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Jewish Publication Society

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The Jewish Publication Society (JPS), originally known as the Jewish Publication Society of America, is the oldest nonprofit, nondenominational publisher of Jewish works in English. It is especially well-known for its English translation of the Hebrew Bible, the JPS Tanakh, today regarded as the authoritative Jewish translation.

When JPS was founded in Philadelphia in 1888, it was the only Jewish publisher in the English language in North America. Though other publishers now produce Jewish books, JPS as a nonprofit publisher continues to develop projects that for-profit publishers will not invest in: significant scholarly projects that may take years to complete. Its mission continues to be to make the rich Jewish literary legacy accessible to all those interested in Jewish culture, both within and outside of the Jewish community. In addition, JPS engages in service projects such as providing books to Jewish military personnel, chaplains in hospitals, nursing homes, and the military, and to impoverished Jewish communities throughout the world.

The JPS Bible translation is used in rabbinical and Christian seminaries, on hundreds of college campuses, in informal adult study settings, in synagogues, and in Jewish day schools and supplementary programs. It has been licensed in a wide variety of books as well as in electronic media. Its core projects—the ongoing JPS Bible commentary series, books on Jewish lifestyle and customs, the new JPS Guides, its many Bible editions and Bible study resources—have had and will continue to have a lasting impact on our understanding of the contributions made to world culture by the People of the Book.[1]

History

The first Jewish Publication Society was founded in 1845 in Philadelphia, but was dissolved years later after a fire destroyed the building and the entire JPS stock.

The 1880s saw an “awakening of interest in Judaism and Jewish culture of the part of young Jews… [and a] growing sense of American Jewry’s destiny on the world Jewish stage.” In response to the growing need for English-language Jewish texts, rabbis and lay leaders of the American Jewish community met on June 3, 1888 at a national convention in Philadelphia to discuss the re-founding of a national Jewish publication society. That day, after many squabbles, debates, and political maneuverings, the Jewish Publication Society was “gaveled into being.”

As JPS moved into the 20th century, membership grew rapidly. After years of meetings, deliberations and revisions, the entire translation of the Bible was finally completed in 1917. This crowning achievement was put to use at the start of World War I, when young Jewish men were given prayer books and Bible readings as they marched off to war.

As Hitler and the Nazi party rose to power during 1930s, Jews in America resisted anti-Semitism through the power of words. Works such as The Decay of Czarism and Legends of the Jews became staples of Jewish literacy and helped to preserve the legacy of European Jewry. JPS also assisted the war effort by supporting refugee employment and resettlement, and by printing pamphlets that were dropped behind enemy lines, at the request of the American government.

During the latter half of the 20th century, JPS published a revised translation of the Bible, books detailing both war atrocities and triumphs, and books with a new-found focus on the State of Israel. Works such as The JPS Commentary Series, The Jewish Catalog and The K’Tonton Series were tremendously successful. In 1985, the newly translated 3 parts of the Bible (the Torah, Prophets, and Writings) were finally compiled into what is now known as the JPS Tanakh (or NJPS, New JPS translation, to distinguish it from the OJPS, or Old JPS translation of 1917).

Since then there have been many other milestones in the history of JPS. Awards have been won, many works made it to the bestsellers list and over 2000 copies of The Book of Psalms were sent to survivors and volunteers helping with the clean-up after 9/11. [1]

Leadership

JPS is governed by a Board of Trustees, headed by Board President David Lerman.

Past editors-in-chief include Henrietta Szold (1893-1916), Solomon Grayzel (1939-1966), and Chaim Potok (1966-1974).

Chaim Potok was significantly involved in JPS's publication activities for 35 years, serving as editor for 8 years, secretary of the Bible translation committee for the Writings (Ketuvim) for 16 years, chair of the JPS Editorial Committee for 18 years and literary editor to its Bible program for 18 years.

Dr. Ellen Frankel was editor-in-chief since 1991 and CEO since 1998. Frankel retired in October 2009 and is now Editor Emerita of the Society.

Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz became the CEO in 2010.

Carol Hupping is COO and Publishing Director.

Recent Publications

  • 20th Century Jewish Religious Thought By Arthur A. Cohen, Paul Mendes-Flohr ISBN 9780827608924
  • American Jewish Fiction: A JPS Guide By Josh Lambert ISBN 9780827608832
  • Celebrating the Jewish Year By Paul Steinberg, Janet Greenstein Potter ISBN 9780827609020
  • The Commentators' Bible (Leviticus) By Michael Carasik ISBN 9780827608979
  • Elvina's Mirror By Sylvie Weil ISBN 9780827608856
  • A Heart Afire By Netanel Miles-Yepez and Zalman Schachter Shalomi ISBN 9780827608849
  • The Jerusalem Crown (Keter) Bible ISBN 9780827609129
  • Jewish Choices, Jewish Voices—Power By Elliot N. Dorff and Louis E. Newman ISBN 9780827608627
  • JPS Illustrated Children's Bible By Dr. Ellen Frankel ISBN 9780827608917
  • Maimonides By David Hartman ISBN 9780827609112
  • Naomi's Song By Selma Kritzer Silverberg ISBN 9780827608863
  • Subversive Sequels in the Bible By Judy Klitsner ISBN 9780827608887
  • Kings of the Jews By Norman Gelb ISBN 9780827609136
  • The Life of Gluckel of Hameln By Herself, Translated and Edited By Beth-Zion Abrahams ISBN 9780827609143

Audio Bible

The JPS TANAKH: The Jewish Bible, audio version is a recorded version of the JPS TANAKH, the most widely read English translation of the Hebrew (the Jewish) Bible. Produced and recorded for The Jewish Publication Society (JPS) by The Jewish Braille Institute (JBI), this complete, unabridged audio version features over 60 hours of readings by 13 narrators.

Mitzvah Projects

From its earliest beginning in the late 19th century, JPS was committed to giving away a portion of its books to those in need.

In February 2005, JPS discovered that Jews entering American military service were offered only the Christian Bible as their “standard-issue Bible.” JPS responded by partnering with the Jewish Welfare Board and launching the JPS Mitzvah Project Campaign to raise money to send free copies of the JPS Torah and Book of Psalms to Jewish service personnel around the world.

Since launching its Mitzvah Project for the military, JPS has received requests for books from communities around the world. And so it expanded its program to meet their needs as well. JPS has sent books for free to nonprofit organizations, prisons, hospitals, Christian seminaries, and Jewish day schools in North America, Israel, and Europe, as well as to underserved Jewish synagogues in Ghana, Nigeria, China, India, and South America.

JPS’s goal for 2010 is to reach at least 50 communities with at least 5,000 pounds of free JPS books.

Past Mitzvah Project Recipients include:

Projects in the United States:

  • Aleph Institute, Northeast Regional Headquarters
  • Jewish Women International
  • JWB Jewish Chaplains Council
  • VA Hospitals and Nursing Homes in Miami, FL, Phoenix, AZ, and Bremerton, WA
  • American Seminary for Contemporary Judaism
  • Synagogues, schools, and community centers in need across the country

Projects Abroad:

  • Jews of Nigeria
  • Lemba of Northern South Africa and Botswana
  • Sefwi Jewish Synagogue, Ghana
  • Abayudaya, Uganda
  • Shandong University Book Project, China
  • Bnei Menashe, India
  • The Jade Bar Shalom Books for Israel Project
  • Seminario Rabinico, Argentina
  • Bristol Jewish Society, University of Bristol and University of Western England

Awards

In the past 20 years, JPS has won many National Jewish Books Awards, an achievement matched only by major presses such as Random House, Doubleday, Yale, Princeton and Oxford University Press.

National Book Awards (since 2000)

2000:

  • Synagogues without Jews, Ben-Zion and Rivka

2001:

  • Forged in Freedom, Norman Finkelstein
  • The Rebbe’s Daughter, Nehemiah Polen
  • Etz Hayim, ed. David Lieber

2003:

  • To Do the Right and the Good, Elliot Dorff

2006:

  • Folktales of the Jews: Tales from the Sephardic Dispersion, Dan Ben-Amos
  • Lilith’s Ark: Teenage Tales of Biblical Women, Deborah Cohen

2007:

  • Inventing Jewish Ritual, Vanessa Ochs
  • The Power of Song and Other Sephardic Tales, Rita Roth

2009:

  • JPS Illustrated Children’s Bible, Ellen Frankel, Illustrated by Avi Katz
  • Celebrating the Jewish Year: The Spring and Summer Holidays: Passover, the Omer, Shavuot, Tisha B’Av, Paul Steinberg, Janet Greenstein Potter, Editor
  • Subversive Sequels in the Bible, Judy Klitsner

Children's Book Awards

  • Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust, Eve Bunting (A Notable Children’s Book in the Field of Social Studies)
  • The Jewish Kids Catalog, Chaya Burstein (National Jewish Book Award)
  • The Castle on Hester Street, Linda Heller (Parents’ Choice Award)
  • In the Mouth of the Wolf, Rose Zar (Association of Jewish Librarians Best Book Award)
  • The Power of Song and Other Sephardic Tales, Rita Roth (National Jewish Book Award)
  • Anne Frank: A Life in Hiding, Johanna Hurwitz (Nominated for the Texas Blue Bonnet Award: A Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies)
  • Haym Salomon: Liberty’s Son, Shirley Milgrim (National Jewish Book Award)
  • Mrs. Moskowitz and the Sabbath Candlesticks, Amy Schwartz (National Jewish Book Award and Association of Jewish Librarians Best Book Award)
  • Clara’s Story, Clara Isaacman (Sydney Taylor Honor Book)
  • Lilith’s Ark, Deborah Bodin Cohen (Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Teens)
  • Of Heroes, Hooks and Heirlooms, Faye Silton (Winner of Sydney Taylor Manuscript Competition)
  • A Coat for the Moon and Other Jewish Tales, Howard Schwartz (Anne Izard Storytellers' Choice Award and Storytelling World Magazine Award)
  • David and Max, Gary Provost and Gail Levine-Provost (Notable Children’s Book in the Field of Social Studies, Skipping Stones Honor Award)
  • Potato Pancakes All Around, Marilyn Hirsch (Children’s Choice Award)
  • JPS Illustrated Children’s Bible, Ellen Frankel(National Jewish Book Award and Taylor Book Award Notable Book for Readers of All Ages)
  • Naomi’s Song, Selma Kritzer Silverberg (Sydney Taylor Book Award Honor for Books for Teen Readers)
  • Elvina’s Mirror, Sylvie Weil (Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable Book for Older Readers)

Other Recent Awards

2008:

  • Skipping Stones Honor Award--A Shout in the Sunshine, Mara Cohen Ioannides

2009:

  • Sophie Brody Medal--From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and Comic Books, Arie Kaplan
  • Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth Winner--From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and Comic Books, Arie Kaplan

References

  1. ^ a b Jewishpub.org
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