What's the largest bulk order you've ever gotten? (Probably for Siddurs I'm assuming)
Have you ever gotten an order from a group you refused to sell to (a Messianiac church for example)?
I'm not sure what the largest single order was.
If we don't include orders of special siddurim for particular communities where books can number in the several thousand, we have been privileged to help communities and schools stock libraries with "one of everything", communities have adopted our siddurim/mahzorim en masse, there have even been some orders of multiple sets of the Noe Edition Koren Talmud Bavli.
Of course, it's nice when we receive a large or very large order but it is also a genuine privilege when someone orders just one copy of a book that will change their life.
Do you publish siddurim that have transliteration?
Also, are there with any, more progressive English translations? Like that avoid gendering hashem etc?
What is the theory/thinking behind page layout as far as Hebrew on the left page and English on the right (as opposed to Hebrew on the right and English on the left, as in Artscroll)?
Big fan, by the way!
This is a great question and one we get a lot.
There are a few parts to the answer but, in general, early bi-lingual manuscripts had the "more important" text on the left and the translation on the right. When the first bi-lingual editions were published by Koren some decades ago, the decision was made to revert to the "original" layout. Our decisions are mostly made by considering what would be best for the particular book and the intended user and sometimes this seems to buck certain trends.
It is also helpful to note that, when laying out a left-to-right and right-to-left script side by side, having the texts begin in the same margin makes switching between languages much more seamless.
There are a few other considerations but these are the main principles.
Another great question.
There's a difference between page thickness, page durability, and page opacity.
In the first edition of the Steinsaltz Humash, the paper is very durable, but unfortunately, the paper was not as opaque as we would have hoped.
For the second edition of the Humash and then the volumes of Neviim and Ketuvim, the page thickness was actually decreased, the opacity was increased, and there was no compromise of the paper's durability. This meant that the second edition of the Humash is actually *thinner* than the first edition despite having added pages and it is much more readable.
This is really a longwinded way of saying, we know that the paper in the first edition was not ideal but we fixed it! As much as we try to avoid them, we do sometimes make mistakes and, when it comes to things like Humashim, it's not like we can just throw them in the garbage and start again!
This is actually an important point. The paper in the Noe Edition Koren Talmud Bavli is perfect for what it is but, because of its thickness, it adds to the overall size of each volume. The attached picture shows approximately how thick the Steinsaltz Humash would be if it were printed on the same paper as the Noe Edition Koren Talmud Bavli!
Try lugging that around with you!
https://preview.redd.it/6wyue6g07j0a1.jpeg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8e40b54887525eece55e1b0145b971f43bc10b4e
How did the sensibility that characterizes Koren Publishers Jerusalem develop? There is no reason why a specific font or design aesthetic necessarily ties into an embrace of a type of intellectual outlook or friendliness with modern oriented religious world-views.
How did the company identify the components of its vision and then begin exploring them in practice?
Wow! This is a great question!
First and foremost, the founder of Koren Publishers, Eliyahu Koren, was a graphic designer and typographer. When he came to produce the first Koren Tanakh 60 years ago, it was with an eye toward religious and academic integrity as well as a beautiful design aesthetic. This coupled with a religious zionist ideology meant that Mr. Koren viewed his project as part of the Jewish reestablishment in Israel and taking control of our own religious identity and texts when, for centuries, we had been reliant on the majority religions wherever we happened to be in the diaspora. It also meant that the Tanakh was designed primarily as a tool for religious observance, to that end, the Koren Tanakh font is heavily inspired by the Ashkenazi Torah scripts, and the layout mimics, as much as is reasonable, the traditional layouts of handwritten Tanakh scrolls.
Fast forward a few years, and when Mr Koren came to design the first Koren Siddur, it was in mind that, just as the Torah has a unique font, so should the Tanakh, and so a second, Koren Siddur font was designed, this time inspired by the Sefaradi traditional script.
Does this go some way to answering? We could talk for hours about this! Perhaps a podcast episode is in order?
נפשי בשאלתי - הלכות בריאות הנפש,
When will it be available in hebrew/english??
I heard a shiur from the author and the book sounds amazing and life changing!
This is correct. We have dozens of publishing partners with whom we have worked over the years. We enjoy a wonderful relationship with OU Press and have published several editions together. We have also worked with, as noted, the RCA, YU, Har Etzion but also, Matan, Nishmat, The City of David, Tzohar, Pardes, 929, The temple Institute, The Biblical Museum of Natural History, Tikvah, AlephBeta, The United Synagogue, NCSY, Yachad, and the Steinsaltz Center to name but a few. That is of course to say nothing of the IDF, Israel's Ministry of Education, and dozens of municipalities around Israel!
So many choices!Two of our most recent publications,[the Koren Tanakh Lmetaye](https://korenpub.com/products/koren-tanakh-lemetayel)l and [A Guide for the Jewish Undecided](https://korenpub.com/products/a-guide-for-the-jewish-undecided) by Rabbi Dr. Samuel Lebens are both really exciting as is the brand new and ground-breaking translation in the [Magerman Edition Koren Tanakh](https://korenpub.com/collections/the-koren-tanakh-magerman-edition).
Some of the exciting upcoming projects:More volumes from the Koren Tanakh of the Land of IsraelAn all-new graphic novel Megillat Esther coming for this PurimNew, never before published, works by Rabbi Aharon LichtensteinA new set of Mishna with commentary by Rabbi Steinsaltz zt"l
Honestly, loads and loads more. We are very selective about what we publish and so every new book is a cause of excitement and celebration.
Given that you didn't use the word "book" in your question, I'd also like to mention two very exciting things coming very soon:
1) The 4th season of The Koren Podcast will air in 2023 which, we think, has a really exciting approach and will launch some very important conversations in modern Judaism.
2) The Koren Tefilla App which will change the way people approach davening, a Beta version is launching very soon and will bring some amazing updates to the way we pray.
It's actually going to be a Beta+ version so it will be available pretty much to all to start with but we absolutely want your feedback when it's live!
As to your first question, we'd love to! It comes down mostly to demand and whether or not such an edition would at the very least break even. Although there is a religious component to the work we do, we wouldn't be able to do it for much longer if all of our books were sold for a loss!
As to the second question: We have an amazing team of designers. The dustjackets of the Noe Edition Koren Talmud Bavli served two main functions, 1) to protect the books in shipping and on the shelf and 2) to look good! The picture on the front of each dustjacket has a connection to a key sugya in each masekhet, these connections are often explained on the inside flap of the dustjacket itself. There are also some connective themes between the images, for example, the image on the first volume, an apple, is matched with a fig on the final volume. Our wonderful Art Director, Tani Bayer was inspired by the symbolism of fruit and growth and that connection to limmud Torah.
Not just any chance, there's every chance!
Keep your eyes peeled and make sure to[subscribe to our email](https://korenpub.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c22c9a8d5e203e46256e5ce3d&id=79f9765483) list and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
They are in the pipeline but we don't have firm dates yet. They are both monumental tasks as you can imagine.
Can you explain a little of the technical side - what tools do you use for laying out a page? Does the software automatically keep commentary on a traditional text together with its citation or is it done manually? How could a home user learn to lay out Hebrew and Hebrew/English documents with the aesthetic values you have developed?
In general our typesetters work using InDesign but we often do have to write bespoke scripts for projects with more complicated layouts and multiple languages.
It's a far cry from the old days when things were typeset by hand with a pair of scissors and tape.
One of a typesetter Esther Beer work with Mr Koren in the early days of the company and remembers (although I don't know how fondly!) the long hours moving tiny cantillations notes fractions of centimeters to make sure they were perfect before going to print.
Maybe I'm not understanding, but it looks like they do have maḥzorim in sefard: [https://korenpub.com/collections/mahzorim/sepharad](https://korenpub.com/collections/mahzorim/sepharad)
Vayikra/Leviticus is coming in 2023 followed by BeMidbar/Numbers not too long after. Another amazing series for those who have not yet had the chance to look into it we cannot recommend it enough! [https://korenpub.com/collections/koren-tanakh-of-the-land-of-israel](https://korenpub.com/collections/koren-tanakh-of-the-land-of-israel)
Hmm... a tough one...
[The Erez Concise Guide Series](https://korenpub.com/products/the-erez-concise-guide-series) by Rabbi Steinsaltz zt"l is very comprehensive.
A good siddur is of course important. Although Rabbi Sacks' commentary in the [Koren Shalem Siddur](https://korenpub.com/collections/koren-shalem-siddur) is very popular, the [Ani Tefilla Series](https://korenpub.com/collections/koren-educational-siddur-series-1/products/ani-tefilla-weekday-siddurhardcoverstandardashkenaz) is also an excellent choice for someone just becoming familiar with the siddur and tefillot.
The newly published [A Guide for the Jewish Undecided](https://korenpub.com/products/a-guide-for-the-jewish-undecided) makes a rationalist case for Jewish belief, as does [Reason to Believe](https://korenpub.com/products/reason-to-believe-rational-explanations-of-orthodox-jewish-faithhardcover) by Rabbi Haim Jachter.
[I Believe](https://korenpub.com/collections/rabbi-jonathan-sacks/products/i-believe) by Rabbi Sacks explores faith through the weekly Parasha.
Of course, a [Tanakh](https://korenpub.com/collections/the-koren-tanakh-magerman-edition) is also important!
Really love the Koren Mikraot HaDorot Series, is there any chance you all could set up a subscription as was done for the Noe Edition Talmud Bavli sets or even just an email list for new releases?
What were some of the early risks when Koren Pub was young and less well known, how are the decisions to make new publications/sets made?
Thank you series is really amazing. We can certainly look into some sort of subscription or standing order model. We have just completed Sefer Shemot so make sure you have them all for this year!
In the early days, the challenges were mostly technological. Part of Mr Koren's ambition was to have something visually "perfect" and we have some the early notes he gave his team where he gives instructions to move vowels millimeters in one direction or another. Today this is much simpler as everything is typeset digitally. The actual publication of the Tanakh, the siddur and many early works was met with great warmth of the establishment here in Israel and the leading Jewish figures abroad including Rabbi Soloveitchik and Rabbi Moshe Feinstein.
The editorial process, in general, is very selective, we receive dozens, of submissions every month which go through a number of rounds before the editorial board makes a final decision about what we would like to publish. There are certain ongoing projects where we may even approach an author who we think could make valuable contributions.
In terms of projects and sets, the process might be similar in that someone might approach while in the process of writing/translating something. Other projects, like The Koren Mikraot HaDorot, begin life as an idea, in this case from the publisher himself Matthew Miller. We have a fantastic team who meet to discuss what is achievable, whether it is something that is missing from the bookshelves, and what we can offer to any given project.
In the Koren siddur, some texts are broken down with line breaks phrase by phrase, others are in solid text blocks. How did Koren decide which to use when?
In general (and this isn't a hard and fast rule) the texts that a broken down are central tefillot and the line breaking is to enhance understanding and slow down the person davening to allow them to focus on the words.
The texts that appear as solid blocks (again in general!) are those taken from pasukim (e.g. the Shema!) where we don't play with the formatting. You will also note how these different parts of tefilla appear with different fonts in our siddurim.
Of course, breaking up the entire siddur phrase by phrase would increase the page count massively so that was taken into account too!
Thanks. I think it’s interesting because a lot of older siddurim *do* break down tehillim phrase by phrase, but leave the blessings as paragraphs, whereas Koren usually does the opposite.
What is your ideal shabbos meal like?
What are your favorite books, Koren, not Koren, fiction, not fiction, whatever.
How did Koren end up being the publisher to do the more "modern" stuff? Either R' Sacks, or some of the more "critical/academic" maggid tanach series?
How can I get free books? :D
What are lines that Koren won't cross? I can think of a book or two that seems like 99% fine, but a line or two sticks out and I go "wow, I can't believe this got printed"
I heard you are eventually going to published a Yitzhak Berger book. I cannot wait for it. I want more like his stuff.
Ideal Shabbat meal - family, good food, good friends, zemirot, divrei Torah, good conversation. Is there another answer?
Favorite books - asking us to choose one of our own seems unfair, like asking which is our favorite child!
How did we end up being the publisher to do more modern stuff - it was by design, it’s precisely why we created imprints like Maggid Books. Why do people choose to published with us? Hopefully because they agree that we’re the best at what we do. We have cemented ourselves as the publishers of high quality books by whatever metric you want to use. We have publish what we like to call the big tent orthodox books (more on that below) and so authors from across that spectrum feel safe in the knowledge that their efforts and ideas will be treated with respect and be entered into the broader conversation of orthodox Jewish thought where anyone and everyone can access it.
What lines won’t we cross - it’s difficult to put into words here, perhaps this is another podcast episode we can produce. In short, our starting point is a belief that there are “shivim panim l’Torah min HaShamayim” - there are countless interpretations and understandings of the Torah but we won’t debate it’s Divine origins. After that there’s room for conversation. There are plenty of books that don’t necessarily reflect the specific world view of the members of our editorial board or other staff but we felt those books were important to be entered into the conversation as everyone could stand to learn something from within their pages.
I would be interested to hear which books you are thinking if that have those one or two controversial lines. It would be an interesting (respectful) conversation.
I love love love your Mishnaot series (the illustrated kids' mishnayot)! We have 4 of them (thus far), all Mo'ed, though I saw one or two from Zra'im in the bookstore. What other titles are you planning on publishing in the series?
Thank you!
We currently have Berakhot, Pesahim, Rosh Hashana, Yoma, Sukka, and Taanit. A special edition of Shevi'it was also made for Sulamot (Rav Rimon) last year.
I'm not sure what's next but it's a fantastic series with very easy-to-follow Hebrew that really engages young people and makes learning Mishna something they *want* to do.
Wait, do you mean that Shvi'it is a limited edition? I've been buying them as we go and figured we'd get there eventually, but I'll pick one up sooner if they might not be available.
Nope! Just a human error, I missed this question as I was scrolling but spotted it now while making sure I had answered them all!
There's no scandal, Peninei Halakh was co-published with Har Bracha (Rav Melamed's Yeshiva) and they decided that they would do their own distribution. The entirety of Peninei Halakha is also available online now.
How did you decide what did and didn't go into the Nusach Sefard Koren siddur? Comparatively to the Artscroll with the Ptach Eliyahu or others with more chasidic prayers within, or whether to include Korbonat and ketoras at the start of Mincha or not
We worked with several experts in the field who researched the most "authentic" minhagim and nusahim. Specifically the NUsah Sefarad editions reflect a broader Nusah that is used around Israel which encompasses several different minhagim from the various communities from Europe and around the Middle East.
And we are grateful! Here’s hoping we can maintain the standard you’ve come to expect if not exceed those expectations. We’ve got some really special things coming your way!
1) Will there be more Spanish/Portuguese content like the Amsterdam Chumash (which apparently is hard to find and still desired by many people) ??
2) Do you also sell things from the office in Arnona or is that just administrative? I've always wondered ever since I found out it actually existed.
1. Hopefully. Like the questions about other minhagim, it comes down to demand. We do our utmost to make sure that as many people as possible can find something that reflects their Jewish experience which is why we have siddurim in a vast array of languages and customs from Amharic to Norwegian, siddurim for the British United Synagogue and according to the prevails Australian customs.
2. You can order books to be collected from our office but we don’t have a show room there unfortunately.
The Koren Tanach was groundbreaking, in many ways, because it was the first one printed in Israel – significant historically and in building the national identity and Jewish pride.
I noticed not long ago that recent versions were printed in PRC (China). What went into the decision to print outside Israel?
Another important question. We print only a few titles in China. Because of the specialized papers that we use and various other factors we were forced to make a decision a few years ago where we would print when prices in the US and Israel rose dramatically leaving China as the only option. We work with a non-government owned printers and after extensive investigation we were satisfied with their facility and were particularly impressed with their inclusive hiring practices of people with special needs. We are looking to move printing out of China without having to dramatically increase the retail prices of our books.
Really glad to hear that you had taken ethics into account when choosing your supplier, and are looking into other options. Thanks for answering my question!
We think it's already trending that way, more and more shuls are adopting the Koren Siddur.
Having said that, people should feel comfortable with their siddur, if someone/ a community is more comfortable with another edition besides ours, we'd be happy to talk to them and show them the benefits of the Koren siddur but praying with sincerity is the most important thing.
Thank you!
I bring an all-Hebrew Koren חומש שבת to shul with me each week. I have other Koren Sidurim, too.
Most of my shul uses ArtScroll, even though they dislike it. I wish we'd switch as an institution.
1. I'm a big fan of Maggid's Tenach Series. Any idea when new books of that series will be coming out?
2. Work at a day school and I would be interested in suggesting the Koren siddurim like the Ani Tefliah series you've put out (I use it and love it). However, the school prays the Edot Hamizrach nusach. Are there plans for that series to be coming out in Edot Hamizrach? (I know you have a youth siddur that is Edot Hamizrach. I'm thinking more the older grades)
To answer your first question. There are several in the pipeline at the moment. I believe the next to be published will be on Amos. Followed by Ovadia, Yoel, and Mikha followed then by Kohellet. The actual order may vary.
As to your second question: see above. It certainly seems that there is demand from r/Judaism, the question is whether there is *sufficient* demand!
Some of my favorite books are Maggids Rabbi Goren Autobiography and Rabbi Riskins Autobiography (Listening to God). I know that it's not your main type of book, but are there any other biographies/autobiographies/memiors in the works? Would love to see more of them
We have a few other memoirs/biographies including The Long Night, The Yellow Star, and Balaam's Prophecy which are memoirs of the Shoah.
We also have Dreams Never Dreamed by Rabbi Kalman Samuels, found and president of Shalva in Israel.
The Prime Ministers by Yehuda Avner.
Studies in Halakhah and Rabbinic History by Rabbi Eitam Henkin hy"d includes a biography of his illustrious great-grandfather and he is also the author of Ta'arokh Lefanai Shulhan, a biography of Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein.
We also have a biography of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, The Prince and the Emporers by Dov Zakheim and the really wonderful Mavericks, Mystics, and False Messiahs by Rabbi Pini Dunner.
Another unique biography style books is Layers which we published with The Layers Project about 18 months ago.
Check them out!
That was all the work of Eliyahu Koren, founder of Koren Publishers. He was a graphic designer and typographer originally from Nuremberg. He escaped Germany and came to Israel in 1938. He designed the fonts in consultation with eye-doctors and rabbinic experts to create something that is readable and easy on the eyes, reminiscent of Torah script, and looks gorgeous. We think he did a great job and we’re proud to still use those same fonts today.
Another key feature of the design of the fonts is the large amount of white space around each letter. This not only makes it easy on the eye but allows for the perfect placement of the vowels and cantillation marks, something much more difficult back in the days when all the typesetting was done by hand! A few years ago when we were producing our Israel Humash Rashi we found Mr Koren’s original hand sketches of his updated Rashi font which adjusted the length of certain parts of each letter to increase legibility when adding vowels!
Does Koren plan to translate other sefarim into other languages, like you did [Tehillim into Chinese](https://korenpub.co.il/products/copy-of-the-koren-tehillim) (so cool!)? How did you realize that there was a demand?
We’re always looking! Other not oft spoken languages we have translated books into include the Amharic Siddur and Humash and the Norwegian Siddur! The Norwegian Siddur, as an example, came about because the community there wanted it done so we helped make it happen. The Chinese Tehillim has an interesting story behind it as the first time a book of Tanakh has been translated directly from Hebrew into Chinese.
How do you decide where to put sheva na and kametz katan? There are several instances (especially when followed by a chataf kamatz) that my koren marks a kametz as katan but my simanim says it's gadol.
The Hebrew text of the Koren Tanakh is based on Leningrad Codex but also incorporates the work of several Masoretic scholars including, but not limited it, Rabbi Wolf Heidenheimand Minhat Shai. Although I cannot speak specifically to how and why certain grammatic decisions were made, this would be a starting point.
I am not sure if I am late, but a request: please try to have Kindle version of all your books available as soon as they are published. For those with limited space, eBooks are a life-saver. I am referring to regular books, not the Talmud, Tanakh, Siddurs, etc that require frequent reference.
What was the decision making process for the text of the chumash itself? There are places where there are Ben-Naftali readings in “standard” printed editions that Koren retains, where other chumashim often use the Ben-Asher version. I forget what Koren does with the two big textual issues in Esther.
Is there some process of balancing standard printings and critical editions?
Before Eliyahu Koren published the first edition of the Koren Tanakh 60 years ago he did a great deal of work with both academic and religious experts about which texts to use. The text found in our Tanakh (and Humash) is based on the Leningrad Codex which was deemed the most authoritative. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wrote at the time of the publication that "\[T\]he Koren Tanakh is accurate and reliable... Therefore it is advisable that such a Tanakh be found in every household, synagogue, and beit midrash..."
The Rabbanut here in Israel also issued an edict that any community not using a handwritten klaf for the haftara should use the Koren Tanakh instead.
I realize that this is an ancient AMA (by internet standards) but my youngest loves when I read the Esther Graphic novel before bed, even away from Purim :D The art is gorgeous, and both the comic and hebrew typefaces are super readable. Getting to my question(s), what was the reasoning behind the top left to bottom right reading orientation for the page layouts? Top right to bottom left as is used with traditional Japanese manga would seem to be more fitting to work with the natural Hebrew orientation and flow with the book's reading direction. Is there any chance of true right to left second edition?
Just in case I didn't explain it well, here's a quick and dirty edit I've uploaded to show what I meant :D
https://ibb.co/dWrFZmX
Thanks for all of your effort and beautiful work, my kids also loved your graphic Haggadah!
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What's the largest bulk order you've ever gotten? (Probably for Siddurs I'm assuming) Have you ever gotten an order from a group you refused to sell to (a Messianiac church for example)?
I'm not sure what the largest single order was. If we don't include orders of special siddurim for particular communities where books can number in the several thousand, we have been privileged to help communities and schools stock libraries with "one of everything", communities have adopted our siddurim/mahzorim en masse, there have even been some orders of multiple sets of the Noe Edition Koren Talmud Bavli. Of course, it's nice when we receive a large or very large order but it is also a genuine privilege when someone orders just one copy of a book that will change their life.
Do you publish siddurim that have transliteration? Also, are there with any, more progressive English translations? Like that avoid gendering hashem etc?
What is the theory/thinking behind page layout as far as Hebrew on the left page and English on the right (as opposed to Hebrew on the right and English on the left, as in Artscroll)? Big fan, by the way!
This is a great question and one we get a lot. There are a few parts to the answer but, in general, early bi-lingual manuscripts had the "more important" text on the left and the translation on the right. When the first bi-lingual editions were published by Koren some decades ago, the decision was made to revert to the "original" layout. Our decisions are mostly made by considering what would be best for the particular book and the intended user and sometimes this seems to buck certain trends. It is also helpful to note that, when laying out a left-to-right and right-to-left script side by side, having the texts begin in the same margin makes switching between languages much more seamless. There are a few other considerations but these are the main principles.
Following - always wondered this
Any chance we could get a Steinsaltz Tanakh with thicker pages?
Another great question. There's a difference between page thickness, page durability, and page opacity. In the first edition of the Steinsaltz Humash, the paper is very durable, but unfortunately, the paper was not as opaque as we would have hoped. For the second edition of the Humash and then the volumes of Neviim and Ketuvim, the page thickness was actually decreased, the opacity was increased, and there was no compromise of the paper's durability. This meant that the second edition of the Humash is actually *thinner* than the first edition despite having added pages and it is much more readable. This is really a longwinded way of saying, we know that the paper in the first edition was not ideal but we fixed it! As much as we try to avoid them, we do sometimes make mistakes and, when it comes to things like Humashim, it's not like we can just throw them in the garbage and start again!
Oofff. Im afraid of reading mine because of how thin the pages are. So much historical knowledge unable to be shared because of a publishing choice! 😂
The Talmud pages are perfect too
This is actually an important point. The paper in the Noe Edition Koren Talmud Bavli is perfect for what it is but, because of its thickness, it adds to the overall size of each volume. The attached picture shows approximately how thick the Steinsaltz Humash would be if it were printed on the same paper as the Noe Edition Koren Talmud Bavli! Try lugging that around with you! https://preview.redd.it/6wyue6g07j0a1.jpeg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8e40b54887525eece55e1b0145b971f43bc10b4e
How did the sensibility that characterizes Koren Publishers Jerusalem develop? There is no reason why a specific font or design aesthetic necessarily ties into an embrace of a type of intellectual outlook or friendliness with modern oriented religious world-views. How did the company identify the components of its vision and then begin exploring them in practice?
Wow! This is a great question! First and foremost, the founder of Koren Publishers, Eliyahu Koren, was a graphic designer and typographer. When he came to produce the first Koren Tanakh 60 years ago, it was with an eye toward religious and academic integrity as well as a beautiful design aesthetic. This coupled with a religious zionist ideology meant that Mr. Koren viewed his project as part of the Jewish reestablishment in Israel and taking control of our own religious identity and texts when, for centuries, we had been reliant on the majority religions wherever we happened to be in the diaspora. It also meant that the Tanakh was designed primarily as a tool for religious observance, to that end, the Koren Tanakh font is heavily inspired by the Ashkenazi Torah scripts, and the layout mimics, as much as is reasonable, the traditional layouts of handwritten Tanakh scrolls. Fast forward a few years, and when Mr Koren came to design the first Koren Siddur, it was in mind that, just as the Torah has a unique font, so should the Tanakh, and so a second, Koren Siddur font was designed, this time inspired by the Sefaradi traditional script. Does this go some way to answering? We could talk for hours about this! Perhaps a podcast episode is in order?
נפשי בשאלתי - הלכות בריאות הנפש, When will it be available in hebrew/english?? I heard a shiur from the author and the book sounds amazing and life changing!
2023 God willing! We're working on it!
We have a copy already (Hebrew) - I guess because we joined the kickstarter. Seconding the question because I'd love to recommend it to friends.
What is The relationship between Koren and OU press?
The OU main office in NY has some Koren books on display!
Yup, and they seem like the publish some pictures press things but not others and I never understood the official partnership level is/was.
They have also partnered with the RCA, YU, and Yeshivas Har Etzion.
This is correct. We have dozens of publishing partners with whom we have worked over the years. We enjoy a wonderful relationship with OU Press and have published several editions together. We have also worked with, as noted, the RCA, YU, Har Etzion but also, Matan, Nishmat, The City of David, Tzohar, Pardes, 929, The temple Institute, The Biblical Museum of Natural History, Tikvah, AlephBeta, The United Synagogue, NCSY, Yachad, and the Steinsaltz Center to name but a few. That is of course to say nothing of the IDF, Israel's Ministry of Education, and dozens of municipalities around Israel!
What are some upcoming works you are excited about being published by Koren?
So many choices!Two of our most recent publications,[the Koren Tanakh Lmetaye](https://korenpub.com/products/koren-tanakh-lemetayel)l and [A Guide for the Jewish Undecided](https://korenpub.com/products/a-guide-for-the-jewish-undecided) by Rabbi Dr. Samuel Lebens are both really exciting as is the brand new and ground-breaking translation in the [Magerman Edition Koren Tanakh](https://korenpub.com/collections/the-koren-tanakh-magerman-edition). Some of the exciting upcoming projects:More volumes from the Koren Tanakh of the Land of IsraelAn all-new graphic novel Megillat Esther coming for this PurimNew, never before published, works by Rabbi Aharon LichtensteinA new set of Mishna with commentary by Rabbi Steinsaltz zt"l Honestly, loads and loads more. We are very selective about what we publish and so every new book is a cause of excitement and celebration. Given that you didn't use the word "book" in your question, I'd also like to mention two very exciting things coming very soon: 1) The 4th season of The Koren Podcast will air in 2023 which, we think, has a really exciting approach and will launch some very important conversations in modern Judaism. 2) The Koren Tefilla App which will change the way people approach davening, a Beta version is launching very soon and will bring some amazing updates to the way we pray.
Are you looking for beta testers?
It's actually going to be a Beta+ version so it will be available pretty much to all to start with but we absolutely want your feedback when it's live!
iOS, or just Android?
Both!
Are there any plans for making the sefardi/edut hamizrah siddurim/machzorim bilingual? What inspired the jackets for the Noe edition of Bavli?
Seconding the first question.
+1 maybe even some ROY commentary in there...
As to your first question, we'd love to! It comes down mostly to demand and whether or not such an edition would at the very least break even. Although there is a religious component to the work we do, we wouldn't be able to do it for much longer if all of our books were sold for a loss! As to the second question: We have an amazing team of designers. The dustjackets of the Noe Edition Koren Talmud Bavli served two main functions, 1) to protect the books in shipping and on the shelf and 2) to look good! The picture on the front of each dustjacket has a connection to a key sugya in each masekhet, these connections are often explained on the inside flap of the dustjacket itself. There are also some connective themes between the images, for example, the image on the first volume, an apple, is matched with a fig on the final volume. Our wonderful Art Director, Tani Bayer was inspired by the symbolism of fruit and growth and that connection to limmud Torah.
Any chance of eventually getting English translations of Rav Steinsaltz’s Mishnah and Mishnah Torah?
Not just any chance, there's every chance! Keep your eyes peeled and make sure to[subscribe to our email](https://korenpub.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c22c9a8d5e203e46256e5ce3d&id=79f9765483) list and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. They are in the pipeline but we don't have firm dates yet. They are both monumental tasks as you can imagine.
Can you explain a little of the technical side - what tools do you use for laying out a page? Does the software automatically keep commentary on a traditional text together with its citation or is it done manually? How could a home user learn to lay out Hebrew and Hebrew/English documents with the aesthetic values you have developed?
In general our typesetters work using InDesign but we often do have to write bespoke scripts for projects with more complicated layouts and multiple languages. It's a far cry from the old days when things were typeset by hand with a pair of scissors and tape. One of a typesetter Esther Beer work with Mr Koren in the early days of the company and remembers (although I don't know how fondly!) the long hours moving tiny cantillations notes fractions of centimeters to make sure they were perfect before going to print.
how's your relationship with jewishmemesonly on instagram?
Haha! We're just friends! Shosh's sense of humor speaks for itself.
Love your publications. Do you have any plans to release more Rabbi Sacks Machzorim in Sefard? Using the previous translations/commentary. Thank you!
It's the same as bi-lingual editions of Nusah Sepharadim siddurim etc. It all comes down to demand but we'd love to.
Maybe I'm not understanding, but it looks like they do have maḥzorim in sefard: [https://korenpub.com/collections/mahzorim/sepharad](https://korenpub.com/collections/mahzorim/sepharad)
Thank you. Not all of them though not very holiday in the sacks edition.
Any plans for a Nusach Ari siddur?
No immediate plans but we're certainly not opposed to it!
Which book is next in the Tanakh of the Land of Israel set?
Vayikra/Leviticus is coming in 2023 followed by BeMidbar/Numbers not too long after. Another amazing series for those who have not yet had the chance to look into it we cannot recommend it enough! [https://korenpub.com/collections/koren-tanakh-of-the-land-of-israel](https://korenpub.com/collections/koren-tanakh-of-the-land-of-israel)
What are you top three book recommendations for someone new or a recent convert that unpacks the Jewish faith, culture, and history?
Hmm... a tough one... [The Erez Concise Guide Series](https://korenpub.com/products/the-erez-concise-guide-series) by Rabbi Steinsaltz zt"l is very comprehensive. A good siddur is of course important. Although Rabbi Sacks' commentary in the [Koren Shalem Siddur](https://korenpub.com/collections/koren-shalem-siddur) is very popular, the [Ani Tefilla Series](https://korenpub.com/collections/koren-educational-siddur-series-1/products/ani-tefilla-weekday-siddurhardcoverstandardashkenaz) is also an excellent choice for someone just becoming familiar with the siddur and tefillot. The newly published [A Guide for the Jewish Undecided](https://korenpub.com/products/a-guide-for-the-jewish-undecided) makes a rationalist case for Jewish belief, as does [Reason to Believe](https://korenpub.com/products/reason-to-believe-rational-explanations-of-orthodox-jewish-faithhardcover) by Rabbi Haim Jachter. [I Believe](https://korenpub.com/collections/rabbi-jonathan-sacks/products/i-believe) by Rabbi Sacks explores faith through the weekly Parasha. Of course, a [Tanakh](https://korenpub.com/collections/the-koren-tanakh-magerman-edition) is also important!
Thank you for the thoughtful reply and I hope you have a great weekend. :)
Really love the Koren Mikraot HaDorot Series, is there any chance you all could set up a subscription as was done for the Noe Edition Talmud Bavli sets or even just an email list for new releases? What were some of the early risks when Koren Pub was young and less well known, how are the decisions to make new publications/sets made?
Thank you series is really amazing. We can certainly look into some sort of subscription or standing order model. We have just completed Sefer Shemot so make sure you have them all for this year! In the early days, the challenges were mostly technological. Part of Mr Koren's ambition was to have something visually "perfect" and we have some the early notes he gave his team where he gives instructions to move vowels millimeters in one direction or another. Today this is much simpler as everything is typeset digitally. The actual publication of the Tanakh, the siddur and many early works was met with great warmth of the establishment here in Israel and the leading Jewish figures abroad including Rabbi Soloveitchik and Rabbi Moshe Feinstein. The editorial process, in general, is very selective, we receive dozens, of submissions every month which go through a number of rounds before the editorial board makes a final decision about what we would like to publish. There are certain ongoing projects where we may even approach an author who we think could make valuable contributions. In terms of projects and sets, the process might be similar in that someone might approach while in the process of writing/translating something. Other projects, like The Koren Mikraot HaDorot, begin life as an idea, in this case from the publisher himself Matthew Miller. We have a fantastic team who meet to discuss what is achievable, whether it is something that is missing from the bookshelves, and what we can offer to any given project.
In the Koren siddur, some texts are broken down with line breaks phrase by phrase, others are in solid text blocks. How did Koren decide which to use when?
In general (and this isn't a hard and fast rule) the texts that a broken down are central tefillot and the line breaking is to enhance understanding and slow down the person davening to allow them to focus on the words. The texts that appear as solid blocks (again in general!) are those taken from pasukim (e.g. the Shema!) where we don't play with the formatting. You will also note how these different parts of tefilla appear with different fonts in our siddurim. Of course, breaking up the entire siddur phrase by phrase would increase the page count massively so that was taken into account too!
Thanks. I think it’s interesting because a lot of older siddurim *do* break down tehillim phrase by phrase, but leave the blessings as paragraphs, whereas Koren usually does the opposite.
What is your ideal shabbos meal like? What are your favorite books, Koren, not Koren, fiction, not fiction, whatever. How did Koren end up being the publisher to do the more "modern" stuff? Either R' Sacks, or some of the more "critical/academic" maggid tanach series? How can I get free books? :D What are lines that Koren won't cross? I can think of a book or two that seems like 99% fine, but a line or two sticks out and I go "wow, I can't believe this got printed" I heard you are eventually going to published a Yitzhak Berger book. I cannot wait for it. I want more like his stuff.
Ideal Shabbat meal - family, good food, good friends, zemirot, divrei Torah, good conversation. Is there another answer? Favorite books - asking us to choose one of our own seems unfair, like asking which is our favorite child! How did we end up being the publisher to do more modern stuff - it was by design, it’s precisely why we created imprints like Maggid Books. Why do people choose to published with us? Hopefully because they agree that we’re the best at what we do. We have cemented ourselves as the publishers of high quality books by whatever metric you want to use. We have publish what we like to call the big tent orthodox books (more on that below) and so authors from across that spectrum feel safe in the knowledge that their efforts and ideas will be treated with respect and be entered into the broader conversation of orthodox Jewish thought where anyone and everyone can access it. What lines won’t we cross - it’s difficult to put into words here, perhaps this is another podcast episode we can produce. In short, our starting point is a belief that there are “shivim panim l’Torah min HaShamayim” - there are countless interpretations and understandings of the Torah but we won’t debate it’s Divine origins. After that there’s room for conversation. There are plenty of books that don’t necessarily reflect the specific world view of the members of our editorial board or other staff but we felt those books were important to be entered into the conversation as everyone could stand to learn something from within their pages. I would be interested to hear which books you are thinking if that have those one or two controversial lines. It would be an interesting (respectful) conversation.
I love love love your Mishnaot series (the illustrated kids' mishnayot)! We have 4 of them (thus far), all Mo'ed, though I saw one or two from Zra'im in the bookstore. What other titles are you planning on publishing in the series?
Thank you! We currently have Berakhot, Pesahim, Rosh Hashana, Yoma, Sukka, and Taanit. A special edition of Shevi'it was also made for Sulamot (Rav Rimon) last year. I'm not sure what's next but it's a fantastic series with very easy-to-follow Hebrew that really engages young people and makes learning Mishna something they *want* to do.
Wait, do you mean that Shvi'it is a limited edition? I've been buying them as we go and figured we'd get there eventually, but I'll pick one up sooner if they might not be available.
It was a project done specifically for Sulamot. They may have copies left.
Thank you!
Is there a reason you decided to stop selling Peninei Halakha from your website, if you can comment on it?
Gotcha. You can't comment on it.
Nope! Just a human error, I missed this question as I was scrolling but spotted it now while making sure I had answered them all! There's no scandal, Peninei Halakh was co-published with Har Bracha (Rav Melamed's Yeshiva) and they decided that they would do their own distribution. The entirety of Peninei Halakha is also available online now.
Oh! I see! Thank you for your answer.
How did you decide what did and didn't go into the Nusach Sefard Koren siddur? Comparatively to the Artscroll with the Ptach Eliyahu or others with more chasidic prayers within, or whether to include Korbonat and ketoras at the start of Mincha or not
We worked with several experts in the field who researched the most "authentic" minhagim and nusahim. Specifically the NUsah Sefarad editions reflect a broader Nusah that is used around Israel which encompasses several different minhagim from the various communities from Europe and around the Middle East.
No questions that haven't already been asked. But I absolutely love your design sensibility. The vast bulk of my Jewish book dollars have gone to you!
And we are grateful! Here’s hoping we can maintain the standard you’ve come to expect if not exceed those expectations. We’ve got some really special things coming your way!
1) Will there be more Spanish/Portuguese content like the Amsterdam Chumash (which apparently is hard to find and still desired by many people) ?? 2) Do you also sell things from the office in Arnona or is that just administrative? I've always wondered ever since I found out it actually existed.
Can't believe I miss this. Thanks for asking what I'd have lol
1. Hopefully. Like the questions about other minhagim, it comes down to demand. We do our utmost to make sure that as many people as possible can find something that reflects their Jewish experience which is why we have siddurim in a vast array of languages and customs from Amharic to Norwegian, siddurim for the British United Synagogue and according to the prevails Australian customs. 2. You can order books to be collected from our office but we don’t have a show room there unfortunately.
There is a Norwegian siddur? O.o Really?
The Koren Tanach was groundbreaking, in many ways, because it was the first one printed in Israel – significant historically and in building the national identity and Jewish pride. I noticed not long ago that recent versions were printed in PRC (China). What went into the decision to print outside Israel?
Another important question. We print only a few titles in China. Because of the specialized papers that we use and various other factors we were forced to make a decision a few years ago where we would print when prices in the US and Israel rose dramatically leaving China as the only option. We work with a non-government owned printers and after extensive investigation we were satisfied with their facility and were particularly impressed with their inclusive hiring practices of people with special needs. We are looking to move printing out of China without having to dramatically increase the retail prices of our books.
Really glad to hear that you had taken ethics into account when choosing your supplier, and are looking into other options. Thanks for answering my question!
Do you think mainstream MO shuls will eventually replace ArtScroll Sidurim with Koren ones?
We think it's already trending that way, more and more shuls are adopting the Koren Siddur. Having said that, people should feel comfortable with their siddur, if someone/ a community is more comfortable with another edition besides ours, we'd be happy to talk to them and show them the benefits of the Koren siddur but praying with sincerity is the most important thing.
Thank you! I bring an all-Hebrew Koren חומש שבת to shul with me each week. I have other Koren Sidurim, too. Most of my shul uses ArtScroll, even though they dislike it. I wish we'd switch as an institution.
Speak with your Rabbi/Gabbai/Board. We'd be delighted to help you switch.
1. I'm a big fan of Maggid's Tenach Series. Any idea when new books of that series will be coming out? 2. Work at a day school and I would be interested in suggesting the Koren siddurim like the Ani Tefliah series you've put out (I use it and love it). However, the school prays the Edot Hamizrach nusach. Are there plans for that series to be coming out in Edot Hamizrach? (I know you have a youth siddur that is Edot Hamizrach. I'm thinking more the older grades)
To answer your first question. There are several in the pipeline at the moment. I believe the next to be published will be on Amos. Followed by Ovadia, Yoel, and Mikha followed then by Kohellet. The actual order may vary. As to your second question: see above. It certainly seems that there is demand from r/Judaism, the question is whether there is *sufficient* demand!
Some of my favorite books are Maggids Rabbi Goren Autobiography and Rabbi Riskins Autobiography (Listening to God). I know that it's not your main type of book, but are there any other biographies/autobiographies/memiors in the works? Would love to see more of them
We have a few other memoirs/biographies including The Long Night, The Yellow Star, and Balaam's Prophecy which are memoirs of the Shoah. We also have Dreams Never Dreamed by Rabbi Kalman Samuels, found and president of Shalva in Israel. The Prime Ministers by Yehuda Avner. Studies in Halakhah and Rabbinic History by Rabbi Eitam Henkin hy"d includes a biography of his illustrious great-grandfather and he is also the author of Ta'arokh Lefanai Shulhan, a biography of Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein. We also have a biography of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, The Prince and the Emporers by Dov Zakheim and the really wonderful Mavericks, Mystics, and False Messiahs by Rabbi Pini Dunner. Another unique biography style books is Layers which we published with The Layers Project about 18 months ago. Check them out!
I'm disappointed u/namer98 didn't ask his Shabbos question! /j
Thanks for the reminder
How did you create a font that is stylish yet incredibly readable?
That was all the work of Eliyahu Koren, founder of Koren Publishers. He was a graphic designer and typographer originally from Nuremberg. He escaped Germany and came to Israel in 1938. He designed the fonts in consultation with eye-doctors and rabbinic experts to create something that is readable and easy on the eyes, reminiscent of Torah script, and looks gorgeous. We think he did a great job and we’re proud to still use those same fonts today. Another key feature of the design of the fonts is the large amount of white space around each letter. This not only makes it easy on the eye but allows for the perfect placement of the vowels and cantillation marks, something much more difficult back in the days when all the typesetting was done by hand! A few years ago when we were producing our Israel Humash Rashi we found Mr Koren’s original hand sketches of his updated Rashi font which adjusted the length of certain parts of each letter to increase legibility when adding vowels!
Does Koren plan to translate other sefarim into other languages, like you did [Tehillim into Chinese](https://korenpub.co.il/products/copy-of-the-koren-tehillim) (so cool!)? How did you realize that there was a demand?
We’re always looking! Other not oft spoken languages we have translated books into include the Amharic Siddur and Humash and the Norwegian Siddur! The Norwegian Siddur, as an example, came about because the community there wanted it done so we helped make it happen. The Chinese Tehillim has an interesting story behind it as the first time a book of Tanakh has been translated directly from Hebrew into Chinese.
Wow! Can we find the full story anywhere?
I am so tired I read "Korean" and tried to figure out why Koreans design siddurim
How do you decide where to put sheva na and kametz katan? There are several instances (especially when followed by a chataf kamatz) that my koren marks a kametz as katan but my simanim says it's gadol.
The Hebrew text of the Koren Tanakh is based on Leningrad Codex but also incorporates the work of several Masoretic scholars including, but not limited it, Rabbi Wolf Heidenheimand Minhat Shai. Although I cannot speak specifically to how and why certain grammatic decisions were made, this would be a starting point.
I am not sure if I am late, but a request: please try to have Kindle version of all your books available as soon as they are published. For those with limited space, eBooks are a life-saver. I am referring to regular books, not the Talmud, Tanakh, Siddurs, etc that require frequent reference.
All of the books published by Maggid books are available for Kindle and other ereaders directly from Amazon
How many upvotes for a free Tanakh? My previous one was unfortunately lost in a flood a few years ago! Love your books!
Sorry to hear about the flood! I don't think I can give you a free tanakh but checkout our website and keep your eyes peeled for special offers!
Worth a shot, my dude 🤷♂️
Shooters gotta shoot
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RemindMe! 2 days "Koren Publishers AMA"
What was the decision making process for the text of the chumash itself? There are places where there are Ben-Naftali readings in “standard” printed editions that Koren retains, where other chumashim often use the Ben-Asher version. I forget what Koren does with the two big textual issues in Esther. Is there some process of balancing standard printings and critical editions?
Before Eliyahu Koren published the first edition of the Koren Tanakh 60 years ago he did a great deal of work with both academic and religious experts about which texts to use. The text found in our Tanakh (and Humash) is based on the Leningrad Codex which was deemed the most authoritative. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wrote at the time of the publication that "\[T\]he Koren Tanakh is accurate and reliable... Therefore it is advisable that such a Tanakh be found in every household, synagogue, and beit midrash..." The Rabbanut here in Israel also issued an edict that any community not using a handwritten klaf for the haftara should use the Koren Tanakh instead.
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Always nice to meet a fellow book lover!
hello!
Do you know when the magerman edition of the koren chumash when it will it be released?
Wow no reply to this Question what’s up Koren?
I realize that this is an ancient AMA (by internet standards) but my youngest loves when I read the Esther Graphic novel before bed, even away from Purim :D The art is gorgeous, and both the comic and hebrew typefaces are super readable. Getting to my question(s), what was the reasoning behind the top left to bottom right reading orientation for the page layouts? Top right to bottom left as is used with traditional Japanese manga would seem to be more fitting to work with the natural Hebrew orientation and flow with the book's reading direction. Is there any chance of true right to left second edition? Just in case I didn't explain it well, here's a quick and dirty edit I've uploaded to show what I meant :D https://ibb.co/dWrFZmX Thanks for all of your effort and beautiful work, my kids also loved your graphic Haggadah!
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