Yiddishkeit
Jewish Vernacular & The New Land
Edited by Harvey Peckar and Paul Buhle with Herschel Hartman, Introduction by Neal Gabler
2011, Abrams ComicArts
A fully-fleged primer to Yiddish culture in its prime and its contemporary revival. In its introduction, Neil Gabler explains that comics a fitting medium for highlighting Yiddish culture. He compares Yiddish to the culture of comics, that there’s “nothing highfalutin or literary” about them and that foundational to both are their embrace of outsider status, and democratization of ideas (pg.9).
The book includes comics essays from a variety of sources, several from the late Harvey Peckar. In sections on Yiddish Classics, the Yiddish Press, Yiddish Poets, and Yiddish Modernists, Peckar introduces us to a variety of influential figures in the Yiddish cultural sphere. While introducing readers to an author, poet, or press group, he provides intriguing and often comedic perspective on their perception at the time, and how literary critics have responded since. He also gives us a taste of some of the most noteworthy of their contributions to Yiddish literature. These are useful starting points for anyone interested in learning more about particular movements or Yiddish literary works. The second section is centered on Yiddish theater and film, with translated plays and one-page comics about the cultural impact of several significant Yiddish plays, or the contrast between Yiddish and English adaptations. The final section introduces the reader to significant figures and directions of the Yiddish Revival, including Aaron Lansky, the founder of the Yiddish Book Center.
The work is very informative and engaging. I definitely recommend this book if you’re interested in learning about the richness of Yiddish history, culture, and its contemporary revival.