We hope you’re ready for a day full of community, creativity, and collaboration with more than 100 Jewish writers across genres and levels of experience.
Below, you’ll find our schedule for the day, but keep scrolling to learn more about each of the sessions and learn more about our incredible speakers.
The 2025 Jewish Writers Mifgash Schedule
Welcome: Opening Remarks from the Presidents of The Artists Against Antisemitism
We’ll start the day (after breakfast and coffee) with an official welcome from Alison Hammer and Jill Santopolo, the co-presidents of The Artists Against Antisemitism.
Speakers: Alison Hammer, Jill Santopolo
Alison Hammer
Jill Santopolo
Keynote: Two Rabbis Walk into a Writers Conference…
This keynote conversation between two author-rabbis will explore spirituality and the tradition of creativity in Judaism, as well as the importances and challenges of being a Jewish creative during our current times.
Speakers: Rabbi Angela Buchdahl and Rabbi Rena Rossner. (read their bios here.)
Rabbi Angela Buchdahl
Photo credit Lorin Klaris
Rabbi Rena Rossner
Panel: Writing for Change
What are the unique opportunities and challenges of creating during times of upheaval, cultural reckoning, or crisis? Our panelists will discuss the complexities of responding to the moment, how their work is shaped by current events, and offer insight into what it means to create in trying times.
Speakers: Tali Rosenblatt-Cohen (moderator), Vanessa Hidary, Isaac Blum, Adam Kirsch (read their bios here.)
Tali Rosenblatt-Cohen
Vanessa Hidary
Isaac Blum
Adam Kirsch
Panel: Writing While Jewish, The Business of Being a Jewish Author
Making a living as a writer is never easy, and to be a Jewish writer can sometimes make the challenge that much more complex. This panel will discuss the business side of writing, the behind-the-scenes elements of bringing books to market, from the perspective of publishing industry professionals - including through a Jewish lens. Topics of discussion will include the evolving landscape and trends in acquisition for Jewish books, what works and what doesn't in marketing and publicity for Jewish stories, sales and distribution patterns, etc.
Speakers: Naomi Firestone-Teeter, CEO at the Jewish Book Council (moderator), Lindsay Gordon Bezalel, Director of Publicity & Marketing at Penguin, Dena Neusner, Executive Editor at Behrman House/Apples & Honey Press, Ben Hyman, Editorial Director of Schocken. (read their bios here.)
Naomi Firestone-Teeter
Lindsay Gordon Bezalel
Dena Neusner
Ben Hyman
Panel: Jewish Stories Before and Beyond the Holocaust
While the Holocaust is a defining chapter in Jewish history, it is not the entirety of our story. This panel focuses on the richness of Jewish storytelling before and beyond that period. Topics may include what other Jewish stories we're anxious to tell, the expectations placed on Jewish writers, and how these writers situate their work within a broaderJewish literary tradition.
Speakers: Alison Hammer (moderator), Iddo Geffen, Zeeva Bukai, Jean Meltzer. (read their bios here.)
Alison Hammer
Photo credit Will Byington
Iddo Gefen
Photo credit Noam Galai
Zeeva Bukai
Photo credit Ghila Krajzman
Jean Meltzer
Photo credit Lisa Damico
Community: Project Shema Listening Session
Michael Davis, a Senior Facilitator from Project Shema will lead a conversation, answering questions about how to approach and combat antisemitism in publishing, in writing, and in the creative arena in 2025. Read his bio here.
Michael Davis
Experience: JTS Special Collections Guided Tour
As part of the Jewish Writers Mifgash schedule, attendees have the option to pre-register at no cost for a custom-curated special collections exhibition on the origins of Jewish storytelling. Curated and guided by Ripps Schnitzer Librarian for Special Collections Dr. Mordecai Schwartz, attendees will explore the evolution of Jewish storytelling through engagement with rare, landmark texts across the centuries from the Jewish Theological Seminary's unparalleled special collections.
This opportunity is limited to no more than 20 participants per session, and registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis.The tour will be facilitated by Rabbi Marcus Mordecai Schwartz.Read his bio here.
Rabbi Marcus Mordecai Schwartz
Panel: The Lighter Side, Jewish Humor in Writing
This panel will explore the many ways writers use humor to navigate identity, history, grief, and absurdity. Our panelists will discuss how comedy shapes their work, what makes something Jewishly funny, and perhaps even the fine line between laughing with and laughing at.
Speakers: Peter Fox (moderator), Lynn Harris, Ali Rosen, Max Gross. (read their bios here.)
Peter Fox
Lynn Harris
Ali Rosen
Photo credit Melanie Dunea
Max Gross
Photo credit Julian Voloj
Panel: Community Rising, Collective Jewish Storytelling
This panel features Jewish anthologies as a form of collective storytelling which incorporates diverse Jewish perspectives and experiences. Panelists will discuss the role of anthologies in building community, how they think about curating themes and the creative, collaborative nature of Jewish storytelling.
Speakers: Erika Dreifus (moderator), Joshua S. Levy, Diane Gottlieb, Sara Lippmann. (read their bios here.)
Erika Dreifus
Photo credit Jody Christopherson
Joshua S. Levy
Photo credit Abbie Sophia Photography
Diane Gottlieb
Sara Lippmann
Photo credit m. price
Activity: Mi Sheberach Workshop
Learn about the history of the Mi Sheberach prayer and the role that writing and creating plays in our mental health. During the session, individuals or small groups will write their own versions of the Mi Sheberach, a call for healing about a specific topic facing Jewish writers.
Facilitated by Beth Lipschutz of BeWell, an initiative Jewish Federations of North America.
Beth Lipschutz
