Mifal HaPais announced on Sunday the contenders for the 2024 Sapir Prize for Literature.
The nominees were selected by the prize’s jury, chaired by retired Supreme Court president Justice Esther Hayut.
Named after Pinchas Sapir, the Sapir Prize was established in 2000 and is Israel’s most prestigious and generous literary award. Now in its 24th year, the prize is awarded annually by Mifal HaPais.
Last year’s winner was Ofra Offer Oren for her book What Happened to Hagar in Eilat, published by Kinneret Zmora-Bitan Dvir.
The prize was created to encourage excellence in Hebrew literature and foster a culture of reading in Israel, reflecting Mifal HaPais’s commitment to promoting Israeli literature and nurturing local authors.
Celebrating Israeli literature
The winner of the 2024 Sapir Prize will be announced during a ceremony scheduled for January, which will be broadcast on Channel 12. This year, prizes totaling NIS 765,000 will be distributed across various categories.
The 2024 list features 12 nominees, including works by Lea Aini, Yaniv Iczkovits, Ruhama Albag, Avi Garfinkel, Naama Dei, Nitzan Wiseman, Avner Wishnitzer, Dana Hafetz, Yossi Avni-Levy, Natalie Messika, Eshkol Nevo, and Yocheved Shalhav.
From this longlist, five authors will advance to the shortlist for published writers, while three debut novelists will be selected for the debut novel track shortlist.
Each of the 12 authors will receive a grant of NIS 30,000. The five shortlisted authors will be awarded NIS 60,000 each, while the three debut novel candidates will receive NIS 30,000 each. The winner of the debut novel track will be awarded NIS 75,000.
The grand prize winner of the 2024 Sapir Prize will receive NIS 180,000, and their book will be translated into Arabic and another foreign language of their choice.
Additionally, Mifal HaPais will purchase 500 copies of each shortlisted book and debut novel finalist’s work to donate to public libraries across Israel.
Avigdor Yitzhaki, chairman of Mifal HaPais, remarked following the announcement:
“The Sapir Prize honors Hebrew literature as a cornerstone of Israeli culture and recognizes the vital role of Israeli writers in society. Mifal HaPais remains committed to advancing culture in Israel and celebrating the significant contributions of Israeli authors.”