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Person Place Thing
Person Place Thing

Executive director of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research Jonathan Brent

By Randy Cohen
Published July 14, 2025 at 10:47 AM EDT
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Susan Packard

Jonathan Brent, executive director of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, reflects on the powerful experience of working with original archival materials. While YIVO makes millions of its 24 million items accessible online, Brent recalls the visceral impact of holding Lenin’s party card — a reminder that scholarship is both intellectual and deeply personal.

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