Jewish And Hebrew Programme

Rüdiger Görner

In the Future of Yesterday: A| Life of Stefan Zweig
Bodleian: Convocation House 2:00pm Wed 2 Wednesday, 2 April 2025 See this event
Andrew Robinson introduced by Samuel Fanous

Einstein in Oxford
Weston Lecture Theatre 4:00pm Wed 2 Wednesday, 2 April 2025 See this event
Rachel Shabi talks to Matthew Stadlen

Off-White: The Truth about Antisemitism
Oxford Martin School: Lecture Theatre 4:00pm Wed 2 Wednesday, 2 April 2025 See this event
Motti Golani

Chaim Weizmann: A Biography
Oxford Martin School: Lecture Theatre 12:00pm Thu 3 Thursday, 3 April 2025 See this event
Anthony Julius

Abraham: The First Jew
Oxford Martin School: Seminar Room 6:00pm Thu 3 Thursday, 3 April 2025 See this event
César Merchan-Hamann introduced by Samuel Fanous

Jewish Languages and Book Culture
Weston Lecture Theatre 10:00am Fri 4 Friday, 4 April 2025 See this event
Juliet Carey and Abigail Green

Jewish Country Houses CANCELLED
Oxford Martin School: Lecture Theatre 2:00pm Fri 4 Friday, 4 April 2025 See this event
Carlo Greppi talks to Lucian Hudson

A Man of Few Words: The Bricklayer of Auschwitz who Saved Primo Levi
Oxford Martin School: Seminar Room 4:00pm Sat 5 Saturday, 5 April 2025 See this event

Festival information:

The Oxford Literary Festival is intellectual Viagra.

I loved the whole atmosphere of the Oxford Literary Festival. From breakfast, alongside some of the attendees, who were talking books with each other a mile a minute, to the public event at The Sheldonian where everyone was lively and engaged – I felt I had arrived in a kind of literary heaven.

Every literary festival stays in an author’s mind for slightly individual reasons. I shall remember the Oxford festival for: - the size of the audience: at the top end of the range - their intelligence – this makes a huge difference for a speaker. In the Oxford audience I encountered many experts in the field my book covered and even one of the ambassadors I’d quoted - the beauty and the grace of the place itself – incomparable - the willingness of my hearers to buy books afterwards; I’ve never sold more.

A stimulating and rewarding on-stage conversation; a lively informed and tolerant audience; privileged access to the great treasures of the Bodleian, and finally, wonderfully interesting dinner companions to help me conclude the best day I have enjoyed at any festival – anywhere.

It was a privilege for me to visit the festival to receive the Bodley Medal. As an incidental blessing I saw Oxford at its most mysterious and atmospheric. It was a day of piercing cold and as I walked through the twilight from the Sheldonian to Christ Church, the streets were empty and the whole city was shutting itself away. Christ Church was silent except for the footfall of unseen persons around corners and the sounds of evensong creeping from behind closed doors. For the first time I understood thoroughly the power of college ghost stories.

I came away buzzing and reassured that we still have in this century a wide ranging community fascinated not just by famous authors (I’ve rarely seen so many concentrated in one place) but by challenging ideas and questions.

The night in Oxford was the most beautiful event I have ever done. Not just the spectacular setting (of the Sheldonian), but an unforgettable evening.

The Oxford Literary Festival has in my mind become the leading literary festival of the year. The organisation, the roster of speakers, the ambience and the sheer quality of it all is superb. May it now go from strength to strength each year stretching its ambition more and more. I believe it will.