Are you writer of Jewish fiction of nonfiction? Are you looking for a publishing house for your latest book, or even your maiden book?
Below you’ll find 19 top publishers of Jewish books.
1. Menucha Publishers
The Easy-Shmeezy Guide to Yiddish by R’ Moshe Sherizen, The Thinking Jewish Teenager’s Guide to Life by Akiva Tatz and The Rabbi and the Nuns by Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski are just some of the titles on Menucha Publishers’ bestseller list. Founded in the year 2010, Menucha has been delivering titles pertaining to Torah and Jewish literature. The categories under which they publish books range far and wide, from cookbooks to Holocaust literature, children’s books to history books. Drawing from his experiences at Targum Press, Hirsch Meir Traube is the one who started this publishing company that is based in Brooklyn, New York. If you have a Jewish manuscript waiting to be published, take a look at their submission guidelines and then try to contact them. They are also available on Facebook and Instagram.
2. Judaica Press
Brooklyn, New York also houses Judaica Press, a publishing firm that has been in business for over 50 years. Established in 1963, they cater to everyone who is keen to read Jewish works and so, have built a long list of published titles. It was founded by S. Goldman but now, it is his son, Jack Goldman who is guiding the company forward. They are looking to publish short stories and novels for people of all ages. Additionally, they also publish Jewish books for children and young adults, and nonfiction books. In the nonfiction category, you’ll find titles on self-help, biography, Halacha, history etc. Some of the most popular works that they boast are Guest House by Gita Gordon, A Gadol in Our Midst by Rabbi Shmuel Assayag and The Hidden Hand by Yaakov Astor. As of now, Judaica Press is open to submissions in picture books, board books, children’s titles, fiction books, non-fiction books, and cookbooks. You are welcome to submit your manuscript to them via email.
3. Feldheim Publishers
Feldheim Publishers have been doing the rounds since 1939, producing content that would appeal to Jewish sensibilities. It has a heartrending story behind its establishment. Philipp Feldheim made his way to New York after escaping the Holocaust. It is there that he first started a bookstore, which he later expanded into a publishing business when he realized that there was a dire need to publish good quality Jewish books. Based in Nanuet, New York, Feldheim Publishers have put forth a whole slew of books. Jewish thought, Jewish law, novels, short stories, history, historical thought, cookbooks, and Hebrew books are just a few categories you’ll find on their website. If you’ve heard of titles like And Rachel Was His Wife by Marsi Tabak, Lilmod Ulelamed by Rabbi Mordechai Katz and Gates of Prayer by Rav Shimshon Pincus, that is probably because they are some of Feldheim’s bestsellers. In case you are an author yourself and would like to have your work published by them, follow the submission guidelines and send in your manuscript via email. Alternatively, you can also reach out to them at their postal address.
4. Kar-Ben Publishing
If you have written a Jewish book that is meant for children, chances are that you are looking for a publisher who is particularly experienced in publishing children’s books. Well, look no further! Kar-Ben Publishing was started in 1974 as a part of the Lerner Publishing Group. Judyth Groner and Madeline Wikler are the founders of this speciality publishing company that you’ll find in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is commendable the way in which they’ve managed to produce books related to a wide variety of topics like folktales, Hanukkah, Holocaust, Jewish heroes, food and cooking all catered towards kids. And those are just a few of the categories. Way Too Many Latkes by Linda Glaser and Rifka Takes a Bow by Betty Rosenberg Perlov are two of their titles.
The company’s address and contact details have been mentioned on the website. Before you get in touch with them, make sure to thoroughly read their guidelines for submission. As of now, Kar-Ben is open to submissions in fiction and non-fiction titles for pre-schoolers and middle school goers. Their accepted categories include holiday books, life cycle stories, Bible tales, folktales, stories about Israel, Jewish history, Jewish heroes, and any other Jewish topic of your choice. You can send your manuscripts via email or post.
5. Schocken
The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group has a handful of imprints operating under it. Schocken happens to be the one that is dedicated towards publishing Judaica. Some authors it has signed over the years include Jonathan Sacks, Franz Kafka, Joan Nathan etc. Even though Schocken Books does accept manuscripts from authors, having your work published by them might be a comparatively more difficult process. You need to pass on your manuscript via a literary agent, as the company does not invite authors to submit their own works. It was initially founded in Germany in 1931 by Salman Schocken and soon after, in 1945, it made its way to the United States of America. Headquartered in New York City, Schocken Books has released titles like Where The Jews Aren’t by Masha Gessen, Not in God’s Name by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and The Man Who Never Stopped Sleeping by Aharon Appelfeld. Schocken is currently open to submissions and while they prioritize submissions via literary agents, you can still them a sample (25 to 30 pages) of your work for further consideration. Check this page for more details about the submission policies.
6. Jewish Lights Publishing
It was the year 1990 when Stuart Matlins established Jewish Lights Publishing. Now, a part of the parent company, Turner Publishing Company, Jewish Lights can be found in the Nashville area of Tennessee. They publish books for both, children and adults, pertaining to environment, Bible study, inspiration, Kabbalah, holidays and Shabbat, meditation, social justice and spirituality to name a few topics. Their book, I Am Jewish has been reviewed as “compelling” by the New York Jewish Week, whereas Rabbi Lee Bycel from the Hebrew Union College called their title, Mourning & Mitzvah, “insightful”. If you think they are the right publishers for your manuscript, check out their submission guidelines so that you get an understanding of how to approach them. Since the company is a subsidiary of Turner Press, you will need to email your manuscripts to Turner Press’ editorial team.
7. Ben Yehuda Press
The moment you click on Ben Yehuda Press’ website, you will see just how much they are devoted to delivering Jewish books to the people who wish to read them. Many of the titles dabble in the religious and spiritual aspects of the community. The firm was instituted in the year 2005 and is located in Teaneck, New Jersey. Larry Yudelson is the founder and editorial director of this publishing company that was brought into existence because of three books which needed to be published by someone who understood the target audience. You will find titles on poetry, fiction, memoir, spirituality etc. Getting (and Staying) Married Jewishly by Haviva Ner-David and The Sabbath Bee by Wilhelmina Gottschalk are two of their latest releases. If you are an author and would like to contact them, you can do so by way of the form available on their site. As of now, the publishing house is accepting new manuscripts for fiction, non-fiction, and poetry books.
8. The Jewish Publication Society
Biography, culture, music, history, philosophy, classics, and women’s interest are just a few of the genres that The Jewish Publication Society offers to its readers. Since its inception in 1888, the JPS has aimed to promote Jewish literacy and understanding amongst the masses. Housed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, some books which have been recently released by the publisher are The Land of Truth: Talmud Tales and Timeless Teachings by Jeffrey L. Rubenstein and Turning Points in Jewish History by Marc J. Rosenstein. Follow their submission guidelines if you would like them to consider your manuscript for publication. You can also check this page to find out more about the categories they are currently seeking. The Jewish Publication Society can be contacted via email or post.
9. Hachai Publishing
Hachai Publishing is yet another publisher solely dedicated towards publishing children’s books that have Jewish themes in them. It is located in Brooklyn, New York but also has offices in Israel and England. Founded in 1988, the firm has recently published books like We Can Find a Way by Dina Rosenfeld, The Secret of Carlos Romanus by Esther Kosofsky and The Creation Book by Chani Gansburg. Authors who would like to extend their manuscript to Hachai Publishing can contact them with queries about the same. But first, go through their submission guidelines. They are looking to sign books meant for very young audiences (2 to 6 years). Additionally, they may also consider Historical Fiction Adventure books for readers aged 7 to 10. You can send your submissions via post or mail them here.
10. Amsterdam Publishers
Founded in 2012 by Liesbeth Heenk, Amsterdam Publishers is an independent publishing house based in the Netherlands that specializes in books by Holocaust survivors, as well as in WW2 memoirs and biographies. One of their main priorities is to offer a platform for Holocaust survivors where they can share their stories and shed light on our collective past. The company has served a considerable number of international clients, including bestselling author Nechama Birnbaum (author of The Redhead of Auschwitz) and Annette Libeskind Berkovits (The Corset Maker), among others. If successful, many of their books are also translated into various other languages. For more information on how to submit your manuscript, please check their submission guidelines here.
11. Koren Publishers
With offices in both Israel and Milford, Connecticut, Koren Publishers began flourishing under the guidance of Eliyahu Koren. It was 1962 when this publishing firm took its first step towards bringing Jewish texts to the world. A range of religious and cultural publications color its catalogue. Make sure that when you submit your manuscript to Koren Publishers, you follow the format they have specified on their website. Manuscripts can be mailed here. All their contact information like email, phone number and address is available if you scroll to the end of the page.
12. Behrman House
Behrman House boasts an enormous list of categories under which they produce titles. You can search for books based on subject, age, special interest and so on.. The company primarily publishes Jewish educational books for children in grades K-12. However, they also review and accept titles across multiple categories from time to time. As with most Jewish publishers, they are especially interested in titles with Jewish themes. In 1921, Louis and Sara Behrman founded the business in New York. It is now located in Millburn, New Jersey.. Regina Persisted and Roller-Coaster Grandma are two recent releases from the publishing house. As of now, Behrman House is open to receiving submissions in children’s educational titles. They are also willing to consider materials for Jewish adult education. Read the publishing firm’s submission guidelines before you contact them so that you are well prepared for the process that lies ahead.
13. Red Heifer Press
Founder and Director, Peter Gimpel is the brain behind the rise of Red Heifer Press, a publishing company that can be found in Tehachapi, California. They work with literary fiction, poetry, books on Judaism, arts and humanities. After The Moon A Blue Ocean by Alexander Forbes is an example of one of their published titles. While the company doesn’t have any specific submission guidelines, their website mentions editorial services that are available. You can check this link to find out more.
14. Mandel Vilar Press
Mandel Vilar Press is a non-profit organization that is a part of the Americas for Conservation + the Arts. In addition to publishing Jewish books, they also deliver other niche content. Some of their titles have to do with subject matter like the environment, conservation, culture, politics, science, fiction, memoir etc. Robert Mandel and Irene Vilar are the co-publishers of this press that began operating in 2014. It is located in Simsbury, Connecticut. If you wish to submit your manuscript for publishing, find out what the process entails by contacting them. While the company doesn’t have any detailed submission guidelines, you can check the bottom of this page for some information about the submission process. As of now, Mandel Vihar Press only accepts email submissions.
15. Halban Publishers
Established in 1986, this London based publishing house was founded by Peter and Martine Halban. A Woman in Jerusalem by A.B. Yehoshua, The Reluctant Mullah by Sagheer Afzal and The Overseer by Jonathan Rabb are three titles from their vast fiction catalogue. They also publish quite a few biographies, memoirs, and nonfiction books across historical topics. Their specialty, however, lies in publishing books with Middle Eastern and Jewish influences. While the company isn’t accepting submissions at the moment, you can keep checking this page for updated submission guidelines.
16. Ktav Publishing House
Established in Brooklyn, New York, Ktav Publishing House has been producing quite a lot of reading materials connected to the Jews. The term, “ktav” means “to write” in Hebrew and so it is only natural that they have been encouraging others to do so since 1924. The founders of the company are Asher and Feiga Scharfstein. The Queen and The Spymaster by Sandra E. Rapoport and Jewish Ideas in Morality and Religion by Sol Roth are some of the titles published by the company. Those who would like to have their manuscripts reviewed for publication should fill up the form with as much details as possible since they don’t have any submission guidelines mentioned on their website.
17. Jonathan David Publishers
The year 1948 saw the rise of Jonathan David Publishers, a publishing firm that was started by Alfred J. Kolatch. Before you make up your mind to submit your manuscript to this company, know that they are not accepting unsolicited manuscripts currently and since they haven’t mentioned when they’d be open to doing so again, keep checking this submission page for updated details about their open reading periods.. Housed in Middle Village, New York, they have a few books on demand such as A Book of Curiosities by Roberta Kramer and The Gardener’s Hint Book by Charles L. Wilson.
18. Fig Tree Books
Books, be it fiction or nonfiction, that are insightful and spread word about the American Jewish experience are ones that Fig Tree Books publishes. Although they are not currently open to receiving manuscripts for consideration, keep in mind that they do not accept children’s books, short story collections, YA books or novellas. Check this page for more details about their submission guidelines. If you’re from Bedford, New York, you may find this publishing firm in your vicinity. Here’s all you need to know in order to contact them. Fig Tree Books was started by Fredric Price in 2013.
19. New Jewish Press
New Jewish Press is Canada’s solution to the need for Jewish books. Located in Toronto, Ontario, the company was founded by Malcolm Lester and the faculty members of the Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies. Over the years, they’ve published multiple books related to Jewish culture, philosophy, religion and history. The Riot at Christie Pits and Come Back For Me are two of the most intriguing titles from their collection. As of now, New Jewish Press is accepting book proposals via email. For more details about their submission policies, check this page. Note that New Jewish Press doesn’t accept submissions for fiction and poetry books.
Do you know of any other publishers of Jewish books? Please tell us about them in the comments box below!
A 22 year old writer from India, Meera Nair has been blogging for over 5 years. She has a triple major Bachelor’s degree in Media, English and Psychology from Christ University Bangalore. She regularly reviews books for publishers like Bloomsbury, Pan Macmillan, Penguin etc. Reading and writing are two of her utmost passions and she is glad to have the opportunity to share that love with others.