yiddish

On Sunday, May 3 at 2 p.m., renowned scholar and curator Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett will explore what it means to put Yiddish on display in The Yiddish Book Center’s 2026 Melinda Rosenblatt Lecture. Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett is University Professor Emerita and Professor Emerita of Performance Studies at New York University and Ronald S. Lauder Chief Curator of the Core Exhibition at POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, in Warsaw and she joins us now.

On this week's 51%, we speak with Emory University Professor Miriam Udel about how a 20th Century movement of Yiddish literature strived to help Jewish children make sense of a tumultuous world and shape the future of Jewish culture. Udel’s latest book on the subject — including how some Yiddish stories helped to promote equality for young girls — is Modern Jewish Worldmaking Through Yiddish Children’s Literature. We also speak with therapist Laurel van der Toorn about how to address “holiday burnout.”

“Yiddish: A Global Culture” at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts is the first ever museum exhibition to showcase the extraordinary vibrancy and breadth of modern Yiddish culture - its literature, theater, art, music, journalism, politics - from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day.David Mazower, Chief Curator and writer of the exhibition and catalog, joins us along with the center’s Director of Publishing and Public Programs, Lisa Newman. They will be at The Bookstore in Lenox December 14 at 4 p.m. to present a conversation and book signing.

The Klezmatics, Eleanor Reissa, Joanne Borts, and Michael Winograd are among the internationally acclaimed performers taking the stage at Yidstock: The Festival of New Yiddish Music, returning to the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts, this Thursday through Sunday.

This week's episode features a fascinating conversation with Zalmen Mlotek and Steven Skybell, who share insights into their work on “Fiddler on the Roof” in Yiddish, a triumph of heritage and performance. Mlotek recalls how Isaac Bashevis Singer once called his mother the "Sherlock Holmes of Yiddish songs," a tribute to her dedication to preserving this rich tradition. The podcast is presented by the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, with special mentions of Joel Grey, The Museum of Jewish Heritage, and three volumes of Yiddish songs that have helped shape their musical journey. Plus, Randy reflects on Achilles and Athena in his "People" segment.

“Yiddish: A Global Culture” is an acclaimed and original permanent exhibition at The Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts. It opened in Fall of 2023. The exhibition features hundreds of rare objects, family heirlooms, photographs, music, and videos that illuminate the expansive story of modern Yiddish cultural reach.Lisa Newman is director of publishing and public programs at The Yiddish Book Center. David Mazower is the center’s research bibliographer and editorial director - and is the chief curator and writer of “Yiddish: A Global Culture.”

The mission of The Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project is to interpret and designate places important to the Borscht Belt’s vibrant history. The first historic marker dedication takes place May 25.

Taking over a century of children’s stories and assembling a comprehensive collection is quite an undertaking. Now, make those stories that were…

Now in its eighth year, Yidstock: The Festival of New Yiddish Music celebrates the best of Klezmer and new Yiddish music with a wide-ranging lineup of…

Now in its 5th year, Yidstock celebrates the best of klezmer and new Yiddish music with a wide-ranging lineup of concerts that demonstrate the diversity…