Writing on the Wall is a global platform founded by Professor William Kolbrener and Ronit Eitan in the aftermath of the traumatic events of October 7th.
Bill, religious American from Jerusalem and Ronit, secular Israeli from Tel Aviv disagree on most everything, except that fighting antisemitism starts with joining our different voices together through poetry and art. Our diversity is our strength – give voice to the complexity and layered reality of Israel today.
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Writing on the Wall is a registered 501-3c charity – EIN 93-4852107
William Kolbrener
Professor of English Literature at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, Bill has written books on John Milton, Mary Astell, and Joseph Soloveitchik. Bill has put academic research aside because he believes in the power of writing and art to transform the Jewish People.
Ronit Eitan
Ronit is an Israeli novelist, lives in Tel Aviv, and has a Masters in Creative Writing from Bar-Ilan University.
THE CRISIS
- Trauma of October 7th
- Global Antisemitism Surges
- No Safe Spaces for Jews
- Intergenerational Scars Re-Opened
OUR SOLUTION
- Empowering Our Voices: Listening to the Voices of Others, We Find our Own
- Building Strength through Diversity: All are Welcome!
- Fighting Antisemitism Together: Resilience through Creativity and Community
OUR INITIATIVES
- Connecting our Global Community through Poetry and and Art
- Creative Submissions
- Workshops and Masterclassess
- Events and Community Building
- Podcast Series
- ‘Writing Israel’ – Summer Creative Retreat
News
"Not since the Nazis has the vilification of Jews been affirmed with such moral authority. We Israelis will keep writing."
In a powerful op-ed for The Times of Israel, Prof. William Kolbrener, Executive Director of Writing on the Wall, addresses the recent literary boycott of Israeli authors, led by figures like novelist Sally Rooney. Kolbrener critiques the boycott as a stark act of antisemitism, echoing historic attempts to silence Jewish voices, and emphasizes the steadfast resolve of Israeli writers to keep sharing their stories amidst rising hostility. Read the full piece here.
We are honored to be featured in StandWithUs’s Holocaust Education Center 2024 Fall program, titled Jewish Resilience and Creativity After October 7. As part of their Express Yourself initiative, they highlight our work empowering people to channel emotions through art and writing. Excited for this partnership!
📢 Check out our latest newsletter - Writing into the New Year! From reflections on resilience and sorrow during Rosh Hashanah to powerful new episodes of Israeli Bytes, we dive deep into what it means to live in today's Israel. Plus, exciting partnerships, projects, and upcoming events! ✨ 👉 Read it here
🎙️ It's here! Our podcast - 'Israeli Bytes' is Live! Our conversations on 'Israeli Bytes' explore the nuance and complexity of Israel today through art and poetry. Tune in now!
We are not the only ones excited about our Miklat Project - check out Michael Rapaport on our own Mendel Horowitz's Helter Shelter!
Professor William Kolbrener talks about rediscovering poetry in 'Restoring Our Poetry, Our Infinite Book'
In Israel, the 'miklat' provides a safe space - protecting us from incoming threats. Outside of Israel, we search for news spaces as the old ones are no longer available. Our miklats are both solitary and shared, literal or metaphorical. Write about your miklat, your shelter, your safe space. Send you submission of 500 words to [email protected]
Professor William Kolbrener writes about his 'miklat' - shelter - in Gimme Shelter
Lahav Harkov, Senior Political correspondent for Jewish Insider came to one of our Writing on the Wall workshops, and wrote this!
