MJBW 2026 Festival Passes

Welcome to Melbourne Jewish Book Week 2026!

Our theme of 'Connections' will shape 'Festival Sunday' on August 2, a day rich with interviews, panels and conversation – spanning untold family histories; genre fiction from satire to romance; standing up for truth in the post-truth era; Beth Din Book Club; trauma and finding the light, amongst other enticements!

Pass Options

• Opening Night Gala + Festival Sunday (Full Day Pass):
  From night to day - save on your Opening Night (Saturday August 2, 7.30pm) and Festival Sunday (Sunday August 2) tickets!

• 'Full Day Festival Sunday': full day pass for Sunday August 2 sessions
  Get 9 Sunday sessions for the price of 5. 
  

Important things to note:

• You will be asked to select your chosen session for each time slot at check out.

• Can't attend the full day? No worries! Individual ticket sales will be available from July 1st.

• Want to pre-order your lunch? Just pick 1 of our 3 lunchbox options at checkout or visit our 'Lunchbox' page.

• Planning on attending the much anticipated Opening Night Gala "If you don’t laugh…"? Purchase our bundle ticket option at checkout to save!

The Festival Sunday (August 2) schedule is as follows:
(Please see the MJBW website for more information on each session)

9.30 – 10.15 am

1. International Spotlight: Jewish Quarterly Global Conversation:
   Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib ('Hamas and Its Two Million Hostages') Live Zoom with Kylie Moore-Gilbert

10.30 – 11.15 am 

1. International Spotlight: Ayelet Tsabari in conversation with Lee Kofman

2. Remnants: When The Past Comes Home:
   Sophie Stern, Joseph Toltz, Michael Visontay – moderator Benjamin Preiss 

3. Beth Din Book Club: Talking Howard Jacobson’s Howl:
   Bram Presser and Tali Lavi on Howard Jacobson’s Howl

11.30 am – 12.15 pm

1. International Spotlight: Rachel Cockerell in conversation with Deborah Stone

2. Romancing the Novel:
   Ali Berg & Michelle Kalus, Charlotte Hayward, Alicia Leigh – moderator Jessica Bellamy
   

12.30 - 1.15 pm

1. Death, Grief and Finding the Light:
   Katia Ariel, Joanne Fedler, Andrea Goldsmith – moderator Magdalena Ball

2. DMG: Reborn: A New Work by Galit Klas:
   Galit Klas and Amy Hack: playreading and interactive session

3. Upstanders Not Bystanders:
   Erica Frydenberg, Lee Kofman, Kylie Moore-Gilbert, Michael Scott  – moderator Rachelle Unreich 

1.45 – 2.30 pm

1. International Spotlight: Yishay Ishi Ron in Conversation with Ben Lindner

2. Nazis in Australia: Fact, Fiction, Print and Screen:
   Danny Ben-Moshe, Mark Aarons, Dan Goldberg - moderator Simon Holloway 

2.45 – 3.30 pm

1. Intersections: Shared Histories, Different Stories:
   Ayalet Tsabari, Merav Fima, Sanjiva Wijesinha – moderator Marcelo Maghidman

2. In Search of Safe Haven: The Wandering Jew:
   Rachel Cockerell, Adam Van Heerden, David Marlow – moderator Michael Visontay

3. Telling the Untold: From War-Torn Europe to Post-War Australia:
   Raya Goldtwig, Jonathan Kanat, Joe Reich, Fiona Kelmann – moderator Daniel Haumschild

3.45 – 4.30 pm

1. Back From The Brink: The Impact of PTSD:
   Ishi Ron, Simon Feldman, Ilana Snyder, Alicia Leigh – participating moderator, Paul Valent

2. The Art of Satire: New Jewish Fiction:
   Steve Toltz, Billy Albert, Alan Fyfe – moderator Scott Whitmont

4.45- 5.30 pm

1. The Big Book Balagan: Books We Love:
   Bram Presser with Elise Hearst, Sarah Krasnostein, Dani Valent, Alice Zaslavsky 

2. The Human Touch: Creativity In The Age of AI 
   Alan Finkel and Nathan Hollier in conversation with John M Green 

5.45 pm

1. International Spotlight: Closing Conversation: Live Zoom - Jonathan Freedland with Tali Lavi

We look forward to seeing you all on Sunday, August 2!