Jewish Book Council Names Sami Rohr Prize Finalists

By Forward Staff October 3, 2013

The Jewish Book Council has named the five finalists of this year’s Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature, the Forward has learned. Carolyn Hessel, director of the Jewish Book Council, told the Forward that the five finalists are Sarah Bunin Benor for “Becoming Frum: How Newcomers Learn the Language and Culture of Orthodox Judaism”; Matti Friedman for “The Aleppo Codex: In Pursuit of One of the World’s Most Coveted, Sacred, and Mysterious Books”; Nina S. Spiegel for “Embodying Hebrew Culture: Aesthetics, Athletics, and Dance in the Jewish Community of Mandate Palestine”; Eliyahu Stern for “The Genius: Elija of Vilna and the Making of Modern Judaism” and Marni Davis for “Jews and Booze: Becoming American in the Age of Prohibition.”

The $100,000 prize, the largest of its kind in the world, will be given in 2014. Last year the award was given to Francesca Segal for her novel “The Innocents” and two years ago was given to Forward opinion editor Gal Beckerman for “When They Come For Us We’ll Be Gone: The Epic Struggle To Save Soviet Jewry.” Administered by the Jewish Book Council, The Rohr Prize recognizes emerging writers who examine the Jewish experience. It is given for fiction and non-fiction in alternating years.

The award also includes a $25,000 runner-up, who will receive the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature Choice Award. All finalists become members in the Sami Rohr Jewish Literary Institute, which conducts annual gatherings of all winners, finalists, judges and advisors.

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