In 1691, Glikl bas Leib (1646–1724)—a Jewish businesswoman, mother of twelve, and gifted storyteller—began to chronicle her life. Over time, her writings grew into seven volumes that combine sharp observations on commerce, intimate reflections on family and loss, and folktales filled with wit and moral insight. Her memoirs offer a rare first-person account by a Jewish woman of early modern Europe, painting a vivid portrait of resilience, faith, and creativity. In this class, we’ll explore Glikl’s bold voice and the world she navigated, then trace how her story has been rediscovered and reimagined across the centuries. English translations provided.

Dalia Wolfson is a doctoral candidate in Comparative Literature at Harvard University. She is managing editor of Texts & Translations for the Yiddish Studies journal In geveb. Her work has been published in Asymptote, Scrawl Place, Lehrhaus and JewishFiction.net, among others.