The Center for Jewish Civilization invites you to Professor Deborah Tannen’s virtual lecture, “My Father’s Journey from Hasidic WWI Warsaw and My Quest to Follow.” RSVP to the lecture here! 

Professor Deborah Tannen’s virtual lecture will be accessible to all viewers via Zoom. Zoom invitations will be emailed to all those who RSVP. 

About the Book:

Dr. Deborah Tannen’s father was raised in a Hasidic household in Warsaw. In 1920, He came to the United States at the age of twelve, already identifying as a communist, atheist and Zionist. Ultimately, her father became disillusioned with communism but remained a devout atheist. His support for Israel grew ever stronger. When Dr. Tannen asked him if he felt more Polish or American, he responded, “I feel like a Jew.” His Jewish identity underlies and pervades every aspect of his life story, which doubles as a walking tour through history. This “tour” demonstrates how WWI and the Bolshevik revolution transformed the Jewish community of Warsaw; the massive influx of East European Jews to America; New York’s garment district; and the Great Depression. The more personal aspects of this tour reveal how a boy could quit high school at fourteen to support his mother and sister by working in a factory, yet go on to establish his own law firm and run for congress (holding a vast array of jobs, including prison guard and gun-toting alcohol tax inspector, along the way).

Dr. Tannen initially conceived the book a study of her father’s life. However, after she pored over the many journals, documents, and letters he left her, as well as the transcripts and notes from the countless hours she spent talking to him about his past, the book evolved to reflect the many ways that he shaped her own life. Thus, her latest work additionally focuses on their contrasting perceptions of their Jewish identities and, inextricably, their experiences with anti-Semitism.

About the Author:

Dr. Deborah Tannen has written seventeen academic books, over one hundred scholarly articles, and eight books for general audiences. The best known of these is You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation, which was on the New York Times best seller list for nearly four years. This is the book that brought gender differences in communication style to the forefront of public awareness. Her books Talking from 9 to 5: Women and Men at Work, You Were Always Mom’s Favorite!: Sisters in Conversation Throughout Their Lives and You’re Wearing THAT?: Understanding Mothers and Daughters in Conversation were also New York Times best sellers.

Any person with an accommodation request is welcome to email us at cjcinfo@georgetown.edu. We will try to meet these accommodation requests to the best of our ability. 

Thank you for your interest in “My Father’s Journey from Hasidic WWI Warsaw and My Quest to Follow.” Please note that the CJC reserves the right to cancel this virtual lecture in the event of any major changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. We prioritize the health of our audience foremost, and hope that this online event will foster a sense of community as we transition to a virtual learning environment.