Jewish Quarterly

Not to be confused with The Jewish Quarterly Review.

Once a UK literary and cultural magazine, as of 2021, The Jewish Quarterly is now published for international distrubution by Australian publisher, Morry Schwartz

With the intention to investigate rather than advocate, each issue clarifies complex issues of Jewish and wider socio-political interest with an open mind; offering readers a deeper understanding.

Published 4 times a year, The Jewish Quarterly is now edited by Jonathan Pearlman, the Australian-based editor at the helm of one of Schwartz’s other publications, Australian Foreign Affairs. There are also three European consulting editors involved in the publication: Ian Black, formerly Middle East specialist on the Guardian; award-winning writer and translator Natasha Lehrer, based in Paris; and London-based journalist, Jo Glanville, editor of a new book of essays on antisemitism, Looking For An Enemy, to be published by Short Books next spring .

History and profile

The Jewish Quarterly was founded by Jacob Sonntag in 1953 and was published continuously through to its last issue in early 2019, before its international regeneration by Australian publisher, Morry Schwartz.

In 1974, Sonntag described the Jewish Quarterly:

If I were asked how I envisaged The Jewish Quarterly when I started it more than twenty years ago, I would say that it was to cultivate literary journalism in the best tradition of Central and Eastern Europe and, in particular, in the best tradition of Eastern European Jewish writing.

— Jacob Sonntag

Reviving the Jewish Quarterly in 2021, Morry Schwartz has stated his intention to incorporate Sontag’s original vision for the publication, namely, bringing the spirit of the East European Jewish intellectual to the UK. Yet at the same time, while maintaining its British roots, the revived JQ will be made up of international contributions; it will be internationally accessible, current and contemporary.

From 2021 onwards, each issue The Jewish Quarterly has a theme, with at least half of the contributors adhering to that theme.

When asked about his inspiration for reviving JQ, Schwartz could summarise his myriad reasons and explanations in one simple line:

“After all, we are the people of the book” .

External links

– Frazer, Jenni (2020). “The media investor relaunching the Jewish Quarterly: Australian publisher Morry Schwartz wants to give the magazine an international remit.” The Jewish Chronicle,

– jewishquarterly.com