Samuel Spinner

I'm honored & SO happy to share that my book Jewish Primitivism has won MLA's book prize for Germanic languages! It's extra special for me that a book about Jewish lit - in large part about Yiddish - has won this distinction. It means so much. My thanks to the prize committee!

“Mountain Jews: a Novel,” by Rakhmil Grin, Warsaw 1938. This little-known writer was murdered in the Holocaust, likely in the Lvov ghetto. His entire immediate family was also murdered possibly excepting his twin children who were hidden.

Generative OY.

Happy holidays.

“Hey Siri, play Yiddish Chanukah carols.” And then—a great miracle happened, thanks to @YDesser. If you love Yiddish and you love Christmas music (who doesn’t?) you have to listen to this album. music.apple.com/us/album/yiddi…

@lizdelagarzag @pastramimachine Why not make the latkes and the brisket out of green beans too? And green bean Chanukah candles!

@pastramimachine Offensive! Cc: @SamuelSpinner

After 140 years, @MLNJournal will have a regular issue devoted to Yiddish, Hebrew, and other Jewish languages. I don’t know about you, but I’m excited! Please help us get the word out and please send me your work.

@Ahemhem @JHUArtsSciences Send me an email, happy to discuss.

@SamuelSpinner @JHUArtsSciences Don't think I can move to Baltimore or whatever realistically but, um, what kind of pre-requisites are we looking at?

Want to get a PhD in Yiddish or Hebrew? Or Yiddish AND Hebrew? We are accepting applications for the PhD in Jewish Languages & Literatures! Please help me get the word out! @JHUArtsSciences

@DBashIdeas שעמען איז קיין בושה נישט!

@SamuelSpinner It’s past time!!!! It’s embarrassing!!! 😭

Great opportunity!

@Mottel My new crock pot has a white insert. I’m not sure that’s kosher, forget vegan milk in the chulent.

Does Alt-Milk, grown in a lab, have the status of milk? Can I mix it in my chollent?

@Herstorically @JHUArtsSciences No, in person only.

@SamuelSpinner @JHUArtsSciences can it be done online/distance learning?

Someone, somewhere, must have an article on Yiddish & herring. The world needs you to write it now!

If you’re in the area and like cool books… featuring Dr. Mack Zalin of @jhulibraries.bsky.social and yours truly. events.jhu.edu/form/hopkins-j…

Day 2 of our expedition to the Jewish Community of Warsaw. 1 additional book from Chachmei Lublin, hundreds of books saved. Now process of fumigation ahead of us.

Day 1 of our expedition to the Jewish Community of Warsaw. Among thousands of heavily damaged books discovered in their basement we identified 2 from Chachmei Lublin, books from various Jewish Communities of Poland and fragments of Torah shafts.

@a_a_viswanath Slander. Everyone knows how to pronounce it. It’s like Kodak. How do you even pronounce it wrong?

Paskesz has to be the one Heimish brand that Modern Orthodox Jews have no idea how to pronounce. Possibly the best MO vs. Yeshivish shibboleth?

The main reason I came to Wolsztyn is that it has one of the last scheduled passenger train services in Europe still operated by a steam locomotive. This is not a tourist train or heritage line, it's a regional service just like the one earlier today, with the same fares!

This copy of Bet Meir from 1836, Lviv, is beautifully unique! If you look closely you will see hand recreation of the missing pages. YChL call number 12539, today in the holdings of the Jewish Historical Institute.