The Helen and Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book Awards were a Canadian program of literary awards, managed, produced and presented annually by the Koffler Centre of the Arts to works judged to be the year's best works of literature by Jewish Canadian writers or on Jewish cultural and historical topics."Jewish Book Awards will honour 9 authors". Canadian Jewish News, May 23, 2012.
History In December 2014, The Koffler Centre of the Arts announced that the Awards were being "put on hiatus for 2015 and will resume, invigorated and reinvented, in 2016" as the Koffler recalibrates and revamps several of its current programs." ", Koffler Centre of the Arts announces its Winter/Spring 2015 programs in visual arts, literary and live performance, Press Release, 17 Dec 2014. In its place, a group of jury members formed the Canadian Jewish Literary Awards for 2015.
In February 2016, after a one-year hiatus, the Koffler Centre of the Arts relaunched the awards as the Vine Awards for Canadian Jewish Literature.
Categories and prize The new awards have five categories, each with a $10,000 prize.
Fiction Non-Fiction History Young Adult/Children's Literature Poetry (awarded every three years)
List of winners of the Canadian Jewish Book Awards (1989 - 2014)
1989 Jewish Book Committee Award: Szloma Renglich, When Paupers Dance Joseph Tannenbaum Award: Michael R. Marrus, The Holocaust in History
1990 Yiddish Literature: Simcha Simkhovitch, Tzaar un Treist Excellence in Scholarship on a Canadian Jewish Subject: Michael Greenstein, Third Solitudes: Tradition and Discontinuity in Jewish Canadian Literature Creative Writing: J. J. Steinfeld, Forms of Captivity and Escape Joseph Tanenbaum Holocaust Book Award: Harold Troper and Morton Weinfeld, Old Wounds: Jews, Ukrainians and the Hunt for Nazi War Criminals in Canada
1991 Penina Rubinoff Memorial Award for Rabbinic Scholarship: Martin Lockshin, Rabbi Samuel Ben Meir's Commentary on Genesis Non-fiction: Miriam Waddington, Apartment Seven: Essays Selected and New Poetry: Kenneth Sherman, Jackson's Point Joseph Tanenbaum Holocaust Book Award: Ibolya Grossman, An Ordinary Woman in Extraordinary Times
1992 Penina Rubinoff Memorial Award for Biblical and Rabbinic Scholarship: Rabbi Gedalia Felder, Yasodei Yeshurun: A Collection of Comments and Notes on Masechet Avat Book Committee Award for Yiddish: Peretz Miransky, A Zemer Fun Demer The Book Committee Award for Creative Writing (Fiction): Morley Torgov, Saint Farb's Day The Izzy and Betty Kirshenbaum Foundation Award for Poetry: Simcha Simkhovitch, Selected Poems Joseph Tanenbaum Holocaust Book Award: Karolina and , Our Journey in the Valley of Tears Literary Criticism: Rachel Feldhay Brenner, A.M.Klein: The Father of Canadian Jewish Literature
1993 Penina Rubinoff Memorial Award for Biblical and Rabbinic Scholarship: Rabbi J. Schochet, Mashiach: The Principle of Mashiach and the Messianic in Jewish Law and Tradition Izzy and Betty Kirshenbaum Award for Yiddish: Sam Simchovitz, Stepchild on the Vistula Jewish Book Committee Award for Creative Writing: Shel Krakofsky, The Reversible Coat Jewish Book Committee Award for Autobiography / Memoir: Eta Fuchs Berk and Gilbert Allardyce, Chosen: A Holocaust Memoir Jewish Book Committee Award for Historical Scholarship: Alan Davies, Anti-Semitism in Canada Drs Andrzej and Jus Holocaust Literature Award: David Smuschkowitz, Peter Silverman, Peter Smuszkowicz From Victims to Victors History Award: Michael R. Marrus, Mr. Sam: The Life and Times of Samuel Bronfman
1994 Penina Rubinoff Memorial Award for Biblical and Rabbinic Scholarship: Rabbi Chaim Nussbaum, Semblance and Reality Canadian Society for Yad Vashem Award for Scholarship on a Canadian Jewish Subject: Esther Delisle, The Traitor and the Jew Nachman Sokol Memorial Award for Canadian Jewish History: Gerald Tulchinsky, Taking Root Henry Fuerstenberg Memorial Award for Creative Writing in Poetry: Seymour Mayne, Killing Time Jewish Book Committee Award for Creative Writing in Fiction: Abraham Boyarsky, The Number Hall Jewish Book Committee Award for Creative Writing in Fiction: Szloma Renglich, In the Heart of Warsaw Jewish Book Committee Award for Journal / Memoir: Eli Rubenstein, For You Who Died I Must Live On...Reflections on the March of the Living Joseph and Faye Tannenbaum Memorial Award for Cultural History: Ivan Kalmar, The Trotskys, Freuds and Woody Allens Drs Andrzej and Jus Holocaust Literature Award: Ariella B. Samson, A Letter from My Father
1995 Penina Rubinoff Memorial Award for Torah Scholarship: Rabbi Aaron Levine, To Comfort the Bereaved Canadian Society for Yad Vashem Award for Scholarship on a Canadian Jewish Subject: Andre Stein, Hidden Children; Forgotten Survivors of the Holocaust Izzy and Betty Kirshenbaum Foundation Award for Original Translation from Yiddish: Sam Simchovitz, Stepchild on the Vistula Izzy and Betty Kirshenbaum Foundation Award for Yiddish: Grunia Slutsky-Khon, Don't Look So Sad in the Window Henry Fuerstenberg Memorial Award for Creative Writing in Poetry: Peter Ormshaw, The Purity of Arms Rachel Bessin Memorial Award for Writing for Young People: Lillian Boraks-Nemetz, The Old Brown Suitcase Jewish Book Committee Award for Fiction: Cary Fagan, The Animal's Waltz Joseph and Faye Tannenbaum Memorial Award for Holocaust Literature: Jack Kuper, After the Smoke Cleared
1996 Betty and Morris Aaron Prize for Biography or Memoir: Eva Brewster, Progeny of Light/Vanished in Darkness Joseph and Fay Tannenbaum Award for Canadian Jewish History: Sheldon J. Godfrey and Judith C. Godfrey, Search Out the Land: The Jews and the Growth of Equality in British Colonial America 1740-1867 Koffler Centre of the Arts President's Award for Jewish History: Erna Paris, The End of Days: A Story of Tolerance, Tyranny and the Expulsion of the Jew from Spain Penina Rubinoff Memorial Award for Biblical Scholarship: Shoshana P. Zolty, And All Your Children Shall Be Learned Harry and Florence Topper/ Milton Shier Prize for Original Translation from Yiddish: Frieda Forman, Ethel Raicus, Sarah Silverstein Swartz, Margie Wolfe, Found Treasures- Stories by Yiddish Women Writers Henry Fuerstenberg Memorial Award for Creative Writing in Poetry: Shel Krakofsky, Blind Messiah Louis Lockshin Memorial Award for Children's Literature: Gary Clement, Just Stay Put Rachel Bessin Memorial Award for Writing for Young People: Walter Buchignani, Tell No One Who You Are Bessie and Harry Frisch Memorial Award for Jewish Fiction: Agnes Jelhof Jensen, Dilemma Canadian Society for Yad Vashem Award for Holocaust Literature: Eric Koch, Hilmar and Odette
1997 Joseph and Fay Tannenbaum Award for Canadian Jewish History: Yves Lavertu, The Bernonville Affair Joseph and Fay Tannenbaum Award for Canadian Jewish History: Fraidie Martz, Open Your Hearts Canadian Society for Yad Vashem Award in Holocaust History: Dr/ Felicia Carmelly, Shattered: 50 Years of Silence Penina Rubinoff Memorial Award for Biblical Scholarship: Rabbi Steven Saltzman, A Small Glimmer of Light: Reflections on the Book of Genesis Harry and Florence Topper/ Milton Shier Prize for Original Translation from Yiddish: Simcha Simchovitch, A Song Will Remain Betty and Morris Aaron Prize for Scholarship on a Canadian Subject: Mervin Butovsky and Ira Robinson, Renewing Our Days Henry Fuerstenberg Award for Poetry: Roger Nash, In the Kosher Chow Mein Restaurant Louis Lockshin Memorial Award for Creative Writing in Poetry: Seymour Mayne and B. Glen Rotchin, Jerusalem Rachel Bessin/Isaac Frischwasser Memorial Award for Young Adult Fiction: Carol Matas, After the War Martin and Beatrice Fischer Prize for Fiction: Anne Michaels, Fugitive Pieces Koffler Centre of the Arts President's Award for Holocaust Literature: Manny Drukier, Carved in Stone
1998 Joseph and Fay Tannenbaum Award for Canadian Jewish History: Alan Davies and Marilyn Nefsky, How Silent Were the Churches Canadian Society for Yad Vashem Award in Holocaust History: Isabel Vincent, Hitler's Silent Partners Morris Winemaker Prize in Literary Criticism: Norman Ravvin, A House of Words Penina Rubinoff Memorial Award for Biblical Scholarship: Martin Lockshin, Rashbaums's Commentary on Exodus The Jewish Book Awards Committee Prize for Memoir/Biography: Rosalie Sharp, Irving Abella, Edwin Goodman, Growing Up Jewish Izzy and Betty Kirshenbaum Foundation Prize for Yiddish: Simcha Simchovitch, Funken in Zhar (Sparks in Embers) Betty and Morris Aaron Prize for Scholarship on a Canadian Subject: Elizabeth Greene, We Who Can Fly Henry Fuerstenberg Award for Poetry: Carol Rose, Behind The Blue Gate Rachel Bessin/Isaac Frischwasser Memorial Award for Young Adult Fiction: Carol Matas, The Garden Martin and Beatrice Fischer Award for Holocaust Literature: Régine Robin, The Wanderer Dorothy Schoichet President's Award for Holocaust Literature: Roma Karsh, Endless Elie Wiesel Prize in Holocaust Memoir: Elaine Kalman Naves, Journey to Vaja Elie Wiesel Prize in Holocaust Memoir: Vera Schiff, Theresienstadt
1999 Sam Bojman Memorial Prize in Jewish History: Noah N. Shneidman, Jerusalem of Lithuania: The Rise and Fall of Jewish Vilnius, a Personal Perspective Canadian Society for Yad Vashem Award in Holocaust History: Allan Levine, Fugitives of the Forest Louis L Lockshin Prize for Short Fiction: Nora Gold, Marrow and Other Stories Morris Winemaker Prize in Literary Criticism: Kenneth Sherman, Void and Voice: Essays on Literary and Historical Currents Dorothy Shiochet President's Award for Biblical and Rabbinic Scholarship: Rabbi Elyse Goldstein, ReVisions: Seeing Torah Through a Feminist Lens Henry Fuerstenberg Award for Poetry: Robin McGrath, Escaped Domestics Isaac Frischwasser Memorial Award for Young Adult Fiction: Irene Watts, Goodbye Marianne Martin and Beatrice Fischer Award in Fiction: Lilian Nattel, The River Midnight Betty and Morris Aaron Prize for Holocaust Memoir: Elizabeth M. Raab, And Peace Never Came
2000 Louis L Lockshin Memorial Prize: Sarah Silberstein Swartz and Margie Wolfe, From Memory to Transformation: Jewish Women's Voices The Joseph and Faye Tanenbaum Award for Canadian Jewish History: Bruce Muirhead, Against The Odds: The Public Life and Times of Louis Rasminsky Isaac Frischwasser Prize for Holocaust Memoir: Arthur Schaller, 100 Cigarettes and a Bottle of Vodka Dorothy Shoichet President's Prize for Feminist Jewish Literature: Adele Reinhartz, Why Ask My Name? Anonymity and Identity in Biblical Narrative Penina Rubinoff Memorial Prize in Biblical/Rabbinic Scholarship: Shlomo Zalman Elazer Grafstein, Judaism's Bible: A New and Expanded Translation Izzy and Betty Kirshenbaum Foundation Prize for Yiddish translation: Simcha Simchovitch, The Remnant Henry Fuerstenberg and Betty and Morris Aaron Prize for Poetry: Seymour Mayne and B. Glen Rotchin, A Rich Garland Henry Fuerstenberg and Betty and Morris Aaron Prize for Poetry: Malca Janice Litovitz, To Light, To Water Fanny Lidsky Memorial Prize for Young Adult Fiction: Kathy Kacer, Gabi's Dresser Martin and Beatrice Fischer Award in Fiction: Nancy Huston, The Mark of the Angel Abraham and Fay Bergel Prize for Holocaust history: Naomi Kramer and Ronald Headland, The Fallacy of Race and the Shoah
2001 Dorothy Shoichet Chairperson's Award for Jewish History: Erna Paris, Long Shadows: Truth Lies and History Louis L Lockshin Memorial Prize: Matt Cohen, Typing: A Life in 26 Keys Canadian Jewish Book Awards Committee Prize: Al Waxman, That's What I Am The Joseph and Faye Tanenbaum Award for Canadian Jewish History: Frank Bialystok, Delayed Impact: The Holocaust and the Canadian Jewish Community Martin and Beatrice Fischer First Novel Award: Michael Kaufman, The Possibility of Dreaming on a Night Without Stars Penina Rubinoff Memorial Prize in Biblical Scholarship: Barry Dov Walfish, Apples of Gold in Settings of Silver