How Chabad Was Born In Smolensk
The Russian city of Smolensk is located in a region that has historically been contested between Russia and Lithuania.
How Vilna’s Jews Rescued Their Books From the Nazis
Using both Jewish and Nazi documentation, David Fishman’s book describes the day-to-day operation of the so-called Paper Brigade.
Recalling The Unsavory Characters Of Jewish History, From ‘Prophets’ To Murderers
The study of Jewish history had two goals: To create an objective picture of the Jewish past and to defend the Jewish people from anti-Semitic libels.
Grigory Kanovich’s Remarkable Love Song For a Lithuanian Shtetl
“Shtetl Love Song” belongs to the genre of homespun shtetl literature, which began with Mendele Mocher Sforim’s autobiography, “Shloyme Ben Khayems.”
A Fable About a Modern King David
Joshua Cohen’s new novel reimagines the Biblical character as the wealthy Jewish owner of a moving company.
The Fantasy Writer, Der Nister, and His Ambivalence Towards Zionism
The memoirs of the Ukrainian author Yuri Smolich reveal interesting aspects of the Soviet Yiddish writer’s personality and ideology.
Jewish Converts in the Russian Empire
During the nineteenth century, romance and spiritual quests convinced a surprising number of Russian Jews to embrace Christianity.
Insightful Biography of Hebrew Poet H. N. Bialik Misses Key Element
The book covers the poet’s Hebrew work and complex personality, but not his Yiddish poems which reveal a different side to his personality.
When Polish Intellectuals Thrived in Pre-State Israel
During World War II, non-Jewish Polish writers stationed in Palestine drew their imagery and symbols from the land’s scenery and Jewish way of life.
The Spirit of Sholem Aleichem Thrives in the Work of Boris Sandler
Boris Sandler has retired from the helm of the Yiddish Forward. But he continues to be one of the most imaginative writers in the language. Mikhail Krutikov assesses Sandler’s pivotal role in Yiddish literature.
