Longlist of 13 books up for JQ Wingate Prize 2019
Seven novels and six non-fiction books to be considered for the prestigious £4,000 prize , including two diaries from the Second World War
A baker’s dozen of books have been long-listed for the Jewish world’s literary prize early next year, including two diaries from the Second World War.
The 13 books to make it through to the JQ Wingate Prize 2019 shortlisting process comprise seven novels and six non-fiction books, with “Israel, history, family and faith” all described as “recurring leitmotifs”.
The £4,000 prize money is awarded in February to the author most able to “translate the idea of Jewishness to the general reader” and among the selection this year are two sets of war diaries, with judges saying they recognised the importance of soldiers’ voices, 100 years after the end of the First World War.
“The panel felt that both these lost voices from the past deserved to be recognised and heard again,” said J-Hub director Shoshana Boyd-Gelfand, who is chairing the judges’ panel this year.
One of the two diaries is from Léon Werth, who wrote about living secretly in Nazi-occupied France from 1940-44, including witnessing the Paris insurrection in August 1944. It has now been translated and published in English for the first time.
Among the works of fiction is a selection of letters from Israeli author Yossi Klein Halevi to his imagined Palestinian neighbour “about who we are, why we see ourselves as indigenous to this land, and what is our shared future in the region”.
Among Boyd-Gelfand’s fellow judges is ‘Hanns and Rudolf’ author Thomas Harding, ‘Horrid Henry’ children’s author Francesca Simon, and literary editor Arifa Akbar.
“Part of the joy and challenge of judging the prize is the diversity of the books that meet the criteria and this year’s entries certainly didn’t disappoint on that front, said Boyd-Gelfand.
She said the novels were “vastly different in terms of themes, settings and style” but all had “a profound message,” while the six non-fiction books were “even more diverse… They brought a unique and fresh approach to their subject matter, whether that was contemporary Israel or Jewish family life”.
She added: “If there is one overriding theme it is the breadth and diversity of Jewish identity which is looked at through various lenses by our authors. We hope this list will encourage readers to connect and explore their own questions around the richness and diversity of Jewish identity.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
