The Yiddish Book Center and the Fund for Translation of Jewish Literature presented a working conference on November 12-13, 2011 entitled, Translating Yiddish Literature: Mobilizing a New Generation.  Nearly 100 translators, scholars, teachers, publishers, and readers gathered at the Yiddish Book Center to explore contemporary challenges and opportunities in the field of Yiddish translation. Participants discussed strategies for supporting and training translators who can do justice to the richness of Yiddish literature, and for using new media technologies to make the work of translation more collaborative and its products more accessible. What the conference made palpable, above all, was the excitement of everyone involved about translation as a practice and as a means for introducing Yiddish culture to wider national and international audiences.

• Click here to view the full conference schedule.
• Visit the translation forum and listen to the conference sessions.

• 

  Title:

  Welcome to the Yiddish Book Center

  Description:

  Arriving at the registration table are (L to R) Joshua Lambert, Justin Cammy, Rabbi Benjamin Weiner, and Lawrence Rosenwald.

  Credits:

  Photo: Ben Barnhart

• 

  Title:

  Aaron Lansky et al.

  Description:

  Yiddish Book Center founder and president, Aaron Lansky, greets several alumni who attended the conference.

  Credits:

  Photo: Ben Barnhart

• 

  Title:

  Lawrence Rosenwald (Wellesley College)

  Description:

  Lawrence Rosenwald's keynote address raised all of the critical issues and set the tone for the rest of the proceedings.

  Credits:

  Photo: Ben Barnhart

• 

  Title:

  Anita Norich (University of Michigan)

  Description:

  Anita Norich participated in a panel entitled, "25,000 Titles to Go: The Current State of Yiddish Translation."

  Credits:

  Photo: Ben Barnhart

• 

  Title:

  Zachary Baker (Stanford University)

  Description:

  As is shown on the screen at right, Zachary Baker's talk reviewed the corpus of Yiddish literature and talked about the challenges of translation efforts.

  Credits:

  Photo: Ben Barnhart

• 

  Title:

  New Media, New Readers: Publications in the Digital Age.

  Description:

  Chaired by Ilan Stavans (Amherst College), this panel included Joshua Lambert (New York University, Tablet), Faith Jones (University of British Columbia), and Susan Harris (Words without Borders).

  Credits:

  Photo: Ben Barnhart

• 

  Title:

  Barbara Harshav (Yale University; President, American Literary Translators Association)

  Description:

  Barbara Harshav presented at a panel entitled, "What Do New Yiddish Translators Need to Succeed?" Also seated at the table are Justin Cammy (Smith College), Solon Beinfeld (Washington University, ret.; editor-in-chief, Boston-Medem Yiddish-English Dictionary) and Rebecca Margolis (University of Ottawa).

  Credits:

  Photo: Ben Barnhart

• 

  Title:

  Technical issues with translation.

  Description:

  Rebecca Margolis and Deborah Rothman, a Yiddish teacher and Yiddish Book Center member, download a program for typing in Yiddish.

  Credits:

  Photo: Ben Barnhart

• 

  Title:

  Esn! Eat!

  Description:

  There was also time to shmues and enjoy a good meal.

  Credits:

  Photo: Ben Barnhart

• 

  Title:

  Wrapping up.

  Description:

  Near the end of the conference, participants gathered in breakout sessions to discuss next steps.

  Credits:

  Photo: Ben Barnhart