Cahan, Judah Loeb

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CAHAN, JUDAH LOEB

CAHAN, JUDAH LOEB (Yehude-Leyb, Lewis ; 1881–1937), U.S. Yiddish folklorist. Born in Vilna. Cahan compiled classic collections of Yiddish folksongs and folktales and wrote on the methodology of Yiddish folklore study and trained students in it. Associated with the *yivo Institute for Jewish Research, he was chosen to head its folklore committee. His works include Yidishe Folkslider mit Melodien (2 vols., 1912, 19202; 2nd collection 1930; another collection ed. by M. Weinreich, 1957); Yidishe Folks-mayses (1931); and the posthumous yivo publication Shtudyes vegn Yidisher Folksshafung (1952).

bibliography:

J. Shatzky, Yude-Leyb Cahan, Materyaln far a Biografye (1938); lnyl, 4 (1961), 316–20. add. bibliography: R. Biran, in: Cahiers de littérature orale, 44 (1998), 59–91; R. Bauman, in: New York Folklore Quarterly, 18:4 (Winter, 1962), 284–89; I. Gottesman, Defining the Yiddish Nation (2003); Sh. Pipe, Yiddish Folksongs from Galicia (1971); R. Rubin, in: New York Folklore Quarterly 11:1 (Spring, 1955), 34–45.

[Charles Cutter /

David S. Braun (2nd ed.)]