During 2026, Richmond Public Library will be hosting programs as part of Between Two Worlds: Exploring Jewish Culture and Religion Through Yiddish Literature, a partnership with the Yiddish Book Center.

The second book discussion we are hosting will focus on The Zelmenyaners by Moyshe Kulbak, translated by Hillel Halkin. This is the first complete English-language translation of a classic of Yiddish literature, one of the great comic novels of the twentieth century. The Zelmenyaners describes the travails of a Jewish family in Minsk that is torn asunder by the new Soviet reality. Four generations are depicted in riveting and often uproarious detail as they face the profound changes brought on by the demands of the Soviet regime and its collectivist, radical secularism. The resultant intergenerational showdowns– including disputes over the introduction of electricity, radio, and electric trolley– are rendered with humor, pathos, and a finely controlled satiric pen. Moyshe Kulbak, a contemporary of the Soviet Jewish writer Isaac Babel, picks up where Sholem Aleichem left off a generation before, exploring in this book the transformation of Jewish life.

Copies of the book are available for participants who register. After registering, you will be contacted by library staff to receive your copy of the book. Participants who can provide their own copy of the books are welcome to register as well.

Please note that participation in any Between Two Worlds programs is open to all. People wishing to learn more about Yiddish literature and culture are encouraged to register, regardless of your level of previous knowledge. Through reading high quality translations and participating in facilitated discussions, these stories and histories will be made available to as many people as possible. Participation in other Between Two Worlds programs encouraged, but not required.

The Yiddish Book Center’s Public Libraries Program brings Yiddish literature in translation to libraries nationwide, encouraging connections and sparking cross-cultural dialogue. This event is presented as part of the Yiddish Book Center’s Public Libraries Program, a partnership with the American Library Association. Made possible by the Lilly Endowment, Inc.