We will look at the work of Yiddish writer Abraham Karpinowitz (Avrom Karpinovitsh in Yiddish), examining his skillful interweaving of fiction, creative non-fiction, and memoir to commemorate the annihilated world of Jewish Vilna (contemporary Vilnius, Lithuania) in the 1930’s, particularly the experiences of the amcha, the poor and uneducated women and men of the community. Focusing on memorialization, Helen will share her experience translating Karpinowitz’s work from Yiddish into English. We will look at how this translation (and translation out of Yiddish in general) furthers the work of memorialization, examining what is lost in translation.
