A Medium for the Masses: The Yiddish Press and the Shaping of American Jewish Culture

The Yiddish press in America flourished during the early 20th century, showcasing the diversity of the American Jewish community. Fueled by immigrants from Eastern Europe, the American Yiddish press catered to Yiddish-speaking Jews of all backgrounds, levels of religious observance, and political beliefs. Newsstands displayed a wide variety of publications from the Yiddish press: anarchist, religious, Zionist, satirical, and everything in between.
This symposium will look back on more than 150 years of the Yiddish press in the United States, examining its role as a vehicle of acculturation, a forum for political and ideological debates, and a seedbed for the growth of a mass culture among Jews worldwide.
Scholars include Ayelet Brinn, Matthew Brittingham, Eric Goldstein, Ellen Kellman, Tony Michels, William Pimlott, Eddy Portnoy, Gil Ribak, Ri Turner, Nina Warnke, and Saul Noam Zaritt.
View the schedule: yivo.org/cimag...