Ben Yehuda Press:
Jewish Books for the Internet Age
The Internet age has brought a lot of changes. Barriers are breaking down. Barriers between people, between communities, between individuals and the larger world.
Some people see this as a threat to the Jewish community. Some see it as a threat to books.
We see a renaissance for both.
There’s a reason that more web pages link to Amazon than to Yahoo.
New Voices
Ben Yehuda Press is proud to be publishing some of the most innovative voices in the Jewish community.
Teachers whose classes are packed, who haven’t yet published a book. Internet teachers whose works deserve a place on your shelves. We’re honored to help great teachers become great authors.
Old Voices
There’s no reason for books to go out of print. Not with today’s technology. So we’re bringing back books whose vision persists... whether for epitomizing their era or for being timeless.
Diverse Voices
We don’t think any one type of Judaism has a monopoly on the truth – or on great books. We’re delighted that our initial group of writers include Reform, Conservative, Orthodox and Renewal rabbis – plus a couple of proudly secular agnostics!
Resources for Involved Jews
Amidst this generation’s pessimism about continuity, it’s easy to forget that the number of involved Jews is larger than ever. There are more Jewish day schools flourishing. More students visit and study in Israel.
We aim to reach these Jewish educators, parents, and people seeking the study of Torah around their own tables.
Titles for Alienated Jews
We take all Jews seriously... but not their limitations. From hip hop to sci fi, from socialists to wiccans, we hope to publish all parts of the Jewish story, to engage, challenge and delight.
Institutional Partnerships
There are many great projects being spearheaded by Jewish organizations. We want to help them to take the work they do out of the realm of the press release and pamphlet and get it into the libraries and book shelves where others can learn from them.
We’re working with the Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School to publish the innovative lectures on Bible from their fascinating annual seminar. We’re in talks with a Jewish educational think tank about collecting their material.
And we count among our friends and advisors leading figures at the National Foundation for Jewish Culture, the Jewish Theological Seminary and Yeshiva University.
Funding Opportunities
What could be more Jewish than helping other Jews fulfill the mitzvah of tzedakah? We’re not looking to mount plaques outside our company washroom. We do, however, know a number of brilliant writers who have important books to write... and also mortgages to pay. There are other great books we would love to have translated into English. So if you have a few thousand dollars to spare to help bring out a book on a topic near and dear to you – let us know. We might be able to make it possible.
Future Bookings
We begin 2006 with two titles in print, a third at the printers, eight under contract, and more than a dozen in various stages of development.