The first week of September means back-to-school time for many. To mark the occasion, we’re sharing an oral history clip from Sara Tepper, z’’l (1922-2020), who describes her first week of school in the United States as a new immigrant from the shtetl of Kleck (Kletsk), Poland.

We are mourning the loss of Fania Brantsovsky [Jocheles], z”l (1922-2024), whom thousands met on visits to Vilnius (Vilna), where Fania gave walking tours and served as the librarian of the former Vilnius Yiddish Institute. yiddishbookcenter.org/collections/or… Koved ir likhtikn ondenk

Oral historian Yankl Krakovsky interviewed Avram Patt, grandson of Bundist, author, and educator Yankev Patt. Avram shared stories of his childhood in the Bronx, becoming a company member of the Bread and Puppet Theater, founding a Klezmer Band, and his career in public service.

We are mourning the loss of Paul Lempel, z”l (1935-2024). We interviewed Paul, himself a lawyer, for our “Beyond the Books: Yiddish Writers and their Descendants” series in 2019 because his mother, Blume Lempel, was a lauded Yiddish writer: yiddishbookcenter.org/collections/or…

We are saddened at the news of the recent passing of Sara Dobbins, z”l (1931-2024), whom we had the honor of interviewing in Santa Monica, California this past March.

We are mourning the passing of Vienna Klezmer musician and scholar Isaak Loberan, whom our field fellow Philip Schwartz had the honor of interviewing this past May. Koved zayn likhtikn ondenk- honor his brilliant memory.