From Star Trek to Costco

By Robin Mintz, Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival Chairperson

We just finished a successful Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival season. The “Ten for 10” in honor of our 10th Book Festival year covered an array of genres. Starting with a memoir by Adam Nimoy and ending with a fun, cocktail table book, “The Joy of Costco.” In between we explored nonfiction, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, and even a cookbook — something for everyone. We had remarkable moderators who involved the authors in layered and engaging conversations and probing questions resulting in entertaining and illuminating answers.

For the 2024-2025 season, the Jewish Book Festival had a record-breaking 350 patrons for the 10 events resulting in approximately 3,000 attendees enjoying the author presentations and the themed refreshments in the beautiful Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center.

Authors Susan and David Schwartz

Our success is due to you — our faithful supporters, who consistently show up, engage in conversations, buy and read the books, and enthusiastically arrive at the events with fervent curiosity and open minds ready to ask the authors their variety of questions. The Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival is special due to the enthusiasm, energy and spontaneity of our extraordinary audience.

I look forward to once again serving as the volunteer chairperson of next year’s Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival. My team and I will listen to close to 300 authors from the Jewish Book Council, and we are confident that we will have a strong lineup once again. Details will be shared in the fall.

See you next season!

Volunteers Lee Henson and Linda DuKatz at the cashew sampling kiosk

Volunteer Debbie Kohler supervises the rugula samples

Volunteers Lynn Miller and Molly Getnick prepare samples