Der Spekter 2nd Anniversary Edition (April 2026)

Der Spekter is a collection of Bundist perspectives, original artwork, journalism, and more. Our work reflects the three pillars of Bundism: Jewishness, socialism, and doikayt (hereness). Spekter in Yiddish has two meanings: 1. Specter (or, in other words, “ghost” or “apparition”); 2. Spectrum (or, in other words, “gamut” or “wide array”).
Der Spekter is animated by the same spirit of Bundism that has haunted Zionism since their twin inceptions: we cannot ensure peace through the application of unjust violence. The only path forward is true solidarity with the oppressed, not becoming oppressors. ‘Der Spekter’ is editorially independent of the International Jewish Labor Bund’s leadership. Our editorial board members are Bund members but do not hold any other leadership positions in the IJLB. All materials published in these pages reflect the views of the author(s) and are not official communiques of the IJLB or of its local chapters unless explicitly stated.
Contents:
– Artist statement by Ryan Fliegelman
– Letters on zionism, part 1: The two worlds of socialism and zionism
– The Bund and colonialism
– Why the left should embrace jewish tradition
– Plowshares into Swords: Religion, war, and jewish secularism
– Letters on zionism, part 2: Socialism on occupied land
– Organized labor, politics and klezmer musicians in New York until the first World War
– Daniel Klahn on radical yiddish autonomy, bundism, and productive provocation
– Diaspora hymn
– Doikaytn in Oceania
– The zionist war on yiddish Palestine