The judges panel for the 2018 JQ Wingate literary prize has been announced.

TLS fiction and politics editor Toby Lichtig, journalist, broadcaster and Booker Prize Foundation trustee Bidisha, author and critic Amanda Craig and London School of Jewish Studies Teaching Fellow Maureen Kendler will decide who will win British Jewry’s most prestigious book award.

Mr Lichtig, Ms Craig and Ms Kendler are all JC contributors

The JQ Wingate Prize, worth £4,000, is given to the author deemed to have best conveyed the idea of Jewishness to the general reader. Both fiction and non-fiction works are eligible.

Previous winners have included Amos Oz, Zadie Smith, Oliver Sacks, Otto Dov Kulka and David Grossman, who was just announced as this year’s Man Booker International prize winner.

Mr Lichtig, who will chair the panel,  said: ‘The JQ Wingate prize has a long and prestigious history, celebrating the broad spectrum of talented and remarkable writers who have explored Jewish themes, making them accessible and compelling for the general reader.

“As a panel, we are thrilled to be judging this prize in a year when so many interesting books have been published. We look forward to some stimulating discussions in the months to come”.

The prize long list is due to be announced in November, with the short list following in January. The winner will be announced in February.