The Switzer Yiddish Corner -
Dos Switzer Yiddish Vinkel
דאס סוויצער יידישׂע ווינקל
The Switzer Yiddish Corner in our library contains a wide selection of resources in the Yiddish language, as well as English translations of works originally written in Yiddish, books in English about Yiddish language and literature, and materials for learning Yiddish.
Many of these books were part of the collection at the Jewish Public Library, which served as the Jewish Community Library in Winnipeg from its founding in 1922 until it was amalgamated into the Kaufman Silverberg Library at the Asper Jewish Community Campus in 1997. During those yeas a large collection of several thousand Yiddish books was acquired by the library. Many of the books were donated from the private collections of Winnipeggers who were anxious to share the literature which had formed an important part of their lives with other members of their community, and who wanted to help the Jewish Public Library to preserve and to foster the enjoyment of Yiddish literature and culture.
After the collection of the Jewish Public Library was amalgamated with the collections of the community day school libraries in the new Kaufman Silverberg Library, many books from the old library were donated to libraries in Canada, the U.S. and Britain. A core collection of books was selected to fill the shelves of Dos Yiddish Vinkel, a pleasant reading room in the new library. These books are included in the catalog of the Kaufman Silverberg Library, which may be accessed online.
The collection provides a fascinating picture of the world of Yiddish publishing. It contains material on a wide variety of subjects, including Jewish religious books, volumes on philosophy, education, the Jewish labor movement, radicalism, history, and education.
The core of the collection is the extensive collection of literature, including novels, poetry, drama, and criticism. There is a collection of books by Canadian writers and a large section of world literature in Yiddish translation.
In addition to the book collection, the Yiddish Vinkel also contains back issues of the Goldene Keyt, audiobooks (CD format), and videos (DVD and VHS format).
The Switzer Yiddish Corner was established in memory of Rose and Louis Switzer