معرفی
Jessica Kirzane serves as an Assistant Instructional Professor in Yiddish within the Department of Germanic Studies at the University of Chicago, where she has taught since 2018. As coordinator of the Yiddish language program, she develops comprehensive curricula that enhance students' reading, writing, speaking, and listening abilities while connecting them to historical and contemporary Yiddish cultures. She also leads In geveb: A Journal of Yiddish Studies as editor-in-chief, fostering global scholarly dialogue about Yiddish culture and pedagogy.
Dr. Kirzane earned her Ph.D. in Yiddish Studies from Columbia University in 2017, following an MA in the same field in 2011. Her undergraduate studies at the University of Virginia combined English Literature and Jewish Studies. Her academic trajectory demonstrates deep commitment to expanding Yiddish literary studies through both scholarly research and translation work.
Her research explores Modernism, Jewish Literature and Culture, and intersections of Literature, Religion, and Politics. Dr. Kirzane focuses on recovering female-identifying voices in Yiddish literature, examining Jewish racial self-construction in American Jewish writing, and analyzing how Jewish women navigated prescribed gender roles through romantic narratives. Her scholarship consistently challenges traditional canons and brings marginalized perspectives to the forefront of Yiddish studies.
Dr. Kirzane's publications reveal a scholar deeply engaged with both academic research and literary translation. Her work spans critical analysis of race relations in American Jewish literature, gender studies in Yiddish writing, and innovative pedagogical approaches to language instruction. Through translations of works by Miriam Karpilove and Yente Serdatsky, she has significantly expanded access to important but underrepresented voices in Yiddish literary history.
- 2018 pedagogy fellow at the Yiddish Book Center
- 2017 Yiddish Book Center translation fellowship
Dr. Kirzane maintains an active mentoring relationship with students at all levels, advising BA theses involving Yiddish literature, mentoring undergraduate editorial interns for In geveb, and guiding students through literary translation projects. She also facilitates a weekly Yiddish tish (reading and discussion group) open to students of all proficiency levels, creating an inclusive space for Yiddish cultural engagement beyond formal classroom settings.
