We are pleased to share this Call for Papers for what sounds like a fascinating symposium: Yiddish in Public Space: The Art of Language.
April 21, 2025 at Bar Ilan University
Deadline for submissions: February 10, 2025
With the advent of modernity and Jewish migrations across Europe and overseas, Jewish inscriptions gained new significance. They marked Jewish shops amid rows of general ones, appeared on synagogue facades as signs of identity, advertised theatrical and cinematic events, and even designated state institutions and streets, embedding Jewish presence more visibly in urban landscapes.
The aim of the symposium is to focus on the public presence of one Jewish language: Yiddish, with the goal of exploring the visibility of Yiddish in public spaces across Eastern and Western Europe and in the territories of Yiddish-speaking diasporas.
It will examine its role in signage, memorials, storefronts, and other contexts as a marker of cultural identity, memory, and community. Through interdisciplinary discussions, the aim is to uncover how Yiddish has both shaped and been shaped by the public sphere, connecting past and present narratives around the globe.
The proposed working languages of the symposium are Yiddish, Hebrew, and English.
Please send abstracts of your papers (up to 300 words) along with a short CV by February 10, 2025, to [email protected]
Organizing committee:
Prof. Ber Kotlerman, Bar Ilan
Dr. Vladimir Levin, The Hebrew University, Center for Jewish Art