East End Jews: Sketches from the London Yiddish Press

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Translators: Vivi Lachs, Barry Smerin

Through the words of twenty-six Yiddish writers, this book offers an unparalleled view into the life, labor, politics, and joys of London’s historical Jewish East End community, from its heyday in the 1890s until the 1950s. Drawing from the light feuilleton section of the London Yiddish press, these deceptively accessible, often humorous sketches capture incisive and sometimes cheeky encounters with challenges and debates of the time. Translated for the first time by Vivi Lachs and Barry Smerin, these narratives highlight the complex interactions between Jewish immigrants and their British surroundings, from celebrating a new Torah scroll to enlisting in the British army during World War I without citizenship. Sketches take readers on a journey through local tradition and significant social change, tracing the ideas and events that impacted the community, including women’s independence and periods of poverty. Detailed historical context, biographies of each writer, and evocative illustrations support this meaningful collection of urban sketches and enrich our understanding of the Jewish East End.

Year first published: 2025