What Must Be Forgotten: The Survival of Yiddish in Zionist Palestine

As Zionism took root in Palestine, European Yiddish was employed within a dominant Hebrew context. A complex relationship between cultural politics and Jewish writing ensued that paved the way for modern Israeli culture. This enlightening volume reveals a previously unrecognized, alternative literature that flourished vigorously without legitimacy. Significant examples discussed include ethnically ambiguous fiction of Zalmen Brokhes, minority-oriented works of Avrom Rivess, and culturally pluralistic poetry by Rikuda Potash. The remote locales of these writers, coupled with the exuberant expressiveness of Yiddish, led to unique perceptions of Zionist endeavors in the Yishuv.

Using rare archival material and personal interviews, What Must Be Forgotten unearths dimensions largely neglected in mainstream books on Yiddish and/or Hebrew studies.

Author: Yael Chaver
Publisher: Syracuse University Press
Published: 11/01/2004
Pages: 238
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.11lbs
Size: 8.48h x 5.80w x 0.86d
ISBN: 9780815630500

Review Citation(s):
Choice 04/01/2005 pg. 1397