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Between Two Worlds:

Yiddish: An Intro to Language and Culture (On One Foot!)

Go beyond the stereotypes to explore the origins and evolution of this global language, with an emphasis on its vast literature and vibrant culture.

Yiddish has been one of the most widely spoken Jewish languages in history. Yet it is often misunderstood, maligned, or reductively imagined as a jargon of jokes or a mongrel tongue. In this presentation, we'll go beyond the stereotypes to explore the origins and evolution of this global language, with an emphasis on its vast literature and vibrant culture. And why on one foot? You'll just have to hop on in to find out!

Patrons attend in person, Sebastian Schulman presents virtually from the Yiddish Book Center.

Submit a request for a program accommodation. Learn more about accommodations and accessibility at DGPL.

Sebastian Schulman (he/him) is a multilingual writer, literary translator, and independent scholar working in and between English, French, Yiddish, Esperanto, Russian, and other languages. His work has appeared in anthologies and literary journals including Words Without Borders, Two Lines, and Electric Literature. Schulman’s translation of Spomenka Stimec’s Esperanto-language novel Croatian War Nocturnal was published by Phoneme Media. He has held leadership positions at several cultural institutions, currently serving as the director of special projects and partnerships at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, MA. He divides his time between western Massachusetts and Montréal, Québec.

Deepen your understanding of Yiddish literature and Jewish life, religion, and culture through DGPL and the Yiddish Book Center: Public Libraries Program. The library is honored to have been chosen, along with 38 other libraries, to participate in this year's program: Between Two Worlds: Exploring Jewish Culture and Religion through Yiddish Literature. Join us throughout September and October to learn about the incredible diversity in religions, cultures, and identities throughout the community. 

This program is in partnership with the Yiddish Book Center and the American Library Association, and is made possible thanks to a generous grant form the Lilly Endowment, Inc.

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