Urim Publications
Urim Publications is an independent Jerusalem-based publisher specializing in books on Jewish tradition, religious thought, law, biography, spirituality, and modern Jewish life.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Urim Publications is an independent publishing house established in 1997 by Tzvi Mauer and Moshe Heller. The publisher is based in Jerusalem and has an outlet in Brooklyn, giving it a presence in both Israel and the United States and access to a broad English-language Jewish readership. Its publishing program centers on Jewish interest books, with subjects spanning religious thought, Jewish law, biblical interpretation, spirituality, biography, women and Judaism, and the relationship between Jewish tradition and contemporary life. The company publishes approximately fifteen books per year, indicating a focused specialist list rather than a high-volume general trade operation. Its catalog includes works intended for readers interested in Jewish learning, religious practice, communal life, and personal spirituality. The range extends from practical and interpretive titles, including Passover haggadahs and books on Jewish law, to biographical and intellectual studies of important Jewish figures. Particular areas of interest include the life and writings of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook and the work of Bible educator Nehama Leibowitz. Urim’s list also addresses themes involving women and Judaism, contemporary Jewish identity, and the application of Jewish ideas to modern life. This combination of traditional subject matter and contemporary concerns gives the publisher a role within the specialist Jewish publishing sector: it presents religious and intellectual material for modern readers while maintaining a strong connection to classical Jewish sources and practice. Several Urim titles have received recognition in Jewish literary and educational award programs. Rochel U. Berman’s Dignity Beyond Death: The Jewish Preparation for Burial received the Koret International Jewish Book Award in the Jewish Life & Living category in 2006 and was a runner-up for the 2005 National Jewish Book Award in Contemporary Jewish Life & Practice. Rabbi Levi Meier’s Second Chances: Transforming Bitterness to Hope and the Story of Ruth was also a runner-up for the 2005 National Jewish Book Award in Contemporary Jewish Life & Practice. These distinctions demonstrate the publisher’s visibility in Jewish life, practice, and religious-interest publishing. The available reference material does not identify a parent company, corporate owner, public listing, current executive team, official website, or financial results. Urim Publications is therefore best characterized as an independent specialist publisher whose identity is closely tied to its focused Jewish-interest catalog and its Jerusalem–Brooklyn distribution footprint.
History
Urim Publications was established in 1997 by Tzvi Mauer and Moshe Heller. The company developed as an independent publisher based in Jerusalem, later maintaining an outlet in Brooklyn, New York. Its geographic footprint connects the publisher with Jewish readers in Israel, North America, and the wider international Jewish community. From its beginning, Urim concentrated on Jewish-interest publishing rather than general trade books. Its catalog covers Jewish religious thought, the interaction between Jewish tradition and modern life, Jewish law, Bible commentary, Passover haggadahs, modern Jewish biographies, and spirituality. The publisher also develops books concerning women and Judaism and has maintained particular interest in the life and writings of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook and the scholarship of Nehama Leibowitz. Urim’s output is described as approximately fifteen books per year. This relatively focused publishing rhythm is consistent with a specialist house that selects titles for their relevance to Jewish learning, practice, identity, and religious culture. The catalog combines works addressing practical religious subjects with interpretive, biographical, and spiritual books intended for general readers and students of Judaism. The publisher gained recognition through the reception of individual titles in Jewish book-award programs. Rochel U. Berman’s Dignity Beyond Death: The Jewish Preparation for Burial was a runner-up for the 2005 National Jewish Book Award in Contemporary Jewish Life & Practice and subsequently received the Koret International Jewish Book Award in Jewish Life & Living in 2006. Rabbi Levi Meier’s Second Chances: Transforming Bitterness to Hope and the Story of Ruth was also a runner-up for the 2005 National Jewish Book Award in Contemporary Jewish Life & Practice. The available reference material does not provide a detailed account of later corporate developments, ownership changes, acquisitions, financial performance, or a current executive structure. Urim Publications is nevertheless identified as an independent publisher, and its established Jerusalem base, Brooklyn outlet, specialist catalog, and award-recognized titles define its documented position in Jewish-interest publishing.
- 2006
Dignity Beyond Death wins Koret award
[1]Rochel U. Berman’s book receives the Koret International Jewish Book Award in Jewish Life & Living.
- 2005
Two Urim titles receive National Jewish Book Award recognition
[1]Dignity Beyond Death and Second Chances are recognized as runners-up in Contemporary Jewish Life & Practice.
- 1997
Urim Publications is established
[1]Tzvi Mauer and Moshe Heller establish the independent publisher in Jerusalem.
Products and positioning
Independent specialist publisher serving readers of Jewish religious, intellectual, educational, and cultural literature, with a catalog connecting Jewish tradition to contemporary life.
Jewish life and practice · 2005
Dignity Beyond Death: The Jewish Preparation for Burial
Rochel U. Berman’s book addresses Jewish preparation for burial and related questions of dignity, ritual, and communal practice. The title received substantial recognition in Jewish book awards, including the Koret International Jewish Book Award in Jewish Life & Living and runner-up status for the National Jewish Book Award in Contemporary Jewish Life & Practice.
Jewish spirituality and biblical interpretation · 2005
Second Chances: Transforming Bitterness to Hope and the Story of Ruth
Rabbi Levi Meier’s book combines reflection on emotional transformation with interpretation of the biblical story of Ruth. Its focus on moving from bitterness toward hope places it within Urim’s broader interest in spirituality, Jewish tradition, and the application of religious narratives to contemporary life.
Jewish religious practice
Passover haggadahs
Urim’s catalog includes Passover haggadahs, supporting the publisher’s focus on books used in Jewish ritual, education, and family observance. The available reference material does not identify particular editions or titles.
Jewish thought and biography
Books on Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook
Works concerning the life and writings of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook form one of the publisher’s identified areas of interest. These titles relate to Jewish religious thought, biography, and intellectual history.
Bible commentary and Jewish education
Works related to Nehama Leibowitz
Urim publishes works connected with Nehama Leibowitz, reflecting an interest in Bible study, Jewish education, and modern approaches to traditional Jewish texts.
Recent events
- 2006
Dignity Beyond Death wins Koret International Jewish Book Award[1]
Other
Dignity Beyond Death: The Jewish Preparation for Burial received the Koret International Jewish Book Award in the Jewish Life & Living category.
- 2005
Dignity Beyond Death receives Jewish book awards recognition[1]
Other
Rochel U. Berman’s Dignity Beyond Death: The Jewish Preparation for Burial was recognized as a runner-up for the National Jewish Book Award in Contemporary Jewish Life & Practice.
- 2005
Second Chances receives National Jewish Book Award recognition[1]
Other
Rabbi Levi Meier’s Second Chances: Transforming Bitterness to Hope and the Story of Ruth was named a runner-up in the National Jewish Book Award category for Contemporary Jewish Life & Practice.
- 1997
Urim Publications founded in Jerusalem[1]
Other
Tzvi Mauer and Moshe Heller established Urim Publications as an independent publisher focused on Jewish-interest books.
Sources1 sources
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