Vanessa Freedman
@vrfreedman.bsky.social
Hebrew & Jewish Studies librarian at University College London. Co-convenor, Hebraica Libraries Group. Posts are my own views etc She/her
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
Looking forward to presenting @uclssees.bsky.social next week on Tea Arciszewska’s life and her (tragically timely) modernist play about children in wartime, “Miryeml.”
@uclhjs.bsky.social @biajs.bsky.social @yiddishbookcenter.bsky.social
@uclhjs.bsky.social @biajs.bsky.social @yiddishbookcenter.bsky.social
Please join us for this Study of Central Europe seminar with @sgollance.bsky.social, will discuss her translation of Tea Arciszewska’s play 'Miryeml' as part of a broader effort to uncover Yiddish plays by women.
🗓️ 2 December at 6pm
📍 UCL SSEES
➡️ buff.ly/dOMrzrO
@uclhjslibrary.bsky.social
🗓️ 2 December at 6pm
📍 UCL SSEES
➡️ buff.ly/dOMrzrO
@uclhjslibrary.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 7:03 AM
Looking forward to presenting @uclssees.bsky.social next week on Tea Arciszewska’s life and her (tragically timely) modernist play about children in wartime, “Miryeml.”
@uclhjs.bsky.social @biajs.bsky.social @yiddishbookcenter.bsky.social
@uclhjs.bsky.social @biajs.bsky.social @yiddishbookcenter.bsky.social
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
📜 Our 2025 bulletin is live! Read a message from our incoming president @bengidley.bsky.social, a report from this year's conference, details of our book prize, the CFP for our 2026 conference @bisa-bkk.bsky.social, reports from institutions & more
➡️ bajsbulletin.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/u...
➡️ bajsbulletin.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/u...
November 24, 2025 at 2:35 PM
📜 Our 2025 bulletin is live! Read a message from our incoming president @bengidley.bsky.social, a report from this year's conference, details of our book prize, the CFP for our 2026 conference @bisa-bkk.bsky.social, reports from institutions & more
➡️ bajsbulletin.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/u...
➡️ bajsbulletin.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
@uclhjs.bsky.social has issued a statement regarding an antisemitic incident at UCL last week where a speaker at a student event made Blood Libel accusations–a pernicious medieval claim that Jews use Christian blood in Passover matzoh.
www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanit...
www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanit...
Statement from HJS on Blood Libel incident
We applaud UCL for taking swift action and look forward to UCL leadership communicating directly to the UCL community to specifically call out ideas and language that will not be tolerated on campus.
www.ucl.ac.uk
November 20, 2025 at 4:47 PM
@uclhjs.bsky.social has issued a statement regarding an antisemitic incident at UCL last week where a speaker at a student event made Blood Libel accusations–a pernicious medieval claim that Jews use Christian blood in Passover matzoh.
www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanit...
www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanit...
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
Research behemoth’s plans to better coordinate staff at faculty level met with fierce opposition, amid fears of pay cuts and demotions
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ucl-staff-feel-betrayed-over-professional-services-shake
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ucl-staff-feel-betrayed-over-professional-services-shake
November 21, 2025 at 6:15 AM
Research behemoth’s plans to better coordinate staff at faculty level met with fierce opposition, amid fears of pay cuts and demotions
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ucl-staff-feel-betrayed-over-professional-services-shake
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ucl-staff-feel-betrayed-over-professional-services-shake
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
“Scholars from Vilnius University in Lithuania have launched a breakthrough AI tool capable of reading handwritten Yiddish.”
www.jns.org/vilnius-univ...
www.jns.org/vilnius-univ...
Vilnius University launches new AI tool that accurately reads handwritten Yiddish
This will “contribute to advancing archival research on the history of Jews in Eastern and Central Europe,” said Sergii Gurbych, who created the model.
www.jns.org
November 21, 2025 at 7:15 AM
“Scholars from Vilnius University in Lithuania have launched a breakthrough AI tool capable of reading handwritten Yiddish.”
www.jns.org/vilnius-univ...
www.jns.org/vilnius-univ...
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
We are thrilled to announce a call for our inaugural Yiddish & Hebrew issue edited by @samspinner.bsky.social
Please circulate widely. We are open to work that engages with Jewish literature, culture, and thought in any language.
@hopkinspress.bsky.social
Please circulate widely. We are open to work that engages with Jewish literature, culture, and thought in any language.
@hopkinspress.bsky.social
November 20, 2025 at 7:50 PM
We are thrilled to announce a call for our inaugural Yiddish & Hebrew issue edited by @samspinner.bsky.social
Please circulate widely. We are open to work that engages with Jewish literature, culture, and thought in any language.
@hopkinspress.bsky.social
Please circulate widely. We are open to work that engages with Jewish literature, culture, and thought in any language.
@hopkinspress.bsky.social
Meanwhile in England pupils attending a secular school are still required to take part in an act of collective worship each school day that is wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character lordslibrary.parliament.uk/research-bri...
How at the turn of the century, American Jews really did wage a ‘war on Christmas’ https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-at-the-turn-of-the-century-american-jews-really-did-wage-a-war-on-christmas/
How at the turn of the century, American Jews really did wage a ‘war on Christmas’
A new book by historian Scott D. Seligman recalls the 'The Great Christmas Boycott of 1906,' when immigrants fought for the separation of church and state in public schools
www.timesofisrael.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Meanwhile in England pupils attending a secular school are still required to take part in an act of collective worship each school day that is wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character lordslibrary.parliament.uk/research-bri...
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
We've been working with partners on a new initiative to collectively ensure that research libraries coordinate on the retention of their print monographs. @timeshighered.bsky.social today carries an article on the UK Print Book Collection:
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/librari...
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/librari...
Libraries coordinate on book disposal to safeguard rare texts
As shelves fill up and costs mount, new scheme allows librarians to discard underused books if more than seven copies exist elsewhere
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:41 AM
We've been working with partners on a new initiative to collectively ensure that research libraries coordinate on the retention of their print monographs. @timeshighered.bsky.social today carries an article on the UK Print Book Collection:
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/librari...
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/librari...
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
Who needs books anyway?
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
The British library is in crisis: why does nobody care?
The widespread indifference to the British Library's crippling cyberattack demonstrates a perilous failure to value the knowledge infrastructure vital for national prosperity
www.cityam.com
November 18, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Who needs books anyway?
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
This exhibition is free to view at The Wiener Holocaust Library until 30 April 2026
wienerholocaustlibrary.org/exhibition/e...
wienerholocaustlibrary.org/exhibition/e...
wienerholocaustlibrary.org
November 18, 2025 at 11:47 AM
This exhibition is free to view at The Wiener Holocaust Library until 30 April 2026
wienerholocaustlibrary.org/exhibition/e...
wienerholocaustlibrary.org/exhibition/e...
I’m excited to be presenting at Limmud Festival 2025 – a celebration of Jewish learning, culture, and creativity!
Join me (and about 2000 others!) for an unforgettable experience this December.
👉 You can book now at www.limmud.org/festival
Join me (and about 2000 others!) for an unforgettable experience this December.
👉 You can book now at www.limmud.org/festival
November 13, 2025 at 5:18 PM
I’m excited to be presenting at Limmud Festival 2025 – a celebration of Jewish learning, culture, and creativity!
Join me (and about 2000 others!) for an unforgettable experience this December.
👉 You can book now at www.limmud.org/festival
Join me (and about 2000 others!) for an unforgettable experience this December.
👉 You can book now at www.limmud.org/festival
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
London music fans! Zoe Aqua (fiddler, USA) will be performing a solo set of klezmer and Transylvanian music with some special guests this Sunday 16 Nov at DB Music (in Stoke Newington). 2:30 pm doors, 3pm concert. £8. @klezmershack.bsky.social
www.dbmusiclondon.com/product/zoe-...
www.dbmusiclondon.com/product/zoe-...
November 12, 2025 at 6:39 PM
London music fans! Zoe Aqua (fiddler, USA) will be performing a solo set of klezmer and Transylvanian music with some special guests this Sunday 16 Nov at DB Music (in Stoke Newington). 2:30 pm doors, 3pm concert. £8. @klezmershack.bsky.social
www.dbmusiclondon.com/product/zoe-...
www.dbmusiclondon.com/product/zoe-...
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
'The University of Cambridge has announced it has acquired and for the first time unsealed Levy’s personal archive, including letters, draft manuscripts, photographs and diary entries. It is expected the material will inform a wealth of new scholarship on her life, work and mental health.' 1/2
‘A girl of genius’: archives unsealed of Amy Levy, queer Jewish writer admired by Oscar Wilde
Levy’s work was ‘ahead of her time’ and speaks to current debate around feminism, LGBTQ+ literature and Jewish identity, say researchers
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2025 at 7:59 AM
'The University of Cambridge has announced it has acquired and for the first time unsealed Levy’s personal archive, including letters, draft manuscripts, photographs and diary entries. It is expected the material will inform a wealth of new scholarship on her life, work and mental health.' 1/2
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
Plus my Yiddish New York session, "Dancing with Stories," will be hybrid, so you don't need to be in New York to participate. Sunday Dec 21 at 9:30-10:45am ET (2:30 PM BT, 3:30 PM CET, 4:30 PM IT). yiddishnewyork2025.sched.com/event/299MN/...
Yiddish New York 2025: Dancing with Stories
View more about this event at Yiddish New York 2025
yiddishnewyork2025.sched.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Plus my Yiddish New York session, "Dancing with Stories," will be hybrid, so you don't need to be in New York to participate. Sunday Dec 21 at 9:30-10:45am ET (2:30 PM BT, 3:30 PM CET, 4:30 PM IT). yiddishnewyork2025.sched.com/event/299MN/...
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
This December you can join me at Yiddish New York for my session "Dancing with Stories." We'll be doing two of my favorite things – close reading a literary dance scene (in translation) and learning the dance it describes–to the live accompaniment of the amazing Christina Crowder.
November 10, 2025 at 8:20 PM
This December you can join me at Yiddish New York for my session "Dancing with Stories." We'll be doing two of my favorite things – close reading a literary dance scene (in translation) and learning the dance it describes–to the live accompaniment of the amazing Christina Crowder.
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
Resources shared for 🌐 Armistice Day (November 11th) opensiddur.org/index.php?ca...
🌐 Armistice Day (November 11th) • the Open Siddur Project ✍ פְּרוֺיֶקְט הַסִּדּוּר הַפָּתוּחַ
This is an archive of prayers for International Armistice Day. Armistice Day (and Remembrance Day) is commemorated internationally by many countries to mark the anniversary of the end of World War Ⅰ. ...
opensiddur.org
November 11, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Resources shared for 🌐 Armistice Day (November 11th) opensiddur.org/index.php?ca...
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
Prayer on the Signing of the Versailles Peace Treaty on June 28th 1919 ending World War Ⅰ (Liberal Jewish Synagogue of London, 5 July 1919) opensiddur.org?p=52643
Prayer on the Signing of the Versailles Peace Treaty on June 28th 1919 ending World War Ⅰ (Liberal Jewish Synagogue of London, 5 July 1919) • the Open Siddur Project ✍ פְּרוֺיֶקְט הַסִּדּוּר הַפָּתוּח...
A prayer upon the signing of the Versailles Peace Treaty on 28 June 1919, included in a special service by the Liberal Jewish Synagogue of London on the following Shabbat. . . .
opensiddur.org
November 11, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Prayer on the Signing of the Versailles Peace Treaty on June 28th 1919 ending World War Ⅰ (Liberal Jewish Synagogue of London, 5 July 1919) opensiddur.org?p=52643
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
Due to illness we have unfortunately had to cancel this event. We hope to reschedule for Spring 2026.
In 2025 UCL Special Collections celebrates 60 years of collecting small press. This year also marks 50 years of publishing by Coracle Press @coracle.bsky.social
Join us for a birthday bash!
12 November
17:00 - 20:00
Free & open to all / booking essential.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/we-continu...
Join us for a birthday bash!
12 November
17:00 - 20:00
Free & open to all / booking essential.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/we-continu...
We continue to wave a small handkerchief at the world: Coracle Press @ 50
Join us to celebrate 50 years of Coracle Press!
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Due to illness we have unfortunately had to cancel this event. We hope to reschedule for Spring 2026.
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
I am Shammai, a Jewish sage from the Second Temple period. I'm known for my strict view of Jewish law, arguing with Hillel, and for the time I hit a man with my builder's cubit for asking me to teach him Torah while he stood on one foot.
Here are my feeds, lists, threads, and other work. Enjoy.
Here are my feeds, lists, threads, and other work. Enjoy.
April 23, 2025 at 3:31 PM
I am Shammai, a Jewish sage from the Second Temple period. I'm known for my strict view of Jewish law, arguing with Hillel, and for the time I hit a man with my builder's cubit for asking me to teach him Torah while he stood on one foot.
Here are my feeds, lists, threads, and other work. Enjoy.
Here are my feeds, lists, threads, and other work. Enjoy.
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
😂 😂😂
Hoping this helps our colleagues across the industry
November 5, 2025 at 3:53 PM
😂 😂😂
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
UCL200 to launch with a spectacular sound and light experience! 💫
We can’t wait to welcome students, staff, alumni and our wider community and launching a year of celebrations for our 200th birthday!
📅11-13 February 2026.
Find out more: https://bit.ly/439g5Kk
We can’t wait to welcome students, staff, alumni and our wider community and launching a year of celebrations for our 200th birthday!
📅11-13 February 2026.
Find out more: https://bit.ly/439g5Kk
UCL200 to launch with a spectacular sound and light experience: Save the date to celebrate together!
The countdown has officially begun! Save the date for UCL Illuminated – a spectacular sound and light experience that will kick off our bicentennial celebrations from 11-13 February 2026.
bit.ly
November 5, 2025 at 9:29 PM
UCL200 to launch with a spectacular sound and light experience! 💫
We can’t wait to welcome students, staff, alumni and our wider community and launching a year of celebrations for our 200th birthday!
📅11-13 February 2026.
Find out more: https://bit.ly/439g5Kk
We can’t wait to welcome students, staff, alumni and our wider community and launching a year of celebrations for our 200th birthday!
📅11-13 February 2026.
Find out more: https://bit.ly/439g5Kk
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
📆 Coming up on 18 Nov: UCL Lunch Hour Lecture, The Witch in the Bible and Beyond
Hear from Dr Alinda Damsma on her research about the impact of the Bible on the early modern witch-hunts. These lectures are free, open to all and online.
Book now: buff.ly/LupLYZS
@uclhjs.bsky.social
Hear from Dr Alinda Damsma on her research about the impact of the Bible on the early modern witch-hunts. These lectures are free, open to all and online.
Book now: buff.ly/LupLYZS
@uclhjs.bsky.social
November 5, 2025 at 9:30 AM
📆 Coming up on 18 Nov: UCL Lunch Hour Lecture, The Witch in the Bible and Beyond
Hear from Dr Alinda Damsma on her research about the impact of the Bible on the early modern witch-hunts. These lectures are free, open to all and online.
Book now: buff.ly/LupLYZS
@uclhjs.bsky.social
Hear from Dr Alinda Damsma on her research about the impact of the Bible on the early modern witch-hunts. These lectures are free, open to all and online.
Book now: buff.ly/LupLYZS
@uclhjs.bsky.social
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
2025 marks the 60th anniversary of UCL's Small Press collections. UCL has collected widely in this area of independent radical publishing to preserve the outputs of these activities. The collections comprise 4,500 periodicals and 20,000 pamphlets. Watch a new celebratory video at lnkd.in/eAhT7M6t.
November 4, 2025 at 9:11 AM
2025 marks the 60th anniversary of UCL's Small Press collections. UCL has collected widely in this area of independent radical publishing to preserve the outputs of these activities. The collections comprise 4,500 periodicals and 20,000 pamphlets. Watch a new celebratory video at lnkd.in/eAhT7M6t.
Reposted by Vanessa Freedman
Join us in London in July!
CALL FOR PAPERS NOW LIVE
#BIAJS2026 “Space and place in Jewish studies” 13-15 July Birkbeck
bajsbulletin.wpcomstaging.com/2025/11/03/c...
CALL FOR PAPERS NOW LIVE
#BIAJS2026 “Space and place in Jewish studies” 13-15 July Birkbeck
bajsbulletin.wpcomstaging.com/2025/11/03/c...
Call for Papers: BIAJS Conference 2026 (13-15 July, Birkbeck, University of London)
CALL FOR PAPERS #BIAJS2026 Space and Place in Jewish Studies British and Irish Association of Jewish Studies Annual Conference 2026 Birkbeck, University of London | July 2026 “there is…
bajsbulletin.wpcomstaging.com
November 4, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Join us in London in July!
CALL FOR PAPERS NOW LIVE
#BIAJS2026 “Space and place in Jewish studies” 13-15 July Birkbeck
bajsbulletin.wpcomstaging.com/2025/11/03/c...
CALL FOR PAPERS NOW LIVE
#BIAJS2026 “Space and place in Jewish studies” 13-15 July Birkbeck
bajsbulletin.wpcomstaging.com/2025/11/03/c...