The literary world is grappling with accusations of antisemitism, leading to a rise in Jewish-led publishing initiatives. Authors and editors report facing exclusion, with some agents advising them to remove Jewish references from manuscripts, and a noticeable decline in Jewish-themed book deals between 2023 and 2024. This trend has spurred the creation of new publishing houses and imprints designed to elevate Jewish voices and stories.
Meg Keene, an author with a strong sales record, was unable to find a publisher for her novel, which featured Israeli characters, due to it being perceived as "too Jewish" after the October 7, 2023, attacks. In response, Keene has launched Meg Keene Books, an imprint within Wicked Son Press, to publish four to six fiction titles annually. Wicked Son Press, co-founded by David Bernstein and Adam Bellow, typically focuses on right-leaning nonfiction but is expanding its scope to address the current publishing climate. Meg Keene Books will operate on a profit-sharing model, where authors split earnings with the publisher from the first sale, and Keene is actively seeking new investments for Jewish publishing endeavors.
Several other Jewish publishing ventures are also emerging, supported by figures like pro-Israel philanthropist Scott Shay and British publisher Jacky Klein. These initiatives, including Canary Publishing and Blueprint Literary, aim to provide platforms for Jewish and Israeli authors who feel marginalized by mainstream publishers. The Jewish Book Council, through its CEO Naomi Firestone-Teeter, welcomes these new efforts, emphasizing the importance of diverse publishers and viewpoints for a healthy Jewish literary culture. The council's "Nu Reads" subscription service has attracted nearly 2,500 subscribers, demonstrating a demand for Jewish-themed content, especially since many mainstream titles sell fewer than 2,000 copies. While some view these new ventures as a positive step towards creating sustainable Jewish businesses, others caution that they may not fully resolve the broader issues of exclusion facing Jewish authors.
