Those ‘20s, These ‘20s: Communism, Queerness, Race, and Religion—A Reading and Talk by Novelist and Activist Moriel Rothman-Zecher

Moriel Rothman-Zecher will read from his new book, 'Before All the World,' which follows two Yiddish-speaking immigrants from a fictional Ukrainian village who come to Philadelphia after everyone in their village is murdered. There, they connect with a queer Black writer and translator and the three of them navigate America's often nightmarish racial and sexual politics. Rothman-Zecher will discuss his process and how his work arises out of both deep historical research and a desire to speak to contemporary questions and enduring human struggles. He will likely also speak about his first book and his personal experiences navigating his identity and his relationships with Israel, Judaism, and America. The book has received wide-acclaim, reviewer Adina Appelbaum wrote: “At its core, 'Before All the World' considers one essential question: what does it mean to remember the past while still imagining the future? . . . Its most striking accomplishment is its invitation to the reader to become a part of the novel’s chorus. What will you do, it asks, now that you’ve read this story?”