Ukrainian Jewish Experience through the Lens of Literature

In this immersion, we’ll read some of the most iconic and unforgettable Ukrainian-Jewish writers and poets: Isaac Babel, Sholem Aleichem, Lidiya Ginzburg, Der Nister, and others. Religious or secular, written in Russian or Yiddish, these works bring the old world roaring back with humor, wisdom, tragedy, dreams, eros, and above all, a rich Jewish history. Keeping Ukraine and its people in our hearts minds will be both a balm and a tribute in this difficult time.

Jake Marmer is a poet, performer, and educator. He is the author of three poetry collections: Cosmic Diaspora (Station Hill Press, 2020), as well as The Neighbor Out of Sound (2018) and Jazz Talmud (2012), both from The Sheep Meadow Press. He also released two klez-jazz-poetry records: Purple Tentacles of Thought and Desire (2020, with Cosmic Diaspora Trio), and Hermeneutic Stomp (Blue Fringe Music, 2013). Jake is the poetry critic for Tablet Magazine. Born in the provincial steppes of Ukraine, in a city that was renamed four times in the past 100 years, Jake lives in LA.

All sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.