The Shalom Australian Jewish Book Awards

The Wingate Award for Unpublished Manuscripts (Jewish Subject) is generously supported by Investment Manager Wingate. “Wingate is a long-standing supporter of Jewish education, arts and culture. This award is an investment in nurturing emerging writers within the community, with the belief that literature has the power to inspire and transform lives. It strongly aligns to our purpose to ‘enlarge and enrich the lives of all with whom we interact’ and celebrates achievement. We are delighted to be supporting this important award,” said Wingate Founder and CEO, Farrel Meltzer.

Wingate, established in 2004, is a leading alternative investment manager focused on property debt, mid-market corporate debt and direct property investment.
www.wingate.com.au

The Wingate Award for Unpublished Manuscripts (Jewish Subject)

Prize: The winner will receive a monetary prize of $4,000, a mentorship with judge Lee Kofman, and will have their manuscript reviewed by Morry Schwartz, owner of Schwartz Publishing.

Submission guidelines

1. The award is open to writers of all levels – established, emerging and beginners.
2. Writers must submit all the following:
   • An excerpt from an unpublished manuscript of fiction or non-fiction (for adults, children or young adults) completed at least to a full first draft stage. The submitted excerpt must be between 8,000 and 10,000 words and be from the beginning of the manuscript.
   • A synopsis of the entire work (300 words maximum).
   • Writer’s professional CV (300 words maximum).
3. All submissions must include a completed registration form. This includes submitting a digital copy of the manuscript.
4. The topic of the manuscript must engage in some capacity with Jewish experience.
5. The manuscript must not be considered by the judges to be antisemitic in accordance with the working definition of antisemitism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, including all illustrative examples.
6. The submitted manuscript should be unpublished in its entirety. For example, if the manuscript is an anthology or an academic work, previously published short stories or chapters may be included, however, the collection as a whole must be unpublished.
7. The author must be an Australian citizen, or ordinarily reside in Australia.
8. A book written by two or more authors and/or illustrators in collaboration will be eligible for consideration for the prize, with the prize being divided between the authors.
9. The judges reserve the right to refuse a submission which they consider does not meet the eligibility criteria.
10. The judges reserve the right not to award the prize in any year in the event of insufficient meritorious candidates.
11. The prize organisers reserve the right to call for submissions which they consider are eligible, but have not previously been submitted.
12. Posthumous submissions will not be accepted – all authors must be living at the time of submissions.
13. Authors must consent to their manuscript being submitted to the award.
14. Each author may submit one entry only.
15. All submissions must include a completed registration form. This includes submitting a digital copy of the manuscript.
16. Authors who are longlisted, shortlisted or award recipients will be expected to take part in media requests organised by Shalom. The winner may be expected to appear at an event for a live interview.

Please fill out the FORM to enter.

For further information about the award, please contact us at awards@shalom.edu.au or on +61 2 9381 4000

The Leslie and Sophie Caplan Award for Jewish Non-Fiction has been generously donated by the Caplan Family to honour the memory of their parents, pillars of the Sydney Jewish community who had a keen interest in modern Jewish history and literature. In thinking about their parents, Leslie and Sophie’s family shared “Leslie and Sophie were both living embodiments of the description of the Jews as the ‘People of the Book’. Inspiring the establishment of the Australian Jewish Book Award is a small and fitting tribute to them as both readers and published authors.”

Leslie Caplan AM and Sophie Caplan OAM were leaders in Sydney’s Jewish Community from their teens until the decade before their respective deaths. Together and individually, they led numerous organisations and helped establish institutions in Sydney’s Jewish community.

Leslie was President or Chairman of the following different organisations : Executive Council of Australian Jewry ( roof body of the Australian Jewish community), the NSW Jewish Board of deputies ( roof body of NSW Jewish community), Jewish Communal Appeal, Masada College, North Shore Synagogue, the Jewish Cemetery Trust and the Australian Zionist Youth Council.

Sophie was President and founder of the Australian Jewish Genealogical Society and the Australian Jewish Historical Society. Sophie was also the the instigator of the Hans Kimmel Essay Competition and for the competition’s first 40 years was author of the questions, chose the prize winners and paid for the prizes.

In addition to their joint active roles in the foundation of Masada College, Leslie is recognised as the catalyst for the establishment of Mount Sinai College.

In addition to their leadership roles in Sydney’s Jewish Community, they embodied the concept of the Jews as the people of the book. They were both avid lifelong readers, amassing a large library which required a home extension to house the collection. Each had their own written work published. It is truely fitting that the prize for Australian Jewish non fiction is named after Leslie and Sophie Caplan.

Prize: $10,000, an on-stage interview at the Sydney Jewish Writers Festival (SJWF)

Submission Guidelines

1. A book in one of the following categories: Jewish studies, autobiography, biography, memoir, history, or journalism.
2. The topic of the book must be of significant relevance to the Jewish experience and must not be considered by the judges to be antisemitic in accordance with the working definition of antisemitism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, including all illustrative examples.
3. The book must be published during the 2023 calendar year.
4. Final copies, galleys or bound manuscripts will be accepted. Books only published as e-books will also be accepted, as are books that have been self-published.
5. The book must be distributed in Australia.
6. The author must be an Australian citizen, or ordinarily reside in Australia.
7. A book written by two or more authors in collaboration will be eligible for consideration for the prize, with the prize being divided between the authors.
8. The judges reserve the right to refuse a submission which they consider does not meet the eligibility criteria.
9. The judges reserve the right not to award the prize in any year in the event of insufficient meritorious candidates.
10. The prize organisers reserve the right to call for submissions which they consider are eligible, but have not previously been submitted.
11. Posthumous submissions will not be accepted – all authors must be living at the time of submissions.
12. Translations will be accepted if the English translation is published during the award dates of submission. The prize will be shared between author and translator. The eligibility criteria apply to original author and not the translator.
13. Anthologies or collections with articles or essays by a single author previously published will be accepted.
14. Authors or publishers must consent to their book being submitted to the award.
15. There is no limit as to the number of submissions an author or publisher may make.
16. All submissions must include a completed registration form, a digital copy of the book and five printed copies of the book. Hard copies of books submitted will not be returned.
17. Authors who are longlisted, shortlisted or award recipients will be expected to take part in media requests organised by Shalom. The winner will be expected to appear at the SJWF for a live interview.

Entries for the 2023 Book Awards have now closed. Thank you for your submissions.
If you submitted an entry, we will be in touch via email in the coming months. Winners will be announced at this year’s Sydney Jewish Writers Festival (21-25 August 2024).
For further enquiries, please email awards@shalom.edu.au  or phone 02 9381 4000.

The Jewish Independent Young Jewish Writers Award has been generously donated by The Jewish Independent publisher Uri Windt. “As a media organisation we are acutely aware of the power of words. Books and culture are as important as bricks and mortar. We are thrilled to help promote young authors advance their careers through this opportunity.” The Jewish Independent provides an independent voice on Australia, Israel and the Jewish world.

Prize: $5,000, an on-stage interview at the Sydney Jewish Writers Festival (SJWF)

Submission Guidelines

1. A book of fiction or non-fiction, or a chapter in a book of fiction or non-fiction.
2. The book must include a Jewish theme/s and must not be considered by the judges to be antisemitic in accordance with the working definition of antisemitism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, including all illustrative examples.
3. The author must be aged between 18 – 40 at the time of publication.
4. The author must identify as Jewish.
5. The book must be published during the 2023 calendar year.
6. Final copies, galleys or bound manuscripts will be accepted. Books only published as e-books will also be accepted, as are books that have been self-published.
7. The book must be distributed in Australia.
8. The author must be an Australian citizen, or ordinarily reside in Australia.
9. A book or chapter written by two or more authors in collaboration will be eligible for consideration for the prize, with the prize being divided between the authors.
10. The judges reserve the right to refuse a submission which they consider does not meet the eligibility criteria.
11. The judges reserve the right not to award the prize in any year in the event of insufficient meritorious candidates.
12. The prize organisers reserve the right to call for submissions which they consider are eligible, but have not previously been submitted.
13. Posthumous submissions will not be accepted – all authors must be living at the time of submissions.
14. Translations will be accepted if the English translation is published during the award dates of submission. The prize will be shared between author and translator. The eligibility criteria apply to original author and not the translator.
15. Anthologies or collections with articles or essays by a single author previously published will be accepted.
16. Authors or publishers must consent to their book being submitted to the award.
17. There is no limit as to the number of submissions an author or publisher may make.
18. All submissions must include a completed registration form, a digital copy of the book and four printed copies of the book. Hard copies of books submitted will not be returned.
19. Authors who are longlisted, shortlisted or award recipients will be expected to take part in media requests organised by Shalom. The winner will be expected to appear at the SJWF for a live interview.

Entries for the 2023 Book Awards have now closed. Thank you for your submissions.
If you submitted an entry, we will be in touch via email in the coming months. Winners will be announced at this year’s Sydney Jewish Writers Festival (21-25 August 2024).
For further enquiries, please email awards@shalom.edu.au  or phone 02 9381 4000.