Ruth Wisse

Yiddish Literature Expert & National Jewish Book Award Winner

Travels From Travels From:
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
Categories Categories:
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

Ruth Wisse Biography

Ruth Wisse, a pioneering scholar in Jewish studies, is Martin Peretz Professor of Yiddish Literature and Comparative Literature Emerita at Harvard and Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Tikvah Fund. She is a winner of the National Jewish Book Award and was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President George W. Bush. A unique figure in the world of American Jewish letters, she bridges the worlds of Yiddish and American culture, of literature and politics, of Israel and the Diaspora.

Born in Romania, Wisse immigrated to Canada in 1940 and grew up in a Yiddish-speaking home in Montreal. She attended the Jewish People’s School before earning her bachelor's degree at McGill University. Encouraged by Yiddish poet Abraham Sutzkever, she pursued a master's at Columbia University. She later returned to McGill for her doctorate, and began teaching Yiddish Literature there in 1968, helping to develop its Jewish studies department. In 1993, she moved to Harvard, where she taught until her retirement in 2014.

Her books on literary topics include "A Little Love in Big Manhattan," "The Modern Jewish Canon: A Journey through Literature and Culture," an edition of Jacob Glatstein’s two-volume fictional memoir "The Glatstein Chronicles," and "No Joke: Making Jewish Humor." She has also edited or co-edited several anthologies of Jewish literature and is the author of two political studies, "If I Am Not for Myself: The Liberal Betrayal of the Jews" and "Jews and Power." Her memoir, "Free as a Jew: A Personal Memoir of National Self- Liberation" was published in 2021.

Wisse lectures widely, and her writing on everything from Jewish culture to Zionism to contemporary politics has been published in Mosaic, the Wall Street Journal, Commentary, the Jewish Review of Books, National Affairs, and Tablet.

BOOK Ruth Wisse

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 03/18/2025.

Ruth Wisse Videos

  • Ruth Wisse - American Enterprise Institute
    The American Dream Lecture Series: Ruth Wisse on Antisemitism in the United States.

Ruth Wisse Books

  • Free as a Jew: A Personal Memoir of National Self-Liberation
    Free as a Jew: A Personal Memoir of National Self-Liberation
  • No Joke: Making Jewish Humor (Library of Jewish Ideas, 4)
    No Joke: Making Jewish Humor (Library of Jewish Ideas, 4)
  • The Modern Jewish Canon: A Journey Through Language and Culture
    The Modern Jewish Canon: A Journey Through Language and Culture
  • If I Am Not for Myself
    If I Am Not for Myself
  • A Shtetl and Other Yiddish Novellas
    A Shtetl and Other Yiddish Novellas
  • The Schlemiel As Modern Hero
    The Schlemiel As Modern Hero

FAQs on booking Ruth Wisse

  • How do I book Ruth Wisse to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Ruth Wisse for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Ruth Wisse, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Ruth Wisse or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Ruth Wisse

    Speaking fees for Ruth Wisse, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Ruth Wisse are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Ruth Wisse, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Ruth Wisse speak about?

    Ruth Wisse is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Authors, Faith & Religion, Jewish Heritage, Professors.
  • Where does Ruth Wisse travel from?

    Ruth Wisse generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Ruth Wisse’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Ruth Wisse for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Ruth Wisse for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Ruth Wisse or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Ruth Wisse is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Ruth Wisse for your event is available upon request. Ruth Wisse generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Tania Israel, André Aciman, Tova Friedman, Cecilia Aragon and Marcie Cohen Ferris. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Ruth Wisse for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP