Jewish Book Festival returns amid security concerns

The Jewish Community Centre (JCC) of Greater Vancouver’s Jewish Book Festival returns this weekend amid heightened awareness of Israeli-Palestinian relations given the conflict in Gaza.

Festival Director Dana Camil Hewitt says the situation has cast a shadow on this year’s event, as the centre has had to increase security around the building since it began.

“One thing that people who are connected in some form to Israel learn pretty fast is that getting over what’s going on, and trying to have a form of normal life becomes one of the most important features one can have,” she said.

She says the planning began before the conflict started.

“And of course, all these books have been written considerably before Oct. 7,” she said.

“So we’re trying to not directly aim for discussions around that. But we are learning things around the conflict that perhaps will enlighten our audience.”

The event features writers from across Canada, the U.S., Israel, and England.

It all kicks off Saturday night with an event featuring Michael Posner, author of a three-volume biography of Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen.

The JCC Jewish Book Festival runs from Feb. 10 to 15 at Vancouver’s Jewish Community Centre and select Lower Mainland venues.