“Shem and Japheth on the Train” by Mendele Mocher Sforim

Mendele Mocher Sforim uses a classic “two Jews talking” form to explore the precarious place of Jews in fin de siècle Europe. Set during the Prussian expulsions, the story becomes a bitterly ironic midrash on Noah’s sons, exposing the absurdity of modern anti-Semitism and the false promises of European progress. With his signature sharpness, Mendele urges a new Jewish self-confidence even as he hints that darker days may lie ahead. Available December 22.