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Rise Up! Revolution or Class Mobility: Anglo-Yiddish Poems and Songs as Agents of Political Debate 1884-1914
| THURSDAY 13 JUNE 2013 | 6:30PM |
| RUTH GAY SEMINAR IN JEWISH STUDIES |
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Presented by Vivi Lachs, University of London Moderated by Itzik Gottesman, Associate Editor, Forward (Yiddish Edition) RSVP Required: fmohrer@yivo.cjh.org | 212.294.6143 From the 1880s, the wave of immigration that brought East European Jews to New York also brought substantial numbers to the East End of London. In London's over-crowded housing and job market, immigrants struggled to make a living within the 'sweated trades.' Attempts to organize and unionize Jewish workers were led largely by socialists who rallied workers to strike, agitate and demonstrate for the improvement of their working conditions. Socialist activist and poet Morris Winchevsky came to London in 1879. As editor of much of the London Yiddish socialist press, he published poetry as an instrument of political debate. Popular among the Jewish immigrant workers, his poems were declaimed in meetings and sung at demonstrations. In her talk Vivi Lachs will explore the strategies Winchevsky used in his poetry to impart ideas of socialism to immigrants in London. She will also discuss the factors which most influenced the Jewish working class in London and which ultimately undermined Winchevsky's success. Lachs' presentation will touch on issues such as unionization, the role of Jewish philanthropic organizations and the phenomenon of upward mobility in East End London. The talk will also include examples of popular poems and songs which throw light on the interface between the politics and culture of the time and which have been previously unexplored in the historiography of the period. |
| Vivi Lachs is a PhD student in history and music at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her thesis explores Anglo-Yiddish poetry and song that tell of the British immigrant experience 1880-1914, and analyzes the role of these creative texts as agents in political and social debate. Prior to starting her Ph.D. Program Vivi Lachs worked in secondary school education in London. Vivi Lachs is also a Yiddish folk singer with a London based Klezmer band specializing in Yiddish songs of London. Some of these are produced on the CD titled "Whitechapel, mayn vaytshepl." Itzik Gottesman is Associate Editor of the Yiddish edition of the Forward in New York. Dr. Gottesman holds a PhD in Folklore and Folklife from the University of Pennsylvania. His publications include Defining the Yiddish Nation: The Yiddish Folklorists of Poland (Wayne State University Press). Dr. Gottesman has taught courses in Yiddish language and Folklore at the University of Texas at Austin, and at the University of Pennsylvania as well as at a variety of seminars, workshops and summer programs in the U.S., Germany, Canada and France. His most recent lecture and conference topics include "Toward a Compendium of Jewish Customs in Yiddish Literature," "The Yiddish Radio and Yiddish Press," and "The Life of the Yiddish Folksinger." Dr. Gottesman is Director of the “An-sky Jewish Folklore Research Project‟ Center for Traditional Music and Dance, NYC and directs the website "Yiddish Song of the Week" to highlight rare Yiddish folksong recordings, yiddishsong.wordpress.com. Inaugurated in 2008 thanks to a major gift from the family of Ruth Gay, the Ruth Gay Seminar in Jewish Studies takes place several times a year at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. Established in honor of Ruth Gay (1922-2006), the noted American Jewish historian and writer, the seminar series is given by scholars who have used the resources of the YIVO Archives and who wish to share their research with the public. |
| Admission: FREE RSVP Required: fmohrer@yivo.cjh.org | 212.294.6143 |
| Venue: YIVO Institute at the Center for Jewish History | 15 West 16th Street - NYC view map For directions and parking information, click HERE All public programs are wheelchair accessible. A limited number of assistive listening devices are available for deaf and hard of hearing individuals upon request. |