SUNY in Contemporary Jewish Literature and Culture

Translations of selected poems by the Yiddish writer, covering the full scope of his oeuvre. Described by Ruth Wisse as one of "the most original and distinctive voices in Yiddish poetry," Moyshe-Leybe Halpern (1886–1932) was born in Zlochov, in present-day western Ukraine. When he was twelve, his father sent him to Vienna to study sign painting, and during his ten years there he studied German literature and wrote his first poems in German before returning to Zlochov in 1907, where he began to write in Yiddish. The following year, he immigrated to New York, where a diverse community of Yiddish writers awaited him. During his lifetime, he published two volumes of poetry-In New York (1919) and The Golden Peacock (1924). A third volume was published posthumously, in 1934. Drawing from these three volumes, poet and translator Richard Fein offers a selection of Halpern's poetry that covers the full scope of his career. Fein's translations appear alongside the original Yiddish while an introduction by Larry Rosenwald situates Halpern in his historic and literary context.

Reveals the significance of photography in modern Jewish history and memory. Rethinking Jewish History and Memory Through Photography highlights the significant role of photography in modern Jewish history and memory. Considering photographs as unique documents that not only depict reality but also shape how it is perceived and remembered, the volume emphasizes the importance of careful photographic analysis in understanding modern Jewish experiences, self-perceptions, and memories. Bringing together leading and emerging scholars, the book offers a range of innovative approaches to central themes in modern Jewish history, including nationalism, migration, race, and antisemitism. In addition to the discussion of various case studies, a variety of methodological approaches for the current and future use of photoanalysis by scholars are presented.