From 10 days to all year: St. Louis Jewish Book Festival goes season-long

Ellen Futterman, Editor-in-Chief

Published August 19, 2025

The St. Louis Jewish Book Festival is changing the way it tells stories.

Now in its 47th year, the Festival will no longer be confined to its traditional 10-day run. Instead, it is pivoting to a year-round format, offering audiences more chances to connect with Jewish authors, thinkers and storytellers from around the world.

The 2025–26 season kicks off in October with freed Israeli hostage Eli Sharabi, who will share his story of survival and resilience. Programming will continue through February, highlighted by the Festival’s signature week of events, scheduled for Nov. 2–9.

“The St. Louis Jewish Book Festival has long been one of our Jewish community’s most cherished cultural traditions. Expanding into a full season of events of authors and speakers, will enable us to bring more high-profile authors and speakers to St. Louis throughout the year,” said Rabbi Brad Horwitz, chief Jewish engagement officer at the Jewish Community Center, which oversees the Festival. “Audiences can look forward to not only the outstanding lineup they’ve come to love in November, but also a vibrant season of programs to expand their minds, enrich their souls, connect with the community and learn about interesting topics and people”

Organizers say the shift reflects a growing appetite for conversations that celebrate Jewish voices and experiences beyond a single burst of fall programming.

Among the highlights of this season so far are four headlining events:

Oct. 9 – Eli Sharabi
Former hostage Eli Sharabi will share a powerful and deeply personal address on resilience, grief and hope. Held by Hamas for 491 days, Sharabi has emerged as a global symbol of strength and resolve. He will share insights from his harrowing experience and introduce his new book, “Hostage.”
Nov. 8 – Joshua Malina
Actor and podcaster Joshua Malina, beloved for his roles in “The West Wing” and “Scandal,” will host an evening of candid conversation and sharp wit. A passionate advocate for Jewish representation in the entertainment industry, Malina brings his trademark humor and insight to St. Louis for an unforgettable night.
Nov. 17 – Hunter Prosper
Viral storyteller and nurse Hunter Prosper, known for his heart-touching TikTok series “Stories from a Stranger,” presents his debut book “Stories from a Stranger: Every Person has a Story,” a collection of intimate, human-centered narratives drawn from his social media interviews and beyond.
Dec. 6 – Nate Berkus
Acclaimed interior designer and television personality Nate Berkus will share stories from his design career and personal journey, along with insights from his newest work, “Foundations,” focused on his personal tenets for creating a thoughtful and meaningful home.

This year, the Book Festival is partnering with the Missouri Botanical Garden and the St. Louis Art Museum, adding new venues and opportunities for programming across the city. These collaborations build on its ongoing work with the St. Louis County Library – Clark Family Branch, helping the Festival to reach more people throughout the region and connect with the community in new ways.

Those who want the full St. Louis Jewish Book Festival experience can purchase All-Access Passes, which provide entrance to more than 25 author programs year-round. This year, JBF is introducing a new 40 and Under Pass, which will give the same features, but at a discounted rate of $75 dollars for those 40 years of age and under. All-Access Passes are on sale and can be purchased at jccstl.com/jbf-tickets.

A complete schedule of events and individual ticket information will be announced in early September. Most events will take place at the Jewish Community Center in Creve Coeur, with select programs hosted at partner venues throughout the city.

For media inquiries, event details, or to request interviews with participating authors, please contact Jessica Fischoff at [email protected].

About the Contributor

Ellen Futterman, Editor-in-Chief

A native of Westbury, New York, Ellen Futterman broke into the world of big city journalism as a general assignment reporter for the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner in the latter part of the 20th century. Deciding that Tinsel Town was not exciting enough for her, she moved on to that hub of glamour and sophistication, Belleville, Ill., where she became a feature writer, columnist and food editor for the Belleville News-Democrat. A year later the St. Louis Post-Dispatch scooped her up, neither guessing at the full range of her talents, nor the extent of her shoe collection. She went on to work at the Post-Dispatch for 25 years, during which time she covered hard news, education, features, investigative projects, profiles, sports, entertainment, fashion, interiors, business, travel and movies. She won numerous major local and national awards for her reporting on “Women Who Kill” and on a four-part series about teen-age pregnancy, ‘Children Having Children.'” Among her many jobs at the newspaper, Ellen was a columnist for three years, Arts and Entertainment Editor, Critic-at-large and Daily Features (Everyday) Editor. She invented two sections from scratch, one of which recently morphed from Get Out, begun in 1995, to GO. In January of 2009, Ellen joined the St. Louis Jewish Light as its editor, where she is responsible for overseeing editorial operations, including managing both staff members and freelancers. Under her tutelage, the Light has won 16 Rockower Awards — considered the Jewish Pulitzer’s — including two personally for Excellence in Commentary for her weekly News & Schmooze column. She also is the communications content editor for the Arts and Education Council of St. Louis. Ellen and her husband, Jeff Burkett, a middle school principal, live in Olivette and have three children. Ellen can be reached at 314-743-3669 or at [email protected].