Koffler - Press Release

Rising literary star Shalom Auslander and award-winning author and social activist Michele Landsberg headline the new Toronto Jewish Book Festival, June 4 to 7, 2012

March 20,2012

Toronto, ON – American author, essayist and rising literary star Shalom Auslander will open the new Toronto Jewish Book Festival, June 4 to 7, 2012 at the Bram and Bluma Appel Salon, Toronto Reference Library.

Auslander will speak on his first novel, the critically acclaimed, darkly humorous Hope: A Tragedy. Called “staggeringly nervy” by the New York Times, the novel features an elderly and foul-mouthed Anne Frank hiding in the attic of an upstate New Yorker’s farmhouse.

Auslander – who grew up an Orthodox Jew in New York and has been compared to David Sedaris, Woody Allen and Joseph Heller – is the author of the short story collection Beware of God (2006), the memoir Foreskin’s Lament (2007) and was a finalist for the Koret Jewish Book Award in 2003-04. Auslander will open the Festival in conversation with author Michael Wex on Monday, June 4 at 8 PM.

Joining Auslander at the Festival is award-winning Canadian author, feminist and social activist Michele Landsberg, who will speak on her new collection of essays, Writing the Revolution. Author of three books, a former columnist for the Toronto Star, and an Officer of the Order of Canada, Landsberg will speak on her life on the front lines of the Women’s Movement on Tuesday, June 5 at 8 PM.

Steven Gimbel, author of Einstein’s Jewish Science which generates debate on the nature of Judaism and science, will speak on Wednesday, June 6 at 8 PM.

Other programs include True North Records founder Bernie Finklestein – in conversation with Jake Gold – on his new memoir True North: A Life Inside the Music Business; a tribute to Canadian cultural icons Celia Franca and John Hirsch by authors Carol Bishop-Gwyn and Fraidie Martz; ‘New Takes on Montreal’ with Seymour Mayne, B. Glen Rotchin and Sara Tauben; ‘Jewish Fiction on the Net’ with Morley Torgov, George Jonas and Nora Gold; as well as authors Lilian Nattel and Anne Dublin, and more.

The full schedule of author talks will be announced in mid-April, 2012.

The Toronto Jewish Book Festival is a new literary festival celebrating Jewish books and authors uniting the two biggest Jewish literary events in Canada under one roof.

The Festival succeeds the Jewish Book Fair – which for 34 years was one of the largest of its kind in North America. The new Toronto Jewish Book Festival features author talks, readings, panels, exclusive book launches, musical events, films and slideshows, student programs, and hundreds of books for sale.

The Festival culminates in the 24th annual Helen and Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book Awards celebrating excellence in Canadian writing on Jewish themes and subjects on June 7, 2012.

The Toronto Jewish Book Festival is presented by the Koffler Centre of the Arts.

Full event details and a list of participating authors will be posted soon at www.kofflerarts.org

GENERAL INFORMATION
What: Toronto Jewish Book Festival
When: June 4 to 7, 2012
Where: Bram and Bluma Appel Salon, Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street (at Bloor), Toronto

Admission to the Fair is FREE and open to the public.

About the Koffler Centre of the Arts
Koffler Centre of the Arts is Canada's only cutting-edge contemporary, multidisciplinary Jewish cultural institution. It has a broad mandate to serve all, and present a wide range of artistic programs through a global lens in a specifically Canadian context.

The Koffler Centre of the Arts is an agency of the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto.

Planning is underway on a brand new, architecturally innovative Koffler Centre of the Arts on the Sherman Campus at Bathurst and Sheppard. In July 2009, the Koffler’s administrative offices and all classes opened in the Prosserman JCC on the Sherman Campus. Starting in early 2013, Koffler Gallery exhibitions and related programs will be based at Artscape YOUNGplace in downtown Toronto. Koffler programs will continue at the Prosserman JCC on Sherman Campus and will debut at the new Schwartz/Reisman Centre on Lebovic Campus in Vaughan also in fall 2012.

Koffler Centre of the Arts acknowledges the support of Cultural Season Sponsor CIBC Wood Gundy, Media Partner National Post, the Ontario Arts Council through the Community and Multidisciplinary Arts Organizations Program, our patrons and members. The Koffler Gallery gratefully acknowledges the support the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.

KOFFLER ON THE ROAD!
Watch for Koffler programs off-site around Toronto! As it prepares for its new facility to be completed, the Koffler Centre of the Arts continues to program exhibitions, events, performances, classes and workshops at the Prosserman JCC on Sherman Campus, the Schwartz/Reisman Centre on Lebovic Campus and at various downtown sites in Toronto. Go to www.kofflerarts.org for details and watch for Koffler events in your neighbourhood!

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Media Contact
Tony Hewer, Head of Communications and Marketing
Koffler Centre of the Arts
4588 Bathurst Street | Toronto | ON | M2R 1W6
t: 416.638.1881 x 4228 | f: 416.636.5813
e: thewer@kofflerarts.org | w: www.kofflerarts.org

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Rising literary star Shalom Auslander and award-winning author and social activist Michele Landsberg headline the new Toronto Jewish Book Festival, June 4 to 7, 2012