Halkin won a National Jewish Book Award in 1978 for his first original book Letters to an American Jewish Friend: A Zionist's Polemic (1977).[5] He expressed why American Jews should immigrate to Israel.[3]
Halkin's second book, Across the Sabbath River (2002), is a work of travel literature in which he goes in search of the truth behind the mystery of the Ten Lost Tribes. He became increasingly interested in the Bnei Menashe—who began to immigrate to Israel from India in the late 20th century—and helped to arrange DNA testing for the group in 2003 in Haifa.[6] Since then, he has written A Strange Death: a novel based on the local history of Zikhron Ya'akov, where he resides. His intellectual biography of Yehuda Halevi won a 2010 National Jewish Book Award.[7][8]
In 2012, Halkin published his first novel, Melisande! What Are Dreams? The critic D. G. Myers described it as a "unique and moving study of marriage, a love letter to conjugal love."[9]
Halkin is the author of the Philologos column, originally in The Forward, and later in Mosaic. The American literary critic, Edward Alexander, identified him as the author of the column. Mira Sucharov of Canadian Jewish News claimed that "Philologos" is Halkin's pseudonym.[10][11] Halkin later admitted to being the author.[12]
^"Past Winners of the National Jewish Book Award for the Israel category". Jewish Book Council. Archived from the original on 2020-03-08. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
^Marc Tracy, "Halkin Wins National Jewish Book Award," Tablet, January 11, 2011.
^"Past Winners". Jewish Book Council. Retrieved 2020-01-21.
^D. G. Myers, "Let My People Go," Commentary 113 (April 2012): 69.
^Edward Alexander (9 February 2017). "Reflections on Death, Mourning and the Afterlife in the Jewish Tradition". Algemeiner Journal. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
^Sucharov, Mira (24 May 2016). "Making Hatikvah an anthem for all of Israel's citizens". Canadian Jewish News. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
^Ivry, Benjamin (31 August 2021). "Why a master of languages decided to reveal his true identity". The Forward. Retrieved 31 August 2021.