"No More Skittish About Yiddish: The Curious Case of Israelis Who Compose Yiddish Music" with Laya Silber

Dr. Laya Silber’s talk will begin with a brief overview of the problematic status of Yiddish in Israel since the establishment of the State. She will then analyze representative original Yiddish compositions by Israeli composers – none of whom speak Yiddish - and discuss what is particularly "Israeli" about them. Dr. Silber will address the questions of why they compose music of this genre and explore the symbiotic relationship between Yiddish and Israeli music.