The Center for Jewish History is thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2024 JewCE Awards, recognizing the exceptional contributions by artists, writers, and creators who have enriched Jewish storytelling through the vibrant medium of comics. The awards ceremony will take place at 6:30 PM, on November 10, 2024, following the conclusion of the Jewish Comics Experience convention. This year’s JewCE Awards highlight a diverse range of creators, themes, and genres, celebrating Jewish stories and voices in the world of comics.
The nominees span a wide array of categories, from “All Ages” selections to powerful works in “Combatting Prejudice,” “Historical Narrative,” and “Jewish Tradition and Folklore.” The award categories underscore the commitment of the Jewish Comics Experience to foster inclusive, impactful storytelling within the Jewish community and beyond.
“JewCE is a celebration of creativity, courage, and connection within the Jewish comics community,” said Roy Schwartz, Chair of the JewCE Awards. “This year’s finalists showcase a diversity of stories and voices that both challenge and inspire us, shedding light on Jewish identity, history, and resilience in ways that are as entertaining as they are profound. We’re thrilled to honor these incredible creators and their contributions to the world of comics.”
This year’s categories and finalists include:
ALL AGES
- Joyful Song by Leslea Newman
- The Effects of Pickled Herring by Alex Schumacher
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Alex Schumacher – The Effects of Pickled Herring
- Aomar Boum and Nadjib Berber – Undesirables
- Barbara “Willy” Mendes – Queen of Cosmos Comix
- Chari Pere – Miscarried: An “Unspoken” Cartoonmentary
- Josh Tuininga – We Are Not Strangers
- Leslea Newman – Joyful Song
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL CONTENT
- Gaytheist: Coming Out of My Orthodox Childhood by Lonnie Mann, Ryan Gatts
- I Run to Make My Heart Beat by Rachel Khan, Aude Massot
- Miscarried: An “Unspoken” Cartoonmentary by Chari Pere
- The Effects of Pickled Herring by Alex Schumacher
- We Survived the Holocaust: The Bluma and Felix Goldberg Story by Frank W. Baker, Tim E. Ogline
COMBATTING PREJUDICE
- I Run to Make My Heart Beat by Rachel Khan, Aude Massot
- Undesirables by Aomar Boum and Nadjib Berber
- We Are Not Strangers by Josh Tuininga
CONTEMPORARY TOPIC
- Gaytheist: Coming Out of My Orthodox Childhood by Lonnie Mann, Ryan Gatts
- I Run to Make My Heart Beat by Rachel Khan, Aude Massot
DIVERSE REPRESENTATION
- Gaytheist: Coming Out of My Orthodox Childhood by Lonnie Mann, Ryan Gatts
- I Run to Make My Heart Beat by Rachel Khan, Aude Massot
- Joyful Song by Leslea Newman
- Nice Jewish Boys by Neil Kleid, John Broglia
- We Are Not Strangers by Josh Tuininga
FICTIONAL NARRATIVE
- American Dreams by Daniel Kalban
- Ben Mortara and the Thieves of Golden Table #1 by Arnon Z. Shorr
- Edenfrost by Amit Tishler
- Kosher Mafia by David Hazan, Sami Kivela
- Nice Jewish Boys by Neil Kleid, John Broglia
- The Writer by Josh Gad, Benjamin Berkowitz, Max Berkowitz
HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
- Brother’s Keeper by Arnon Z. Shorr, Joshua M. Edelglass
- Edenfrost by Amit Tishler
- Undesirables by Aomar Boum and Nadjib Berber
- We Are Not Strangers by Josh Tuininga
- We Survived the Holocaust: The Bluma and Felix Goldberg Story by Frank W. Baker, Tim E. Ogline
JEWISH TRADITION AND FOLKLORE
- Ben Mortara and the Thieves of Golden Table #1 by Arnon Z. Shorr
- Edenfrost by Amit Tishler
- Joyful Song by Leslea Newman
- Nice Jewish Boys by Neil Kleid, John Broglia
- Queen of Cosmos Comix by Barbara “Willy” Mendes
- The Writer by Josh Gad, Benjamin Berkowitz, Max Berkowitz
WRITER OF THE YEAR
- Alex Schumacher – The Effects of Pickled Herring
- Amit Tishler – Edenfrost
- Arnon Z. Shorr – Ben Mortara and the Thieves of Golden Table #1
- David Hazan – Kosher Mafia
- Josh Gad, Benjamin Berkowitz, Max Berkowitz – The Writer
- Josh Tuininga – We Are Not Strangers
- Neil Kleid – Nice Jewish Boys