52nd Annual Jewish Book & Arts Festival

The Ann and Stephen Kaufman Jewish Book & Arts Festival presented by the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston is one of Houston’s leading cultural and literary events and will continue its 52-year tradition of connecting the community to prominent and emerging literary luminaries with its 2024 lineup of bestselling authors, celebrities, journalists, debut novelists, children’s authors and chefs. The 2024 festival runs from Nov. 3-16, opening with Israeli activist Noa Tishby on Sun., Nov. 3 at 7 p.m.

Opening night is presented by the JCC, the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, Congregation Beth Israel, Congregation Beth Yeshurun and Congregation Emanu El. This special event will take place at Congregation Beth Israel. One of the most recognizable figures in the world today, Noa Tishby brings us her latest venture that she and former professional football player Emmanuel Acho co-wrote, Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew. Tishby will share her research on the origins of antisemitic tropes, contemporary antisemitism, and what it means to be Jewish today.    

One of America’s most beloved authors, Mitch Albom, returns to the Book Festival on Sat., Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m. with his latest novel, The Little Liar, a powerful story of hope and forgiveness that takes readers from the coast of Greece in WWII to California during the Golden Age of Hollywood. 

The festival closes with New York Times bestselling author Larry Tye and his book The Jazzmen: How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie Transformed America on Sat., Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m. Tye masterfully reflects on their lives off the bandstand and explores the Black-Jewish alliance of the time. 

The festival is co-chaired by Jeryl Golub and Christine Laskin together with Vice Chair Vicki Teller.

Celebrated Israeli-born author Maya Arad’s novel The Hebrew Teacher is the festival’s Community Read, a shared literary experience for book clubs and individuals. The event will take place on Tues., Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m. before the festival’s official kick-off. Arad’s latest work—the first of her novels to be translated to English—weaves together three novellas, each telling the story of an Israeli woman whose lives has been altered by immigration to the United States. As Arad is an emerging author for English speaking audiences, the program has been named the Marilyn Hassid Emerging Author.

Book Lovers Lunch returns this year with Samantha Greene Woodruff’s novel The Trade Off on Thurs., Nov. 7 at 12 p.m. In a town where appearances are everything, one woman's desperate gamble for the truth threatens to unravel the carefully constructed lives of those around her. 

Journalist Lee Yaron will speak on her book 10/7: One Hundred Human Stories on Weds., Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m., as she examines the profound experiences of 100 people whose lives were forever changed by the attacks on October 7, 2023. Yaron’s powerful new book captures raw emotion and resilience, offering a window into this shared human experience. 

On Thurs., Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m., R. Derek Black—the grandson of former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke—will speak on their memoir, The Klansman’s Son. Black navigates a tumultuous journey from the heart of white supremacy to an awakening of empathy and personal redemption, challenging deep-seated beliefs and confronting the complexities of identity.

Several of these events are expected to have very high demand—the community is encouraged to purchase tickets early. Find more information and the full lineup here.