Jewish Book Week 2025
Feature
London’s longest running literary festival returns home to Kings Place, bringing together over 150 speakers across 90 events in-person and online. Claudia Rubenstein, director of Jewish Literary Foundation, introduces this year’s programme.
In times of political and emotional upheaval, books and ideas remind us of the importance of listening to one another. Jewish Book Week is a celebration of creativity, conversation, and discovery – a place where we come together to share stories that enlighten, challenge, and inspire.
At this year’s festival, we honour the timeless power of books and ideas to bridge divides and celebrate the richness of our culture, brings you a programme spanning the breadth of Jewish experience, from the brilliance of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks to the sequence of tragic events triggered by of 7 October. We look at how the arts thrive amid cultural boycotts, delve into comedy with Curb Your Enthusiasm, and savour the role food plays in building connections.
From bestselling authors to emerging voices, we explore art, faith, football, history, music, poetry, politics, science, and so much more. We even have our first event around a colouring book, created especially for our 74th festival! Alongside our main programme, a vibrant free fringe and free online series with international speakers offers something for everyone.
Thank you for joining us and for being part of this essential conversation.
Claudia Rubenstein, Director