Whitechapel Noise: Politics, Sex and Religion in Yiddish Rhyme on the Streets of London’s East End 1884-1914

This talk, illustrated with song, will examine the abundance of Yiddish kupletn (rhyming couplets) written by Jewish immigrant songwriters and poets in pre-World-War-I London. These protest hymns, music-hall songs and satirical verse, until now hidden in archives, tell tales that expand and nuance our knowledge of immigrant history. As an accessible popular culture, they tell these stories with humor, intensity, and passion. This talk will give an overview of these key ideas, illustrating theoretical and historical points with engaging poetic and musical examples.

Image: Jewish Museum, London

There is both an accessible elevator and gender-neutral restroom on the first and second floor. If you have a disability that requires an accommodation, contact judaicstudies@umich.edu or 734-763-9047.