The Research

Arielle Kaden, a Writing Seminars major and Jewish studies minor, is researching the resurgence of Jewish life in Europe in the post-Holocaust era. Her research grant has taken her to Belarus, Poland, Lithuania, Austria, and Germany to conduct interviews in small towns as well as big cities. She has been documenting her research on a blog called “Saving the Shtetlach” and is working on a memoir about the experience.

In Her Own Words

“I want to gain a deeper understanding of the 1,000-year history of Jewish life in Europe and investigate how this history affects young European Jews and non-Jews today. This project has opened my eyes to the historical complexity of Jewish life in Europe and the importance of maintaining religious diversity in society.”

Adviser: Eric Sundquist, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of the Humanities and Chair, English