Night of the Murdered Yiddish Poets

At last week’s Shabbat service we remembered the secret execution of 13 Jewish writers, poets, artists, musicians, and actors on August 12, 1952, in the Lubyanka Prison in Moscow.

These executions followed a concocted “trial,” which was held behind closed doors, amid false accusations of treason and espionage. The massacre remained hidden from the world until after Stalin’s death three years later, when the full implication of that dark period finally became clear.

This piece of history is often forgotten, and CBST is proud to include this commemoration as an annual tradition on the Shabbat closest to the date of this tragedy. We encourage you to learn more about The Night of the Murdered Poets from Yiddishkayt and The Forward.

This haunting story is told through the poetry and music of Soviet Yiddish poets, as sung and played by CBST member and Yiddish music expert Amanda Miryem-Khaye Seigel, Music Director Joyce Rosenzweig, and Cantor Sam Rosen.