YIVO in the News/Staff Notes – July 2014

The Yiddish Daily Forward ran two features focusing on YIVO on July 17: A geshikhte fun YIVO [A History of YIVO], a review of Cecile Kuznitz’s book YIVO and the Making of Modern Jewish Culture by Gennady Estraikh, YIVO’s new Albert B. Ratner Visiting Scholar in East European Jewish Literature; and Khayem Grades arkhiv antplekt [Chaim Grade’s Archive Revealed], a report on YIVO’s public program "YIVO's Newest Treasure: The Chaim Grade and Ina Hecker-Grade Archive" (July 13). Professor Estraikh is quoted, along with Professor Agi Legutko (director of the Yiddish language program at Columbia University and an instructor in the YIVO-Bard Winter Program on Ashkenazic Civilization) in a Jewish News Service article, "Nearly lost Yiddish language increasingly popular among Jewish college students."

When, sadly, the Congress for Jewish Culture closed its doors earlier this month, articles in The New York Times, the Forward’s blog, The Arty Semite, and The Yiddish Daily Forward noted that the archives of the organization will be donated to YIVO.

YIVO’s public program, "Rethinking Jabotinsky" is featured on the website of The Jewish Review of Books, along with video of the event. Yedies’ interview with Joshua Karlip about his book The Tragedy of a Generation is linked to from an article in Revel@75, a Yeshiva University blog.

Bits and pieces about the history of YIVO were posted on the Internet this past month: The role of Jakub Szulman in the founding of YIVO in 1925 is mentioned in a website devoted to the work of Izrael Lejzerowicz, a Jewish poet and artist in the Lodz Ghetto. The first ever exhibition devoted to Roman Vishniac by YIVO in 1944 is mentioned in article about a new exhibition of the photographer’s work in Amsterdam. And we have recently come across this item from the archives of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency: "Einstein Urges Support for Scientific Institute" (April 17, 1925), which reports on a message from the scientist to historian Simon Dubnow soon after the announcement of the establishment of YIVO.

Retiring Drew University Theological Librarian Dr. Ernie Rubinstein has included The YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe on a short list of recommended reference works.

Thanks to Jessica Tauber for research assistance.