The Shmooze, The Yiddish Book Center's Podcast

Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan sheds some light on "Bar Mitzvah," — a 'shund' (lowbrow), yet culturally priceless, Yiddish film from 1935 starring Yiddish theatrical great Boris Thomashefsky." Episode 0011 March 6, 2012 Yiddish Book Center Amherst, Massachusetts

Philip Roth's short story "Defender of the Faith" - a work that poses some interesting questions about Jewish identity - is on the reading list for the Yiddish Book Center's Great Jewish Books summer program. Aaron Lansky and Josh Lambert engage in a lively discussion about how Roth's work relates to the themes that students will explore this summer. Do you know a rising senior or junior in high s...

Aaron Lansky and Justin Cammy explore the who, the why, and the little-known of Chaim Grade the Litvak Yiddish writer par excellence. Professor Justin Cammy (Smith College), Professor David Fishman (Jewish Theological Seminary), and New York Times reporter Joseph Berger presented a three-day program, "Sabbath Days and Extinguished Stars: The Life and Work of Chaim Grade," on April 20-22, 2012, at...

Aaron Lansky visits with Christa Whitney, the Yiddish Book Center's Wexler Oral History Project director, to talk about her experience with the project, collecting stories, and understanding the art of listening. Episode 0008 February 14, 2012 Yiddish Book Center Amherst, Massachusetts

This week Aaron Lansky updates us on the latest news: scanning Yiddish literature, learning Yiddish, Fellowship applications and oral history internship opportunities, and a sneak preview of our soon-to-be opened Discovery Gallery. Episode 0007 February 2, 2012 Yiddish Book Center Amherst, Massachusetts

Aaron Lansky visits with Yiddish Book Center fellow Jordan Kutzik to discuss the latest news on the trove of reel-to-reel recordings Jordan collected on a recent visit to the Jewish Public Library of Montreal. The recordings, which will be digitized and made accessible online, include readings and lectures by great Yiddish writers, modern Jewish authors, and other notables. Episode 0006 January 24...

Aaron Lansky welcomes Josh Lambert, the Yiddish Book Center's new academic director, and engages him in a conversation about educational programs, modern Jewish literature, and more. Episode 0005 January 19, 2012 Yiddish Book Center Amherst, Massachusetts

The Yiddish Book Center's Steiner Summer Yiddish Program draws college students from around the world for a seven-week intensive Yiddish experience. Aaron Lansky introduces the 2012 faculty and shares the story of his daughter's experience as a student in the program. Visit http://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/steiner-summer-program for information about the program. Episode 0004 January 10, 2012 Yidd...

Is the recently reported "comeback" of Yiddish among college students a new phenomenon? Aaron Lansky talks about the growing interest among a younger generation eager to learn about Yiddish language and culture - the "flip side" of Jewish identity - and he discusses the role the Center has played, and will play, in providing education and resources for the next generation. Episode 0003 January 6,...

"I think it's clear that the only way we're ever going to translate large numbers of titles is to deploy large numbers of translators. And the only way to do that is to train and mobilize a new generation." - Aaron Lansky, from his article "Road Map" in Pakn Treger No. 64 Following the Center's conference Translating Yiddish Literature: Mobilizing a New Generation, Aaron sits down to discuss Yiddi...

Aaron Lansky discusses breakthroughs in the digitization of Yiddish books, including a newly-installed scanning station at the Yiddish Book Center. New technologies and potential collaborations with other institutions bode well for the future of Yiddish books and scholarship. Visit our Steven Spielberg Digital Yiddish Library for free access to more than 11,000 Yiddish titles: http://www.yiddishbo...