Keter Publishing House (Hebrew: כתר ספרים Keter Sfarim, "Keter Books") is one of the largest publishers in Israel. It was formed in 2005 through a merger of Keter Publishing (Hebrew: כתר הוצאה לאור Keter Hotsa'a La'or) and Steimatzky. Keter has a large book marketing and distribution network, as well print services and book production for the Israeli domestic and export market.[1] Keter is the most prominent publisher of contemporary Hebrew literature in Israel.[1] Keter also published the first edition of the Encyclopedia Judaica and is a co-publisher of the Junior Britannica.
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Founded in Jerusalem, the company started in 1959 as a government owned company. Originally named the The Israel Program for Scientific Translations (IPST), it was created at the initiative of longtime Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek.[1] The company initially foscused on the translation and publishing of scientific and technical manuscripts from Russian into English, mostly for the National Science Foundation of the United States.[1]
During the 1960s the company expanded its publishing activities into English under the names "Israel Universities Press" (IUP) and "Keter Books".[1] The government sold the company to Meniv Israel Investment Company in 1966 and in 1969 was sold again to Clal Israel, which renamed the company to Keter Publishing House.[1] The company then focused on expanding publishing Judaica and Israel titles for exporting, publishing the acquired Encyclopedia Judaica, and created a printing and bindery division called Keterpress Enterprises.[1]
In 1987 Keter went public. For a time controlling interest was held by Robert Maxwell though Macmillan[2], and then by Arledan, a Jerusalem based investment company.[3] In 2005 Keter and the Steimatzky merged to form "Keter Books."[4]
Keter has published the works of many well known contemporary Israeli authors:
Keter has published many translated works including those of:
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