Preservation of Yiddish Culture

Preservation of Yiddish Culture and Heritage

Сохранение культуры идиша

אָפּהיטן אונדזער ייִדישע קולטור־ירושה

לשמור על תרבות היידיש

Site News: Archive of Sovetish Heymland

Site News: Archive of Sovetish Heymland

Site News: Archive of Sovetish Heymland

The editors of our site are pleased to announce the opening of a new large section: The archive of the legendary Soviet Yiddish magazine Sovetish Heymland. It is still work in progress; at the moment, the available issues cover the period from 1961 to 1965. On our website you can also read about the history of this wonderful periodical. The publication of the magazine’s full archive on the Internet is planned to be completed in the second half of 2024.

The Sovetish Heymland digitization is carried out by the Heritage Project Foundation (USA) and the Yiddish Culture Preservation Foundation (Israel) on the initiative of their founder, Dr. Mark Zilberquit. The project’s partner is the publishing house Knizhniki (Russia). Financial assistance is provided by Academician Grigory Roitberg, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Russian Jewish Congress.

Concert: In a Dark Blue Night

Concert: In a Dark Blue Night

Concert: In a Dark Blue Night

On March 28, 2024, the YIVO Institute in New York hosted a free concert – the premiere of two new Yiddish song cycles named In a Dark Blue Night, created or uniquely arranged by the composer Alex Weiser and performed by the singer Annie Rosen, accompanied by a chamber orchestra. The songs are based on Yiddish poems written in the late 19th and early 20th century. Weiser’s new concert is dedicated to New York and the fate of Jewish immigrants who arrived to America from Eastern European countries over a hundred years ago. An earlier version of the concert’s premiere, performed on March 26 at New York’s Tenement Museum, is available online.

Three Generations of Yiddish

Three Generations of Yiddish

Three Generations of Yiddish

The Leyvik House in Tel Aviv is delighted to host an online literary evening, which will be held on March 31, 2024, dedicated to contemporary Yiddish authors of three different generations – from the famous novelist Boris Sandler to the young writer Shiri Shapira and several poets living in different countries. Participants must register online in advance.

22nd Issue of Yidishland

22nd Issue of Yidishland

22nd Issue of Yidishland

The new 22nd issue of the quarterly magazine Yidishland, dedicate to literature and literary criticism, was published in March 2024. Poetry in this issue is presented with new works by Boris Karloff, Hillel Kazovsky, Moishe Lemster and Michael Layvand; the prose part includes a chapter from Mikhoel Felzenbaum’s new novel Tick-Tock and Velvl Chernin’s story The Khazarian. The unique historical materials includes the memoirs of the artist and art critic Leo Koenig (1889-1970). Yidishland is published entirely in Yiddish and is printed parallelly in Israel and Sweden.

Sabbatai Zevi’s Impact on Literature

Sabbatai Zevi’s Impact on Literature

Sabbatai Zevi’s Impact on Literature

On March 18, the Jewish Community Center of St. Petersburg hosted a lecture by the Yiddish poet and writer Yoel Matveyev on the influence of the false messiah’s Sabbatai Zevi’s mystical movement on world culture and literature. In connection to Saint Patrick’s Day, a special emphasis was placed on early 20th century Irish poetry. Yiddish literature was discussed as well.

Registration for Yiddish Sof-Vokh

Registration for Yiddish Sof-Vokh

Registration for Yiddish Sof-Vokh

Registration has begun for the third annual Yiddish Sof-Vokh (Yiddish Weekend) program in Birmingham. The participants will be able to improve their knowledge of Yiddish through a full three-day immersion in the language. All events, from workshops to dances and nature walks, will be conducted exclusively in Yiddish. The program will be held from June 21 to June 23 at the historical Hillscourt Hotel.