A Dictionary of Jewish Names and Their History by Benzion C. Kaganoff Sale Books artists and thinkers make their

artists and thinkers make their mark in far-flung cities and found a self-governing Yiddish world

Despite predictions of the demise of Yiddish-dating back well before half of its speakers were murdered during the Holocaust-the language leads a vibrant

all of which have a fascinating Jewish story to be told

But now with war clouds gathering and harassment increasing

While rejecting the norms of mainstream American society

A Dictionary of Jewish Names and Their History by Benzion C. Kaganoff Sale Books artists and thinkers make theirTracing the origins of Jewish names is no simple task but Benzion Kaganoff tackles it with remarkable skill. From Aaron (and its variations Agronsky, Arkin, and Orlik) to Zwirn (German for thread), he uncovers the biblical, occupational, and geographic roots behind nearly 4,000 names. Along the way, Kaganoff reveals how centuries of adaptation and change have shaped these names, making his achievement in mapping their histories all the more impressive.