TORONTO, Oct. 15, 2021 – The Canadian Jewish Literary Awards will celebrate six outstanding works in Jewish writing, in the categories of fiction, biography, poetry, children and youth, scholarship and Holocaust, Sunday, Oct. 17.

Supported by the Israel and Golda Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Studies at York University, the awards ceremony will be virtual this year, as in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Open to public via Zoom, it will also be broadcast simultaneously on the Canadian Jewish Literary Awards YouTube channel, and the recording can be viewed later.

“The Canadian Jewish Literary Awards build pride, not only in the individuals being honoured, but in the creative achievements that reflect Jewish themes and ideas,” said Edward Trapunski, Jury Chair. “The awards program enriches and promotes Canadian Jewish writing and culture, enabling a better understanding of our collective past, our shared present and the world of the future.”

The winning authors will speak about their books and answer questions submitted by the audience. Those attending on Zoom will be able to participate in the Q-and-A portion of the event.

 

WHAT: 2021 Canadian Jewish Literary Awards ceremony

WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, 2 p.m.

WHERE: Online, via Zoom and the Canadian Jewish Literary Awards YouTube channel

WHO:

• Fiction: Gary Barwin for Nothing the Same, Everything Haunted: The Ballad of Motl the Cowboy (Random House Canada)
• Biography: Menachem Kaiser for Plunder: A Memoir of Family Property and Nazi Treasure (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
• Poetry: Lisa Richter for Nautilus and Bone (Frontenac House)
• Children and Youth: Sigal Samuel for Osnat and Her Dove (Levine Querido)
• Scholarship Rebecca Clifford for Survivors: Children’s Lives After the Holocaust (Yale University Press)
• Holocaust: Judy Batalion for The Light of Days: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler’s Ghettos (William Morrow)

The Canadian Jewish Literary Awards recognize the finest books with Jewish themes and subjects by Canadian authors in a variety of genres.

The event is supported by the Israel and Golda Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Studies at York University.

York University is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change and prepare our students for success. York's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. York’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contact:
Gloria Suhasini, York University Media Relations, 647-463-4354, suhasini@yorku.ca