Reclaiming the Cultural and Musical Heritage of the Karliner Hasidim

Ruth Gay Seminar in Jewish Studies Inaugurated in 2008 thanks to a major gift from the family of Ruth Gay, the Ruth Gay Seminar in Jewish Studies was established in honor of Ruth Gay (1922-2006), the noted American Jewish historian and writer. This series is given by scholars who use the YIVO Archives and wish to share their research with the public. Admission: Free Watch the video

During the Holocaust the vast majority (about 95%) of the Karliner hasidic community and its leadership was exterminated. Over the past half century the community has been reestablished and it is currently searching for its plundered and lost cultural heritage. Professor Yitzhak Y. Melamed (Johns Hopkins University) will provide an overview of the current state of this search, its surprising successes, as well as some of its challenges. Melamed will also focus on the rare manuscripts of the Karlin-Stolin Archive from the 18th through 20th centuries, and on the Karliner musical legacy. The YIVO Archives is one of the few repositories to hold manuscripts as well as original music of the Karlin-Stolin heritage. Live samples of Karliner music will be provided by violinist Jonathan Rothman.

About the Participants

Yitzhak Y. Melamed is a Professor of Philosophy and Jewish Studies at Johns Hopkins University and the author of Spinoza’s Metaphysics (Oxford University Press 2013), and co-editor of Spinoza’s Theological Political Treatise: A Critical Guide (Cambridge University Press 2011), and Spinoza and German Idealism (Cambridge University Press 2012). In Jewish Studies, Melamed is currently working on Hasidism, early modern Rabbinics, medieval and modern Jewish philosophy and cultural studies.

Jonathan Rothman is a freelance violinist who specializes in classical music and has played other genres of music as well.