2026 Short fiction contest now live.
Submission deadline is September 30, 2026.
Meet this year’s judge
Author Joan Leegant, a two-time winner of The Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest, shares her writing process and offers tips for writers.
Hear from past winners
“Winning the Moment Magazine Karma Foundation short fiction contest is a huge honor! We writers toil over our collections of sentences, doing our best to move readers to emotion that transcends all those fiddly words. There’s nothing like knowing the effort delivered. Writing lets me connect the present moment to my heritage, and this contest has given me an avenue to share that work with the world. I’m grateful to have an audience for my stories and an opportunity to discover the exceptional work of other writers dedicated to this genre.”
—Ilana Marcus, 2024 contest winner
“Writing is mysterious. There is a tension between the privacy of writing from within and connecting to those outside. Such a tension is rarely resolved. And writing about the theme of Jewishness in these difficult times is even harder. It takes time to develop a short story, as long as it takes to write a novel, I’d contend. It’s an arduous and often thankless process. To have The Laugh, the short story I’d written, recognised so thoughtfully by the Moment-Karma award was a deeply joyful feeling. Receiving the news about the award is something that will stay with me, and has given me confidence for further writing.”
—Ralph Levinson, 2023 contest winner
About the contest
The Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest encourages writers to submit stories related to Judaism or Jewish culture or history.
Established in 2000, this contest has brought in distinguished judges and special guests including Joyce Carol Oates, Robert Pinsky, Walter Mosley, Nicole Krauss, Erica Jong, Jonathan Safran Foer, Geraldine Brooks, Andre Aciman and Dara Horn. This year’s judge is Joan Leegant.
Moment will award up to three prizes to outstanding works of unpublished short fiction with Jewish content, including $1,000 for first place.
After the submission deadline, Moment editors will review all stories and contact winners if their stories are being considered for publication. Moment Magazine reserves the right at all times to select material for publishing. All selected material is subject to editing by Moment editors.
Contest details
$25 for each entry (multiple submissions are accepted).
For each entry, submit an original short story—maximum length 5,000 words— with Jewish themes. You must acknowledge that you have read and agreed with the Official Contest Rules.
No previously published works, or works already accepted for publication elsewhere, are eligible. Work may be under consideration elsewhere, but must be withdrawn from the competition if accepted for publication.
Moment is not responsible for information in previous guidelines or advertisements. All deadlines may be extended or changed and may carry over into the next calendar year. Moment Magazine and the Karma Foundation are not liable for any misprints or errors of any kind.
Past Winners
2024
Judge: Richard Zimler
First place: Ilana Marcus, “What to Say”
Second place: Chavah Chernobelskiy, “The Artist”
Third place: Basia Winograd, “The Villa on Targova”
Honorable mention: Marla Braverman, “This is How the World Ends”
Honorable mention: Nicole Hazan, “The Hotel”
2023
Judge: Rebecca Goldstein
First place: Ralph Levinson, “The Laugh”
Second place: Talia Blatt, “Overnight Shift”
Second place (tie): Michael Orbach,“Sounds Turtles Make”
Honorable mention: Talya Jankovits, “The Golem Mother of the Catskills”
Honorable mention: Melissa Pheterson, “Vessel”
2022
Judge: Allegra Goodman
First place: Steven Bieler, “Arguing with Reinfeld“
Second place: David Tuchman, “Chelm, NJ“
Third place: Ilana Marcus, “Night of Broken Glass“
2021
Judge: Susan Coll
First place: Anne Schott, “Why is there a Buddhist at this Seder”
Second place: Hillel Damron, “Calculated Moves“
2020
Judge: Ruby Namdar
First place: Omer Friedlander, “The Man Who Sold Air in the Holy Land”
Second place: Linda Brettler, “Private“
Third place: Rona Arato, “Polonaise“
Honorable mention: Ruth Sutton, “Little Miracles”
2019
Judge: Max Brooks
First place: Diana Bletter, “What if I’ve Changed my Mind”
Second place: Joan Mora, “The Anniversary Camera”
Third place: Phillip Cohen, “Call me Gefilte”
2018
Judge: André Aciman
First place: Jed Phillip Cohen, “Goldfader in Full”
Second place: Joan Leegant, “The Eleventh Happiest Country”
2017
Judge: Susan Coll
First place: Michalle Gould, “The Garden of Evil”
Second place: Judith Kay Jacobson,“The Mark”
2015
Judge: Jami Attenberg
First place: Miriam Karmel, “Summer is for People”
Second place: Jason K. Friedman, “Vanished Jews of Hetta“
2014
Judge: Alice Hoffman
First place: Paul B. Cohen, “Lecha Dodi”
Second place: Danielle Leshaw, “Killing Brother Michael”
Third place: Courtney Sender,”Lead Apron“
2013
Judge: Alan Cheuse
First place: Becky Tuch, “The Inker”
Second place: Lauren Watel, “The Nothing of History”
Third place: Roberta Newman, “The Girl of the Comet”
Winners of the 2013 Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest read from their entries at the Jewish Museum of New York. Joyce Carol Oates and Alan Cheuse in conversation
2011
Judge: Walter Mosley
First place: Joan Leegant, “Roots”
Second place: Ruchama King Feuerman, “A Beggar’s Place”
Third place: Avital Chizhik, “Those Who Go About the City“
2010
Judge: Nicole Krauss
First place: Jason K. Friedman, “Blue”
Second place: Dalia Rosenfeld, “Infections”
Third place: Laura Price Steele, “Processes”
2009
Judge: Erica Jong
First place: Sherri Mandell, “Jerusalem Stone”
Second place: Sally Schloss, “The Goose Girl”
Third place: Kathryn Winter, “Mirušenka Moja“
Sherri Mandell, winner of the 2009 Moment Magazine Karma Short Fiction Contest, reads an excerpt of her story, “Jerusalem Stone,” and speaks about the importance of Jewish short fiction.
2008
Judge: Anita Diamant
First place: Racelle Rosett, “Levi”
Second place: Judith Groudine Finkel, “Two By Four”
Third place: Amy Graubart Katz, “The Kiss“
2007
Judge: Geraldine Brooks
First place: Joe Kraus, “How Beautiful Are Your Tents, O Jacob”
Second place: Andi Arnovitz, “Three Dreams”
Third place: Ellen Davis Sullivan, “Yiddish Land“
2006
Judge: Jonathan Safran Foer
First place: Shaun Levin, “Mark Gertler in 13 Sketches”
Second place: Lisa K. Buchanan, “Trade Show”
Third place: Sande Boritz Berger, “The Sweetness”
2005
Judge: Judy Budnitz
First place: Susan Messer, “Remnants, Like Dust in Pocket Seams”
Second place: Andrew Fox, “Raoul Wallenberg in Orbit”
Third place: Isaac Leung, “Notes on Jewish Beauty (or Tamara Herschel)“
2004
First place: Sharon Solwitz, “After Talking, What?“
2003
Judges: Harvey Grossinger, Joyce Kornblatt and Jon Papernick
First place: Edward Schwarzchild, “No Rest for the Middleman“
2002
Judges: Pearl Abraham, Rachel Kadish and Harvey Grossinger
First place: Reena Ribalow, “Immortality”
2001
Judges: Allegra Goodman, Anne Roiphe, and Harvey Grossinger
First place: Leah Lax, “Berkeh’s Story”
Past Winners
2024
Judge: Richard Zimler
First place: Ilana Marcus, “What to Say”
Second place: Chavah Chernobelskiy, “The Artist”
Third place: Basia Winograd, “The Villa on Targova”
Honorable mention: Marla Braverman, “This is How the World Ends”
Honorable mention: Nicole Hazan, “The Hotel”
2023
Zoominar with Rebecca Goldstein
Judge: Rebecca Goldstein
First place: Ralph Levinson, “The Laugh”
Second place: Talia Blatt, “Overnight Shift”
Second place (tie): Michael Orbach,“Sounds Turtles Make”
Honorable mention: Talya Jankovits, “The Golem Mother of the Catskills”
Honorable mention: Melissa Pheterson, “Vessel
2022
Judge: Allegra Goodman
First place: Steven Bieler, “Arguing with Reinfeld“
Second place: David Tuchman, “Chelm, NJ“
Third place: Ilana Marcus, “Night of Broken Glass“
2021
Judge: Susan Coll
First place: Anne Schott, “Why is there a Buddhist at this Seder”
Second place: Hillel Damron, “Calculated Moves“
2020
Judge: Ruby Namdar
First place: Omer Friedlander, “The Man Who Sold Air in the Holy Land”
Second place: Linda Brettler, “Private“
Third place: Rona Arato, “Polonaise“
Honorable mention: Ruth Sutton, “Little Miracles”
2019
Judge: Max Brooks
First place: Diana Bletter, “What if I’ve Changed my Mind”
Second place: Joan Mora, “The Anniversary Camera”
Third place: Phillip Cohen, “Call me Gefilte”
2018
Judge: André Aciman
First place: Jed Phillip Cohen, “Goldfader in Full”
Second place: Joan Leegant, “The Eleventh Happiest Country”
2017
Judge: Susan Coll
First place: Michalle Gould, “The Garden of Evil”
Second place: Judith Kay Jacobson,“The Mark”
2016
Judge: Nicholas Delbanco with Robert Pinsky
First place: Steven Volynets, “Turboatom”
Read an interview with the author here
2015
Judge: Jami Attenberg
First place: Miriam Karmel, “Summer is for People”
Second place: Jason K. Friedman, “Vanished Jews of Hetta”
2014
Judge: Alice Hoffman
First place: Paul B. Cohen, “Lecha Dodi”
Second place: Danielle Leshaw, “Killing Brother Michael”
Third place: Courtney Sender,”Lead Apron”
2013
Joyce Carol Oates and Alan Cheuse in Conversation
Judge: Alan Cheuse
First place: Becky Tuch, “The Inker”
Second place: Lauren Watel, “The Nothing of History”
Third place: Roberta Newman, “The Girl of the Comet”
2011
Judge: Walter Mosley
First place: Joan Leegant, “Roots”
Second place: Ruchama King Feuerman, “A Beggar’s Place”
Third place: Avital Chizhik, “Those Who Go About the City“
2010
Judge: Nicole Krauss
First place: Jason K. Friedman, “Blue”
Second place: Dalia Rosenfeld, “Infections”
Third place: Laura Price Steele, “Processes”
2009
Judge: Erica Jong
First place: Sherri Mandell, “Jerusalem Stone”
Second place: Sally Schloss, “The Goose Girl”
Third place: Kathryn Winter, “Mirušenka Moja“
2008
Judge: Anita Diamant
First place: Racelle Rosett, “Levi”
Second place: Judith Groudine Finkel, “Two By Four”
Third place: Amy Graubart Katz, “The Kiss“
2007
Judge: Geraldine Brooks
First place: Joe Kraus, “How Beautiful Are Your Tents, O Jacob”
Second place: Andi Arnovitz, “Three Dreams”
Third place: Ellen Davis Sullivan, “Yiddish Land“
2006
Judge: Jonathan Safran Foer
First place: Shaun Levin, “Mark Gertler in 13 Sketches”
Second place: Lisa K. Buchanan, “Trade Show”
Third place: Sande Boritz Berger, “The Sweetness”
2005
Judge: Judy Budnitz
First place: Susan Messer, “Remnants, Like Dust in Pocket Seams”
Second place: Andrew Fox, “Raoul Wallenberg in Orbit”
Third place: Isaac Leung, “Notes on Jewish Beauty (or Tamara Herschel)“