New Hebrew press in Berlin seeks to build literary home outside of Israel

A new Hebrew-language publishing house, Altneuland, has been established in Berlin, marking the first such press outside Israel since the Jewish state’s founding. Founded by Dory Manor and Moshe Sakal, Altneuland aims to create a literary home for Hebrew and Jewish authors beyond Israel’s borders, embracing Israeli writers and readers while deliberately rejecting government funding. The press also publishes works in German, French, Russian, and Yiddish, and plans to launch in the United States with original English-language titles and translations of Hebrew novels. Altneuland’s founders emphasize that Hebrew is a global language with deep European roots predating the establishment of Israel. Their mission extends beyond Hebrew literature to include Jewish voices worldwide, reflecting a broader cultural and linguistic diversity. The press has published notable works such as “The Future is Peace,” a New York Times bestseller featuring narratives from both Israeli and Palestinian perspectives, including stories of loss and activism linked to recent conflicts. Despite the fraught political climate and widespread calls for boycotts of Israeli institutions, Altneuland maintains that it is not part of any boycott movement, continuing to collaborate with Israeli authors and distribute books in Israeli bookstores. The decision to base the publishing house in Berlin was partly motivated by a desire to remain independent from Israeli government funding, which is largely distributed through cultural awards and prizes. Recent political developments in Israel have seen the cancellation of several state-sponsored cultural prizes amid accusations of political bias, notably by Culture Minister Miki Zohar. These changes have sparked controversy within Israel’s literary community, further motivating Altneuland’s founders to seek an alternative model that supports Hebrew and Jewish literature without government interference. Altneuland’s emergence highlights a shifting landscape in Hebrew literary culture, suggesting that Israel need not be the sole center for Hebrew and Jewish literary production. By fostering a transnational literary community, the press aims to broaden the reach and recognition of Hebrew literature while navigating the complex intersection of culture, politics, and identity in the contemporary Jewish world.