A lively evening of Yiddish stories and songs with Vivi Lachs at Stroud Green and Harringay Library

A brilliant evening of readings, song and discussion with Vivi Lachs who is passionate about the Yiddish literature and music of the East End in the 20th century.

Vivi took us on a lively and engaging walk through the East End’s cultural landscape in the 1930s and introduced us to some of the key writers of the time through their short stories and sketches.

We also learned about the origins of the Yiddish language, the challenges faced by the Jewish communities of the East End and their vibrant and diverse cultural world. She even got us all to sing a song about Victoria Park in Yiddish! Click here to hear a clip

Vivi also talked about the future of Yiddish and how she hopes to bring the literature and music of London’s Yiddish speaking communities to a new modern audience through her translations and music. She hopes to create some podcasts of readings of these wonderful sketches of Jewish life that still feel as fresh as when they were created.

It was a wonderful evening and we’d like to thank Vivi for coming to the library and sharing her work with us.

Look out for more exciting talks and events coming up at Stroud Green and Harringay Library soon.