be afraid in such a climate. But you have to find a way to overcome it.”

Albert found herself at the center of controversy last weekend after a panel she moderated called “Girls, Coming of Age” was canceled two days before her scheduled appearance at the Albany Book Festival. “Basically, not to sugarcoat it, [panelists] “Aisha Gawad and Lisa Ko do not want to be on a panel with a 'Zionist,'” a festival organizer wrote to her in the email informing her of the cancellation.

Albert is an established author who has published five books. She is open about politics, describes herself as a Zionist and has posted and written things that many people – including Jews and Zionists – find inflammatory.

After the panelists dropped out at the last minute and the panel was canceled, the details of what happened became unclear. Gawad says she withdrew because of Albert's “public rhetoric, which in my opinion mocked anyone who expressed grief over the loss of Palestinian lives.” Ko says she did not withdraw but contacted the festival organizers because she was concerned that Albert might moderate the discussion based on her comments in a forum tablet Piece published in early November that began with “Hello, terror apologist!” Albert claims the other writers insisted they wanted to change the presenter because she was a “Zionist.” Festival organizers admitted they had “caused great harm” and said: “We should have been more careful in our approach to this panel and the concerns raised by all authors.”

JBC will continue to try to help organizations better manage situations like this, Firestone-Teeter said. “This is a particularly delicate moment with many nuances, and the first step should be to reach out to organizations that can help you educate yourself and deal with the situation carefully, rather than just reacting… Everyone's reaction to this “It makes problems far more complicated and worse than they need to be, and it only adds to the polarization, complication and superficiality.”

Shortly after the incident, JBC reached out to Albert to see how it could help.

“We cannot force individuals to do, think, say or be something, but an institution certainly can and should be held accountable,” Albert said, adding that JBC has the ability to do so.

Continuing to support the authors is important as the one-year anniversary of Oct. 7 approaches and the holidays approach, Firestone-Teeter said, adding that she wants to “make sure everyone in our community knows we have their back.” will strengthen.” .”

Promoting change at such a perilous moment requires “a concerted effort not only among Jews but among all writers who care about intellectual freedom, free discourse and the open debate of ideas,” Kirchick said. “Ideally, authors should be independent and express opinions that are not influenced by political parties or political movements or moneyed interests or other outside interests… Applying such ideological litmus tests to political issues is simply insulting to the world of literature.”

To meet everyone's needs, the JBC must continue to adapt, Firestone-Teeter said. The organization grew out of the first Jewish Book Week in 1925. After book bans and burnings increased across Europe, the council became an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation in 1943. “There's just a fascinating parallel,” Firestone-Teeter said. “An unfortunate parallel.”