The Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature has revealed the winner of its 2026 award.
Amir Tibon won the prize, given annually to “an emerging writer who demonstrates the potential for continued contribution to the world of Jewish literature,” for his book The Gates of Gaza: A Story of Betrayal, Survival, and Hope in Israel's Borderlands.
Tibon’s book, published in 2024 by Little, Brown, tells the story of his family’s experiences during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel by Hamas. Tibon and his wife and two daughters were living in the community of Kibbutz Nahal Oz when they heard the sounds of mortar rounds and gunfire; Tibon’s parents sped to them from Tel Aviv, determined to save them. In a starred review, a critic for Kirkus praised the book as “an Israeli journalist’s gripping narrative of the horrifying 2023 attacks on his community and country.”
Debra Goldberg, director of the prize, said in a statement, “As we mark the twentieth anniversary of the Sami Rohr Prize, we are proud that a book like The Gates of Gaza stands at the center of this milestone. There are books that bear witness from a distance, and there are those like this one—written by someone who lived the story himself.”
Tibon reacted to winning the award, saying, “It is an incredible honor to receive the Sami Rohr Prize and join the esteemed list of writers who have won this award over the past two decades. The mission of the Rohr Prize has never been more important, as we confront a rising tide of antisemitism around the globe and its unique ripples within the world of books and literature.”
The Sami Rohr Prize, which comes with a cash award of $100,000, was established in 2007 and alternates annually between fiction and nonfiction. The prize was named after the real estate developer and philanthropist who died in 2012. Previous winners include Sana Krasikov for One More Year, Ilana Kurshan for If All the Seas Were Ink, and Sasha Vasilyuk for Your Presence Is Mandatory.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
