Jewish Arts & Bookfest
Daniel Handler (A.K.A. Lemony Snicket) in conversation with Chanan Tigay at the 2025 Jewish Arts & Bookfest.
In celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month.
The Jewish Arts & Bookfest brings together authors and artists for panel discussions, workshops, readings, family-friendly programs, and performances that showcase the Jewish experience through art, culture, and storytelling.
In person at the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA
Adults: $40 (Use promo code EarlyB5 for $5 off)
Youth (under 18): $5
Students: $5 (Current student ID required for entry)
Museums for All: $5 (EBT/SNAP card required for entry)
Tickets are non-refundable
2026 Headliner
Playwright and Tony Award® winning performer Ari’el Stachel in conversation.
From his childhood at a Bay Area Jewish day school to his Tony Award-winning performance in The Band’s Visit, Ari’el Stachel’s recent one-man play explores the tension of feeling like an outsider within his own community while navigating a mixed Yemeni-Israeli and Ashkenazi-American heritage. Join Ari’el in conversation as he shares how he has wrestled with identity and anxiety while celebrating the diverse tapestry of the human experience.
Photo by Gabrielle Mariella.
2026 Jewish Arts & Bookfest Presenters
Sonia Daccarett
AUTHOR
Matthew Zapruder
POET
Lisa Brown
AUTHOR /ILLUSTRATOR
Jacob Kornbluth
FILMMAKER
Mirka Knaster
ARTIST
Emily Cohen Ibañez
FILMMAKER
Julian Voloj
GRAPHIC NOVELIST
Dashka Slater
AUTHOR
Daniela Gerson
AUTHOR
Benjamin Lerman
AUTHOR
Robin L. Bernstein
ARTIST
Susan Blumberg-Kason
AUTHOR
The full list of speakers and the schedule will be released this spring.
Get Involved!
Be a part of the Festival Shuk [Marketplace]
Share information or sell your work with a table at the 2026 Jewish Arts & Bookfest in our expanded Festival Shuk {Marketplace]. Tables are available for individuals and organizations whose work engages Jewish heritage and culture.
Sign-up to Volunteer
Festival volunteers are a crucial part of making the 2026 Jewish Arts & Bookfest a success! Our volunteer staff help welcome attendees and guide them to sessions, manage event spaces, and support our amazing presenters, among other fun, easy roles.
Help us make the Jewish Arts & Bookfest possible
Your gift today helps us create signature programming—like the annual Jewish Arts & Bookfest—where students, scholars, and Bay Area neighbors learn and create together, discovering new perspectives on Jewish life, culture, and history.
Partners
For information about becoming an sponsor, please reach out to magnesprograms@berkeley.edu.
Supporting Donors
Supporting Donors give $1000 or more to our Signature Event Fund.
Anne and N.C. Germanacos
Fran Quittel in honor of Rabbi Stuart and Vicky Kelman
Bonnie Burt
Denah Bookstein
Helen & Albert Colen Endowment of the Magnes Museum Foundation, a supporting foundation of the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund.
Official Festival Bookseller
Afikomen will have a pop-up shop, wiht a selection of books featured in the Jewish Arts and Bookfest.
Click here to order books featured in the festival.
Jewish American Heritage Month
This May marks the 20th annual celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month, an opportunity for all Americans to connect with the vibrant and varied American Jewish experience.
Venue Policies
For the safety and enjoyment of our entire community, no backpacks or bags larger than 12” x 12” will be allowed in the building and we reserve the right to inspect bags. We are not able to have a coat and bag check. Please leave strollers at home.
No food, drinks, or water bottles will be allowed. Ticket holders can enter and leave as much as needed. A Middle Eastern food truck will be parked outside of the museum entrance and there are other food options within 2 blocks of the Magnes.
Learn more about visiting the Magnes, our principles of community, and FAQs here.
Past Events
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