Sonat Birnecker Hart's Page

Right now I live

Washington D.C. and Nußdorf, Austria (near Salzburg)

Languages I Know

English, German, French, basic Yiddish, basic Hebrew

About Me:

Although originally from Chicago, I have lived all over the world, including England, Germany, Austria, Italy, and France. Currently, my husband and I call the outskirts of Washington DC home (though we also have a place near Salzburg). In addition to working with Jewish organizations such as Koldor and the World Jewish Congress, I enjoy being an Associate Professor of European Jewish Culture and History in Baltimore. Aside from a possible move in our future, Robert and I are happy to be spending time with our new son, Lion Eli.

Professionally I....

My main fields of interest are German and Austrian Jewish cultural history, Jewish women’s history, and Jewish Peoplehood. Aside from co-editing The Rutledge Encyclopedia of Modern Jewish Culture (Rutledge/Taylor and Francis, 2004), I have also co-written an educational volume regarding contemporary German and Austrian Jewish literature entitled Literary Heimat: German and Austrian Jewish Writings after the Shoah. Other writings include editing a translation of the works of the Viennese Jewish writer, Friedrich Torberg, Aunt Jolesch or the Decline of the West in Anecdotes (Ariadne Press, forthcoming) and Café, Cabaret, and Fashion: German and Austrian Jewish Culture from 1890-1938 (University Press of New England, Brandeis Jewish Studies Series, expected 2009). I have given papers in both German and English on Jewish Sports History, Viennese Coffeehouse Society, Jewish Women’s Contributions to Cabaret and Fashion, to name a few. I recently returned to my post at Baltimore Hebrew University after holding the two-year Walter Benjamin Chair of German Jewish Cultural History at Humboldt University in Berlin. I earned my BA in English Literature from Earlham College and an MPhil. and Ph.D. in German Cultural History (with a Jewish Literary focus) from the University of London. I also hold a MSt. (equiv) in Jewish Studies from Oxford University and a Certificate in German Literature from the University of Vienna.

I am involved with the following Jewish organizations/institutions/projects:

WJDC

In the past I have been involved with the following Jewish organizations/institutions/projects:

Hillel, International Jewish Student Organizations, Or Chadash (Cantor, Vienna)

Other ways in which I am an activist/leader in the Jewish community

Jewish Studies Professor

What do you think about Jewish Peoplehood?

We need more of it!

What are the Jewish (or other) values/issues about which you are most passionate?

Strengthening Jewish identity world wide.

What are you looking for in the KolDor network?

Others hoping to increase a sense of Jewish peoplehood...

My Favorite Place in Israel is:

Tel Aviv

My Favorite Place in my Home Country is:

Chicago