Temple celebrates the life of author Chaim Grade

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Riverdale Temple, located at 4545 Independence Ave., will celebrate Yiddish writer and former Amalgamated resident Chaim Grade on Sunday, April 14, at 2 p.m.

Mr. Grade, who died in 1982, is considered one of the premier Yiddish authors of the 20th century. He escaped the Holocaust — his first wife, child and mother did not — and much of his writing deals with Jewish survival in the aftermath of the war. His most noteworthy works are his novels The Agunah and The Yeshiva.

Mr. Grade’s personal papers and library were recently awarded to the National Library of Israel and YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in Manhattan. 

After Mr. Grade’s second wife died in 2010 and with no heir, his collection of personal papers and works were put into the hands of the Bronx public administrator. YIVO officials stepped in and asked the administrator if it could properly care for the documents, which were left to decompose in Mr. Grade’s Amalgamated residence, while the office decided where the works would end up. Eventually, the public administrator awarded Mr. Grade’s collection to YIVO and the National Library of Israel.

Jonathan Brent, YIVO executive director, will be on hand to talk about Mr. Grade’s work, as will Professor Curt Leviant, a personal friend of Mr. Grade who translated his two novels to English. 

A reception will follow. The suggested donation is $5. 

For more information, call 718-548-0677 or go to www.riverdaletemple.org. 

chaim grade, riverdale temple, holocaust, yiddish, author, writer, YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, National Library of Israel

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