Sample selected treasures of modern Israeli poetry, in translation from Hebrew.

Starting in 1910 with the first generation of poets from Eastern Europe and Russia, who immigrated to the land that became the State of Israel, we'll continue with writers born in Israel, and then on to contemporary poets. We will hear secular, Orthodox, feminist, Mizrachi, and Palestinian Arab voices. You may recognize some of the venerable names like Natan Alterman, Leah Goldberg, Rachel, Zelda, and Yehuda Amichai. You will also encounter several outstanding poets probably previously unknown to you. In the last class, we will read some powerful new poems written directly in response to the October 7th brutal attacks by Hamas terrorists on Israelis, and the ongoing war. This is a participatory class inviting you to read aloud and participate in discussions of the poems. Copies of the selections will be made available before the classes.

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