The Bernstein Prize is an annual Israeli literary award for writers 50 years of age and younger. The prize is awarded by the Bernstein Foundation, named after Mordechai Bernstein, who left money in his estate to establish a foundation in order to encourage young Hebrew writers.
[Matalon and Stav win Bernstein Prize](_blank)
''The Jerusalem Post'', 16 July 2009 The foundation is managed by Book Publishers Association of Israel.
[Forget Sapir. Give her the Bernstein](_blank)
''Haaretz'', 16 July 2009
The prize has been awarded since 1978 to writers in following four categories:
* Original Hebrew-language novel (presented every year - 50,000 shekel prize).
[Bernstein Prize ''(in Hebrew)''](_blank)
Hebrew Writers Association website
* Book of original Hebrew-language poetry (presented every two years - 25,000 shekel prize).
* Original Hebrew-language play (presented every two years - 25,000 shekel prize).
* Literary criticism (presented every two years - 15,000 shekel prize).
For each category there are separate professional committees to determine the winners.
The prize awards are the second largest prize purses in literature in Israel, exceeded only by the
Sapir Prize
The Sapir Prize for Literature of Israel is a prestigious annual literary award presented for a work of literature in the Hebrew language. The prize is awarded by Mifal HaPayis (Israel's state lottery), and is a part of the organization's cultural ...
.
Recent Winners
* 2009
Ronit Matalon
Ronit Matalon ( he, רונית מטלון; May 25, 1959 – December 28, 2017) was an Israeli fiction writer.
Biography
Ronit Matalon was born in Ganei Tikva, Israel, the daughter of Egyptian Jewish immigrants. Matalon studied literature and ph ...
won the prize for best original Hebrew novel, for her book ''Kol Tsa'adenu (The Sound of our Steps)''.
* 2011
Sayed Kashua
Sayed Kashua ( ar, سيد قشوع, he, סייד קשוע; born 1975) is a Palestinian author and journalist born in Tira, Israel, known for his books and humorous columns in Hebrew and English.
Biography
Sayed Kashua was born in Tira in th ...
won the award for best original Hebrew novel, for his book ''
Second Person Singular
''Second Person Singular'' is a 2010 novel by the Arab Israeli writer Sayed Kashua. Kashua explores the identity of Arabs who are assimilated in Israeli culture; Arabs that speak Hebrew and had their education at Israeli institutes.
Plot ...
''
* 2013
Assaf Gavron for his novel ''
The Hilltop''
* 2015
Roy Hasan
Roy Hasan (Hebrew: רועי חסן) (born 9 April 1983, in Hadera, Israel) is an Israeli contemporary Hebrew poet. He is a principal member of the Ars poetica literary movement. In 2015 Hasan was awarded the 2015 Bernstein Prize.
Hasan gre ...
* 2015
Dorit Rabinyan
Dorit Rabinyan ( he, דורית רביניאן; born September 25, 1972) is an Israeli writer and screenwriter.
Biography
She was born in Kfar Saba, Israel, to an Iranian-Jewish family. She has published three novels, two of which have been wi ...
for the novel ''
Gader Hayah'' (English: ''All the Rivers'', originally titled ''Borderlife'')
References
External links
The Hebrew Writers Association in Israel website - Prizes (''in Hebrew)''
{{Literature in Israel
Israeli literary awards
Jewish literary awards
Hebrew literary awards
Israeli awards
Awards established in 1978
1978 establishments in Israel