Michael David Lukas Wins 2019 Sami Rohr Prize For Jewish Literature

Image by Thinkstock

By PJ Grisar May 1, 2019

On April 30 the Jewish Book Council named Michael David Lukas the winner of the 2019 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature, the largest prize in the world of Jewish letters.

Lukas is the author of the novel “The Last Watchman of Old Cairo” and a 2018 National Jewish Book Award winner. The book tells a sprawling, multi-generational story about magic, love and faith centered on an ancient synagogue in Cairo.

Winners of the Rohr Prize, awarded since 2007 to honor early career writers whose work explores Jewish themes, receive $100,000.

Finalists for the Prize include Dalia Rosenfeld, author of the short story collection “The World’s We Think We Know” who was named the Choice Award winner, and three Sam Rohr Prize Fellows, Rachel Kadish, Mark Sarvas and Margot Singer. Rosenfeld will receive $18,000 and the Fellows will each be awarded $5,000.

“The extraordinary work of each of these five emerging authors is a blessing to the Jewish world,” George Rohr, the businessman and philanthropist who, with his sisters, established the prize in honor of his father, Sami, said in a statement. “We are delighted to be a part of this well-earned recognition.”

“What an honor to be chosen for the prize, and to have my name listed alongside such an amazing group of writers,” Lukas said in a statement, “I am deeply grateful to the administrators of the Sami Rohr Prize, the Jewish Book Council and to the Rohr family.”

The awards will be conferred later in May during a private ceremony at the Moise Safra Center in New York, where the authors will participate in a panel moderated by Rabbi David Wolpe.

PJ Grisar is the Forward’s culture intern. He can be reached at [email protected].

PJ Grisar is a Forward culture reporter. He can be reached at [email protected] and @pjgrisar on Twitter.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO