New Yiddish Literature

Modern Yiddish literature, which experienced its cultural peak in the 1920s and 1930s, has entered a new phase in its history. Over the past decade, an unprecedented wave of Yiddish literature translations into English has significantly expanded access to this distinct minority culture. Until recently, only a small fraction of Yiddish literary production was available in translation—estimates are than less than five percent of Yiddish literary output has been translated into English and other languages. The recent surge in translations is reshaping our understanding of Ashkenazic cultural heritage and invites a reconfiguration of the established literary canons. This course surveys recent translations from Yiddish literature, including prose, drama, poetry and satirical sketches, focusing on both previously canonized authors and understudied works by women who were excluded from traditional literary canons. Through close reading and discussion, we will consider how these works engage with the modern human condition and the Jewish experience in particular, and how relevant they are in the twenty-first century. Employing a comparative gender approach as analytical lenses, we will explore questions of identity, cultural memory, trauma, and most importantly, the ways in which modernity negotiates its relationship with the past. The course puts emphasis on developing skills in critical, analytical, and abstract thinking in relation to the discussed works, as well as the ability to articulate that critical thinking in writing. This course is part of the digital humanities project Mapping Yiddish New York, which focuses on building an online archive as a way of meaningful engagement with the past and exploring the cultural history of New York City. As part of the course, students will conduct archival research and interview with contemporary Yiddish writers and translators in order to create encyclopedia-style entries for publication on the Mapping Yiddish New York website. No knowledge of Yiddish required; all texts will be taught in English translation