Shalom Collective announces new Australian Jewish Writer Awards

The Shalom Collective Australian Jewish Writer Awards will return in 2025, with an expanded program that introduces two new prizes alongside existing awards.

The Sydney-based not-for-profit organisation, Shalom Collective, announced that the awards will again celebrate excellence in Jewish literature and writing, honouring works published during the 2024 calendar year.

With four distinct categories, the awards will provide $30,000 in total prize money to support and elevate Australian Jewish writers. The winners will be announced in August 2025.

Recognising Excellence in Jewish Literature

The awards, first introduced in 2023, were met with significant enthusiasm from the literary and Jewish communities, prompting organisers to broaden their scope.

• The Leslie and Sophie Caplan Award for Jewish Non-Fiction – A $10,000 prize for works of significant relevance to the Jewish experience. The award is funded by the Caplan family in memory of their parents, who were dedicated to modern Jewish history and literature. The inaugural recipient in 2024 was journalist Michael Gawenda for My Life as a Jew (Scribe).
• The Jewish Independent Young Jewish Writers Award – This $5,000 prize recognises young authors (aged 18-40) working in fiction, non-fiction, or poetry on Jewish subjects. It is supported by The Jewish Independent, a publication that provides an independent voice on Jewish affairs. Poet and artist Anna Jacobson won in 2024 for Anxious in a Sweet Store (Upswell).

Two New Awards Introduced

In response to the overwhelming interest in the inaugural awards, Shalom Collective has introduced two new categories:

• The Szymon (Simon) Klitenik Award for Jewish Fiction – A $5,000 prize donated by Dr. Janet Hiller in memory of Klitenik, a Polish-born Jewish immigrant who fought in the Australian Imperial Forces and was killed in action in New Guinea in 1945 at the age of 21. This award ensures his legacy endures through Jewish storytelling.
• The Edith Hausmann Award for Jewish Playwrights – A $10,000 prize for an unproduced script, open to Jewish playwrights aged 18-45. The award, supported by Judi Hausmann, honours her mother, Edith Hausmann, a lifelong lover of theatre and founding librarian at Moriah College.

A Growing Platform for Jewish Voices

Anna Stern, Deputy Director of Programs at Shalom, spearheaded the awards and expressed excitement about their growth:

“After the successful reception of last year’s awards, we realised there is a strong need to continue supporting Jewish writers. We intentionally developed two new awards to recognise more forms of writing and genres. With the support of generous donors, we are now able to provide even greater exposure for Australian Jewish authors.”

Shalom Collective also runs the Sydney Jewish Writers Festival and receives support from Melbourne Jewish Book Week. Through these awards, the organisation aims to inspire emerging and established Jewish writers while promoting their work to a wider audience.

Judging Panels & Submission Details

The 2025 awards will be judged by a panel of accomplished writers, editors, and literary professionals, including:

• Leslie and Sophie Caplan Award for Jewish Non-Fiction: Avril Alba, Dr. Lee Kofman, and Jonathan Caplan.
• Jewish Independent Young Jewish Writers Award: Simon Tedeschi, Dr. Roz Bellamy, and Sharon Berger.
• Szymon (Simon) Klitenik Award for Jewish Fiction: Magdalena Ball, Katia Ariel, and Jessica Abelsohn.
• Edith Hausmann Award for Jewish Playwrights: Lally Katz, Moira Blumenthal, and Max Lyandvert.

Submissions are now open and will close on April 22, 2025. Writers interested in applying can visit the Shalom Collective  website for details.