Books, Ladies and Gentlemen, Books: Book Week Gets Underway

After a slight delay because of the 12-day war with Iran, the month of reading opens with dozens of events at several major venues, from the book fairs in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to workshops and meetings with creators and cultural figures, including Etgar Keret, Dorit Rabinyan and Dror Mishani.

Hebrew Book Week, marking 100 years since its founding, begins today (Wednesday) and spans several locations with a wide range of events for adults and children. In Tel Aviv, Reading Month will be marked throughout June with dozens of events in libraries and community centers. The main book fair in Sarona Park will take place from June 10 to 18, starting in the afternoon, and will include, among other things, book stalls and author meetings with Haim Be'er, Eshkol Nevo, Dorit Rabinyan, Yirmi Pinkus, Aviva Segal, Céline Assayag and others. The Bernstein Prize ceremony for early-career writers will be held on Sunday, June 14.

The Tel Aviv Municipality book fair will begin today in the forecourt of the Tel Aviv Cinematheque and continue until June 14. About 70 independent publishers will take part, and thousands of books for adults and children, lectures and street performances will be offered. Events include a rap poetry workshop and lectures at nearby businesses led by Dr. Jeremy Fogel, poet Eran Hadas, Dr. Itamar Cohen, Noa Shabtai and others.

In addition, throughout the month there will be meetings at Beit Ariela and city libraries with creators and cultural figures such as Etgar Keret, Dror Mishani, Adva Bula, Galya Oz and Yitz Levi. Activities include “Hear a Piece!” for young creators, a “reading party” for young people in cooperation with Radikal House, and a “book buffet” for selling out-of-stock books.

In Jerusalem, the book fair will be held at Safra Square from today until June 20. Similar to the Tel Aviv fair, it will open each day in the afternoon, and visitors will be able to browse among book stalls and new titles, alongside events and activities for the whole family.

In Rishon LeZion, the Book Festival opened in Gan HaMoshava and at the city’s cultural hall, and will continue until tomorrow. The program includes the “Israeli Writers Festival,” which will host independent writers for intimate meetings and literary performances. Among other events, there will be a unique conversation about words and melodies between writer Eshkol Nevo and singer-songwriter Ehud Banai. Noa Koller and Etgar Keret will discuss how to continue imagining even in a shelter and what role humor plays in the current reality.