Program Description: "When Yiddish Writers Were Rock Stars" with Scott Davis
Step into the world of Yiddish literature at the turn of the twentieth century, when writers like Sholem Aleichem, I. L. Peretz, Mendele Moykher-Sforim, and Jacob Dinezon were celebrities—famous, beloved, and eagerly read by Jews throughout Eastern Europe. Through period photographs, postcards, newspaper headlines, and other historical images, this illustrated talk brings to life the writers who helped shape modern Jewish literature and culture. Discover how these remarkable storytellers educated, inspired, and entertained a generation of Jewish readers hungry for stories written in their own language.
Scott Davis is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, author, publisher, and storyteller. After a 35-year career in public television, Scott found himself drawn into the world of nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century Yiddish literature while adapting Jewish tales for storytelling. Along the way, he discovered the nearly forgotten Yiddish writer Jacob Dinezon and has spent the past twenty years working to restore his literary legacy. Scott is the author of Souls Are Flying! A Celebration of Jewish Stories and the award-winning Chanukah Tales from Oykvetchnik.
