Book Clubs
- Connect with us
The Jewish people have been known through the centuries as the People of the Book, but it would be equally accurate to call us the People of Books. We read, we write and we discuss books. We understand, as few groups do, that not only Bibles and prayer books but many kinds of books are sacred objects, possessing the power to change people's lives. Whenever one of my books has come out, I have always found my best, most receptive, most attentive audiences through the Jewish Book Council .
-- Rabbi Harold Kushner
-- Rabbi Harold Kushner
Selecting a Book
Browse For:
- Discussion Questions
- JBC Reading Lists
- Lists of outstanding books by topic, developed by leading experts in the fields
- National Jewish Book Award and Sami Rohr Prize winners and finalists
Once you've developed a shortlist, book club members can check each title for reviews, interviews with the author, excerpts and much more, all in one convenient place.
Tips
- For your first few meetings, choose relatively short books and use prepared book club questions.
- Thought provoking books make for lively discussions, but you probably want to steer clear of titles on potentially divisive topics, especially until the group has gotten to know each other. You don’t want your book club to break up over a political argument.
- Choose titles well in advance to give members time to read the book and formulate their thoughts.
Keep in mind
- A mix of fiction and non-fiction will keep things interesting. Your book group can focus on a specific culture or historical period. Or you can choose a theme, such as Israeli fiction, women writers, or American Jewish history, just to name a few.
- Your book group can focus on a specific genre, culture, author, time period, or subject. Or, you can rotate through specific themes, such as contemporary Israeli fiction, historical novels, women writers, or American Jewish history, just to name a few.
