Association of Jewish Libraries Jewish Fiction Award

About this program

The Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) offers the annual Jewish Fiction Award to recognize fiction with significant Jewish thematic content published and available for purchase in the United States during the eligibility year; the prize includes $1,000 and support to attend the AJL conference to receive the award. Established in 2017 with underwriting from Dan Wyman Books, the award names a winner and several honors each year and follows AJL’s submission guidelines posted on its website. Eligible works are fiction written in or translated into English that engage extensively with Jewish themes (Judaism, Jewish history and culture, Jewish identity, etc.) and were published and sold in the U.S. during the eligibility year (e.g., 2025 publications for the 2026 award). Prospective entrants should consult AJL’s complete submission rules; AJL is also recruiting members for the Jewish Fiction Award Committee.