Cover of Yekl

Yekl

by Abraham Cahan

First published
1970
Reading level
Plain English
Price
Free

About the book

"Yekl: A Tale of the New York Ghetto" by Abraham Cahan is a novella published in 1896. It follows Yekl, a Russian-Jewish immigrant who works in a sweatshop and eagerly embraces American culture. His new life unravels when his wife and son arrive from Russia, forcing him to confront the conflict between his Jewish roots and his American aspirations. Set in the vibrant world of New York's Jewish ghetto, the story explores the painful tensions of assimilation and identity among immigrants caught between two worlds.

  • New York (N.Y.)
  • Jewish fiction
  • Jews

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #36715. Yekl on Wikipedia.

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