Going to the People

"Overall, Going to the People proves itself a useful addition to scholarship on Jewish folklore and ethnography by introducing major issues in these fi elds, as well as the historical figures and contemporary scholars who have shaped (and continue to shape) their development."—Western Folklore

"The high scholarly standard of these essays is a remarkable achievement, demonstrating the vitality of Jewish folklore and ethnographic studies a hundred years after An-sky's pioneering expedition."—Folklore

"This book's essays portray the various threads and trends in Jewish ethnography in Poland and Soviet Russia, the US, the new Jewish State of Israel and, eventually, in postcommunist societies. The endurance and evolution of Jewish folk culture is analyzed using techniques applicable to all groups and communities. . . . Recommended."—Choice

"I read through this collection with pleasure and fascination. Ethnography is newly of interest to many scholars of Jewish studies, and I am confident that this volume will find an appreciative audience. Indeed the variety here powerfully conveys how many people are interested in ethnography both as a method and as the subject of their analysis. These are valuable voices that should be heard."—Gabriella Safran, Stanford University

"In the post-Cold War era, Jewish ethnography, from historical to contemporary times, has attracted growing scholarly interest. This volume brings together some of the most innovative research in the field, and will be of interest to an interdisciplinary group of scholars in Jewish studies, Russian and East European history and culture, as well as global history, anthropology, folklore, and musicology."—Eugene Avrutin, author of Photographing the Jewish Nation: Pictures from S. An-sky's Ethnographic Expeditions