Abstract

In the second decade of the twentieth century, Yiddish reading circles for Jewish women began springing up in various cities of North America. Some of them were sponsored by the local public library, while others were affiliated with schools, Yiddishist cultural organizations or political parties and organizations that promoted Yiddish culture, such as the Arbeter Ring, Poalei Zion and the Jewish Communist organization, the Orden. Women used to gather in groups to read Yiddish literature and newspapers together. They learned Jewish history and also expanded their familiarity with political and social issues. In most of these circles, the meetings were conducted in Yiddish. Based on a range of sources relating mainly to the activities of the circles in Detroit, Chicago and Winnipeg, I reconstruct herein the cultural phenomenon of the Yiddish reading circles.

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