A Second Chance: The Making of Yiddish Melbourne (Australian History)
Type
Book
Authors
ISBN 10
192549585X
ISBN 13
9781925495850
Category
NON-FICTION
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Publication Year
2018
Publisher
Pages
344
Subject
Immigrants -- Victoria -- History -- 20th century.; Jews, East European -- Victoria -- Melbourne -- Social life and customs. ; Yiddish language -- Victoria -- Melbourne.; Ashkenazim -- Victoria -- Melbourne -- History
Abstract
"They came from an old world to a new land. The Yiddish speakers from Eastern Europe brought few material possessions but clung to a language and a culture that defined who they were, a way of life that had endured pogroms, persecution and a genocide that pushed them to the brink of extinction. Melbourne gave them a second chance at life, an opportunity to rebuild a secular Yiddish world that sat at the core of their existence. Hardship had taught these Jews to be resilient, fiercely independent and great institution builders. A community centre quickly became the beating heart of Yiddish Melbourne. The arts flourished, newspapers were launched and schools were established. But these immigrants also brought their competing political ideals, hotly contested notions of what it meant to be a Jew and how to live life in this furthest corner of the world.
Number of Copies
1
