How did the Forverts support Yiddish fiction in New York?
The Forverts (Forward) played a vital role in supporting Yiddish fiction in New York by providing a prominent platform for its publication beginning in 1897. Under the early leadership of Abraham Cahan, the newspaper established a long-standing tradition of carrying short stories and novels in serial form.12
This commitment to literature allowed the Forverts to feature the work of significant authors, most notably Isaac Bashevis Singer. During World War I, the paper began serializing novels by Sholem Asch, including Mottke the Thief and Uncle Moses, which depicted the immigrant experience in New York. The newspaper continued to serve as a venue for both established and emerging writers into the 21st century, regularly publishing the works of contemporary authors such as Boris Sandler, who also served as an editor for the paper. By providing this consistent space for Yiddish prose, the Forverts helped sustain the language's literary presence in the United States.2341