Please find below a list of awards given for published and unpublished fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction on Jewish themes. Please note that although my newsletter and Practicing Writing blog listings are limited to competitions that do not charge entry fees, I have included fee-charging contests here because the pool of specifically “Jewish” competitions is so much smaller than the broader landscape of more generalized contest opportunities.
As always, I’m providing this information as a service; please use good common sense and caution when approaching any literary contest, especially one that charges fees to participate. I can’t be responsible for any unfortunate contest experiences that you may encounter.
If you’re aware of other competitions that might belong on this page, please contact me (be sure to include a link to the award program/contest’s website with your message). I’m especially interested in awards for Jewish writing outside the United States, and I am less interested in awards that are not open to submissions/nominations. Thank you!
- Association of Jewish Libraries Fiction Award
- (Sophie) Brody Medal
- Bustan Residency Program at the National Library of Israel
- Canadian Jewish Literary Awards
- Cohon Award (welcomes creative-artist nominations)
- Hadassah-Brandeis Institute Research Awards (includes grants for creative writers)
- LABA House of Study Fellowships
- Lilith Magazine Fiction Competition
- Moment Magazine-Karma Short Fiction Competition
- Moment Magazine Daniel Pearl Investigative Journalism Initiative
- Natan Notable Books
- National Jewish Book Awards
- (Simon) Rockower Awards for Excellence in Jewish Journalism (most awards open only to AJPA members)
- (Anna Davidson) Rosenberg Awards for Poems on the Jewish Experience
- (J.I.) Segal Literary Awards (of Montreal’s Jewish Public Library)
- (Sydney) Taylor Book Award
- (Sydney) Taylor Manuscript Award
- Vine Awards for Canadian Jewish Literature
- (Edward Lewis) Wallant Award
- Western Canada Jewish Book Awards
- Wingate Literary Prize