The Naomi Prawer Kadar Memorial Lecture at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research celebrates Naomi’s passion for rigorous exploration of Yiddish language, literature, linguistics, and culture in an academic setting.
This annual lecture honors Naomi Prawer Kadar, Ph.D. (1949-2010), z”l, as an inspiring educator, a devoted researcher and scholar, and a true visionary. Naomi had a profound understanding of the importance of preserving Yiddish language and culture. Naomi was the National Director of Schools at The Workmen’s Circle (Arbeter-ring),and she taught Yiddish at Columbia University, the Jewish Theological Seminary, and summers at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research/Columbia University, the Free University of Brussels Summer Program and the Tel Aviv University Yiddish Program. Naomi’s doctoral research focused on American Yiddish children’s magazines from 1917 to 1950.
The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research was founded in Vilna, Poland, in 1925, and relocated to New York City in 1940 with the mission to study the thousand-year history of Jewish life in Eastern Europe and Russia in all its aspects: language, history, religion, folkways and material culture. Today YIVO’s Archive and Library preserve the largest and most significant collection of materials on this subject in the world, and our mission remains the same. YIVO offers cultural events and programs throughout the year, including lectures, concerts, films, exhibitions and symposia. YIVO also offers adult education and Yiddish language programs, scholarly publications, research opportunities and fellowships.