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Sept. 23, 2009

Press contact: Audrey Fischer (202) 707-0022, afis@loc.gov
Public contact: Gail Shirazi (202) 707-9897, gshi@loc.gov

Author David Stromberg to Discuss Russian Immigration and Culture in Israel

Since the former Soviet Union opened its doors to mass emigration 20 years ago, more than one million Russians have moved to Israel. The impact on Israel of Russian immigration and culture is the subject of a lecture to be delivered by author and artist David Stromberg at the Library of Congress.

The lecture titled “Russim: On Russian Immigration and Culture in Israel” will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14 in Room 139 of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. The event, which is sponsored jointly by the European Division and the Hebrew Language Table in cooperation with the Embassy of Israel, is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required.

Born in Israel to ex-Soviet parents, Stromberg was raised in Los Angeles. He holds a bachelor’s of science degree in math from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a master’s in fine arts from the California Institute for the Arts. He currently lives in Jerusalem, where he writes on art and culture for publications such as The Believer, Nextbook, Forward, the St. Petersburg Times, the Jerusalem Post and Haaretz. Stromberg is the author of “Saddies,” “Confusies” and “Desperaddies,” a trilogy of graphic collections inspired by the work of James Thurber. Stromberg’s captioned cartoons capture a world forever out of sync with the normal, the rational and the so-called “well-adjusted.” His latest graphic work, “Baddies,” will be published in October.

Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution. The Library seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs and exhibitions. Many of the Library’s rich resources can be accessed through its website at www.loc.gov and via interactive exhibitions on a personalized website at myLOC.gov.

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PR 09-182
09/23/09
ISSN 0731-3527