The Shalom Australian Jewish Book Awards

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.

The Plus61J Media Young Jewish Writers Award has been generously donated by Plus61J Media 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.” Plus61J Media 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.