In today’s publishing world, book sales matter enormously for a writer’s career. Book sales are, in part, how publishers determine print runs and publicity and marketing budgets. And it’s part of the calculus in deciding whether to acquire an author’s future work. By buying Jewish books, you’re sending the message that there is a market of readers eager for Jewish stories, and you’re helping to ensure that the next generation of Jewish writers will be published well and widely-read.
“Nu” is a classic Jewish expression that means "So?" "Well?" What's new?" or "Tell me already!" It's a question, nudge, an invitation to begin. At Nu Reads, it's all of the above. Because when it comes to Jewish books, we're always asking: Nu-what should I read next?
Every other month, Nu Reads brings a new book to your doorstep—and so much more. Each box features a signed work of Jewish literature, whether a novel, short story collection, or memoir, chosen to spark meaningful conversation. Tucked inside you’ll also find The Nu Edition, a companion with a personal letter from the author, interviews, and discussion prompts, plus a few surprises—like artist collaborations, bookmarks, or behind-the-scenes content—to make the experience even richer. And every selection comes with access to a live (and recorded) conversation with the author.
But Nu Reads isn’t just about what arrives in the mail. It’s about joining a community of readers who care about Jewish stories. Together, we’re discovering six thoughtfully chosen titles each year, connecting with authors, and sharing conversations that matter. Along the way, you’ll be invited to special events and gatherings—both virtual and in person—where you can meet fellow readers and celebrate the future of Jewish literature.
Nu Reads costs $180/year, which includes 6 carefully curated books (1 every other month) and free shipping. We are excited to offer a Founding Member Rate of $154/year, which is available through December 31, 2025. You can also increase your support of Jewish writers by investing in an Insider Nu Reads membership for $1,800 for special access to Jewish Book Council programs.
Six books a year leaves space for the rest of your reading life. It’s a pace that encourages deeper engagement—while spotlighting even more Jewish books through author recommendations and our independent bookstore partners. And we want to leave you time and space to read books and authors from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. We are proud to feature information about partner indie bookstores that we encourage you to support!
Nu Reads is a year-long subscription with a carefully curated selection of books—think of it not as buying a single book but as participating in a movement to support Jewish books. We can promise you great literary quality and plenty of variety. And you don’t have to love every book: read, discuss, and debate.
Nu Reads is a curated subscription series that will send you one newly published Jewish story every other month. It’s not a club but a community of readers who are dedicated to supporting and sharing great Jewish books.
That said, we hope you and your book club become members of Nu Reads and make our curated books part of your annual reading journey. Or, use the program as a great excuse to create a book club!
The Jewish Book Council team reads hundreds of books every year and will curate a captivating and varied selection. There is no set criteria for which books we select, but we are looking for the kind of books you want to press into a friend’s hand and say “read this!”Books are selected based on the book’s content. Personal views of the author do not necessarily represent the views of Jewish Book Council or its partners or funders.
Every Nu Reads selection will be a story by a Jewish author—a novel, short story collection, or memoir (and perhaps other genres down the line!). While books may explore Jewish traditions, history or identity, the selections are literary, not denominational. Some books might be written by authors you already love, and others might be authors who are new to you, but each selection will be engaging, resonant and thought-provoking.
So do we! We are hoping to expand to include other genres so sign up for updates to learn more about nu offerings.
Every other month, we will announce the upcoming selection by email to you and on social media. Soon after, your book will arrive in the mail, with everything you need to know about virtual conversations and other ways to connect to the Nu Reads community.
Probably not. It's rare to love every book you read. But most books have something that makes us think, or that teaches us something–even if that's just to clarify for yourself what you are looking for in a great read. If a selection doesn't work for you, join the conversation and share your reactions and listen to other readers' responses. And you can always gift the book to someone who you think will enjoy it. There's no better gift than a great Jewish book.
It’s a good question, with no clear answer. Is it a story that deals explicitly with Jewish identity, history and traditions? Is it a certain sensibility? Or maybe it’s a case of ‘you know it when you see it’? At Nu Reads, we aren’t using specific criteria to define what is or isn’t a Jewish story, but rather, we want to think about Jewish storytelling in a broad way, to allow for a range of stories. Some of our selections might be about characters steeped in Jewish tradition or history, while in other stories, Jewishness might be more incidental. And for each of our selections, we invite you to consider: What role does Jewishness play here? And what makes a book feel Jewish to you?
No problem. You can join the event whether you’ve read the book or not — it’s a space for listening, asking, and connecting to other readers. And all events are recorded and available on-demand through a secure, subscriber-only portal.
Absolutely! Nu Reads makes a great gift and is a perfect way to share your love of Jewish books with family and friends. Gift subscriptions include a personalized welcome message and are a great idea for holidays, birthdays, graduations, and other occasions. If you are ordering 10+ gift subscriptions, please contact us at nureads@jewishbooks.org for support with your order.
Yes! Nu Reads is a great tool for your book club. You can join as a group and use Nu Reads to inform your selections and use the accompanying materials to enhance your conversations. Be on the lookout for offers exclusively for book clubs.
We appreciate your ongoing commitment to Jewish books. A Nu Reads subscription is currently separate from general support and membership to Jewish Book Council. Your subscriptions and membership go a long way in supporting the Jewish literary ecosystem: authors, readers, publishers, community partners, and book clubs. Each way in which you support our efforts is invested back into the field!
Jewish Book Council is committed to reading and considering a wide range of books for Nu Reads. If you’re the author of a forthcoming published work of fiction or memoir that you think might be a good fit, feel free to get in touch at nureads@Jewishbooks.org. The best way to ensure that your book is on our radar is by submitting it for review at Jewish Book Council here.
Nu Reads is a year-long subscription with a carefully curated selection—think of it not as buying a single book but as participating in a movement to support Jewish books. We can promise you great literary quality and plenty of variety—and you’ll be reading alongside other Nu Reads members, so you will have an opportunity to connect with our community about each selection.
That said, we are hoping to roll out "choice" at points throughout the first year and beyond!
Not yet—but we hope to expand soon. Sign up for updates if you're outside the U.S.!
We know that many readers prefer e-books or audiobooks, and we are working on ways to make this part of Nu Reads. Sign up for updates to find out when this becomes available.
While our goal is that starting in 2026 our selections will be announced prior to the book's publication date and sent out the same week as they are published (exceptions: classics!), we know that sometimes you may have a copy of the book already.
Our advice:
Books make the best gifts! If you already have a copy of the book, we hope you'll gift the copy you receive from us to a friend and share the gift of literature.