Lane Dworkin Rochester Jewish Book Festival
October 24–November 18
Welcome to Your Fest, Your Way!
Links for virtual events will be sent via e-mail with your order confirmation, and again one hour before event time.
Recordings of virtual events will be sent to all ticket holders 24 hours after the event.
In-person event tickets will be sent via e-mail or can be picked up at the box office when you arrive.
Seating is general admission at the JCC Hart Theater.
Proof of Covid-19 vaccination will be required upon entry. Masks required.
If you’re not comfortable attending events in person, recordings of in-person events will be available for purchase and sent to you 24 hours after the event.
Choose the “Recording” option when ordering tickets.
2021 Festival Schedule
You can view this year’s schedule a few different ways!
A VERY SPECIAL EVENT
Sunday, October 24, 7:30pm
In-Person at the JCC Hart Theater!
MARK OPPENHEIMER
Squirrel Hill:
The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood
Generously underwritten by 
Visit our bookstore partner at ampersandbooks.org at any time for festival books and a curated selection of Jewish titles.
Featured author books will be for sale at in-person events.
Join us for this six-part monthly Bestselling Author Series featuring some of the most talked-about fiction of 2021. These six bestselling authors will Zoom into Rochester to talk about their books and answer your questions. Great for book clubs!
Save more and buy a Series Pass for $40. (Individual events are $10 each.)
See the Carl Lasky Audience Favorite Award winners from the 2021 Ames Amzalak Rochester Jewish Film Festival:
Aulcie – Best Documentary
My Name Is Sara – Best Narrative
Available Monday, November 8, 11am through Wednesday, November 10, 11am
Support the Festival
Thank you to our generous supporters for allowing us to continue bringing quality Jewish literature to the Rochester community.
About the Festival
The JCC Lane Dworkin Rochester Jewish Book Festival exists to create a showcase for Jewish authors and/or books of Jewish content. In so doing, the festival promotes awareness, appreciation, and pride in the diversity of the Jewish people; strengthens community consciousness of Jewish identity, history, and culture; and provides a community forum to stimulate dynamic and provocative dialogue.
WITH FOND MEMORIES OF SHELDON A. LANE
The JCC Lane Dworkin Rochester Jewish Book Festival is presented in memory of Sheldon A. Lane. His vision for the Jewish Book Festival continues through the support of his loving family.
JEWISH BOOK COUNCIL
The Jewish Book Council is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1943 to promote the publishing, writing and reading of books of Jewish interest. Visit jewishbookcouncil.org for more information.
BOOKSELLER
Special thanks to our bookseller, Ampersand Books! Visit them at ampersandbooks.org
FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
Andrea Miller
FESTIVAL CO-CHAIRS
Stacey Freed
Steven Levitsky
FESTIVAL COMMITTEE
Barbara Appelbaum
Maxine Bittker
Judy Blaustein*
Ellen Comisar*
David Dworkin*
Wendy Lane Dworkin*
Beth Hornak
Emma Hornak
Caroline Korn
Sharon Kovalsky*
Sarah Krieger
Jacqui Lipschitz
Ruth Sternberg
*Past Chair
Past festival brochures coming soon!