The Highs and Lows of Sholem Aleichem: Yiddish Literature and the Pursuit of Popular Writing

A century after his death, Sholem Aleichem still captures the imagination. The man behind Fiddler on the Roof, he introduced work that has left an indelible imprint on American culture. But how are we to understand the legacy of this artist? Was he a writer for the masses or a stylist of the highest literary order? And what is at stake in categorizing his literary legacy? Bringing together scholars, journalists, and fiction writers, this conference will reassess Sholem Aleichem’s literary reception and remap the boundaries of popular Yiddish culture.

For full conference schedule, please see: https://jewishstudies.wisc.edu/sholem-aleichem-conference/