ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

Based in the Western Cape, which is considered the book festival province, the JLF complements other literary offerings like the Franschhoek Literary Festival and the Open Book Festival, by offering a jam-packed day of presentations and discussions for anyone who loves books, Jewish literature, culture and conversation. For such a small community remaining in South Africa, we really do have a relatively large number of authors and writers!

The JLF showcases authors, poets, illustrators, journalists, writers and educators who have a Jewish connection or are engaged with subjects of Jewish interest. Sessions occur simultaneously and include panel discussions, readings, and debates. Themes do depend on the books but include fiction, memoir, politics, academia, journalism, and the arts.

OUR HISTORY

The first ever South African Jewish Literary Festival (JLF) in 2016 was a sold-out success, and JLF has since become a regular event on the communal calendar, including 2018, 2020 – where we adapted our planned programme to a series of zoom sessions due to Covid, and our most recent festival in 2023.

Our esteemed guests over the years have included the likes of international authors Thomas Harding, Jonny Steinberg, Jill Edelstein and Simon Seabag Montefiore and local superstars like Damon Galgut, Steven ‘Boykey’ Sidley, Diane Awerbuck, Arthur Goldstuck, Denis Hirson, Rachel Zadok, Patricia Schonstein, Gail Schimmel, Gus Silber, Richard Poplack, Jonathan Ancer, Joanne Jowell, Rahla Xenopoulos, John Matisonn, and Mandy Weiner.