In a moment when language feels fragile and identity contested, poet Matthew Lippman turns to poetry as both resistance and refuge. His new collection, King of the Jews (Ben Yehuda Press), written after October 7, confronts grief, joy, and the courage to stand unapologetically Jewish in the face of antisemitism. Through an interactive format—reading one poem at a time and inviting discussion—Lippman transforms the reading into a living conversation.

Matthew Lippman is the author of 9 poetry collections. His latest collection, We Are All Sleeping With Our Sneakers On (2024), is published by Four Way Books. His previous collection Mesmerizingly Sadly Beautiful (2020) is published by Four Way Books. It was the recipient of the 2018 Levis Prize. In 2026 his collection, King of the Jews will be published by Ben Yehuda Press. In 2027 his collection, CryBaby Cry, will be published by Four Way Books. He is the recipient of numerous awards including a Michener/Engle Poetry Fellowship, a New York State Council on the Arts Grant, and the Jerome Shestak Poetry Award from The American Poetry Review.