Hebrew Book Week celebrates centennial in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
Amid declining reading rates nationwide, annual book event opens in both cities following one-day delay caused by Iranian missile fire
Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
After a one-day delay following Iran’s firing of missiles toward Israel this week, Hebrew Book Week opened on Wednesday, marking its 100th anniversary.
The festivities will run through June 18 at Sarona Park in Tel Aviv–Jaffa and through June 20 at Safra Square in Jerusalem.
The original book fair was founded by publisher Bracha Peli in 1926, and took place on Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv.
The two simultaneous events are produced by the Publishers Association of Israel in cooperation with the municipalities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Like every year, many of Israel’s leading authors will be on hand in the two cities to meet readers and sign books.
The Bernstein Prize award ceremony for emerging writers will take place on June 14 at Sarona Park, where winners will be announced in three categories: fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
Events at the two Book Week sites include children’s theater performances, arts-and-crafts workshops and live music performances.
Another series of events will address declining reading rates across all age groups. “Mikoreh,” a play on the Hebrew words for “reader” and “what’s happening,” is an ongoing initiative that will feature reading clubs, author events for parents and children, and a variety of digital and influencer-led campaigns.
Ahead of Hebrew Book Week’s centennial, Israel’s Publishers Association conducted a new comprehensive survey examining Israelis’ reading habits, finding that most people simply struggle to find the time and energy to read.
According to the findings, 69.6% of Israelis said they would like to read more books than they currently do, yet only 20.7% were satisfied with the amount they read today.
While 29.7% admitted that smartphones and television distract them from reading, only 5.1% believed that disconnecting from screens would actually lead them to read more.
“Research shows that just six minutes of reading can reduce stress levels by 68% — more than walking in nature, listening to music, or drinking a cup of tea,” said Michal (Miki) Chassela, CEO of the Publishers Association of Israel. “It is time for Israelis to put aside the doom scrolling on their phones and pick up a book. We could all use a little more peace of mind in our lives.”
Entrance to both Hebrew Book Week locations is free.
Tel Aviv Sarona Park, June 10–18
Sunday-Wednesday: 5 p.m.–10 p.m.
Thursday: 5 p.m.–11 p.m.
Jerusalem Safra Square, June 10–20
Sunday-Wednesday: 5 p.m.–10 p.m.
Thursday: 5 p.m.–11 p.m.
Saturday night: 9 p.m.–12 a.m.
The Times of Israel Community.