A digital destination for the studies of all things Yiddish

In geveb, a digital-only, open-access academic journal of Yiddish Studies, debuted in the summer of 2015. It required an identity and branding, as well as a website that could accommodate multiple features: peer-reviewed articles, translations and annotations of Yiddish texts, and a blog.

In geveb

In geveb is an open-access digital forum for the publication of peer-reviewed academic articles, the translation and annotation of Yiddish texts, the exchange of pedagogical materials, and a blog of Yiddish cultural life.

ingeveb.org

Identity

In geveb’s contemporary-feeling geometric identity was heavily inspired by early 20th-century avant-garde European typography and publication design.

After finding a highly readable Hebrew typeface that had the proper Yiddish diacritical marks, we paired it with a beautiful English-language typeface with similar proportions and characteristics. We worked with the type foundry to expand the glyph palette to include characters common in Yiddish transliteration but not used in either English or Hebrew.

The color palette has an archival feel of oxidized greens and yellows. We avoided blue, silver, and white—colors traditionally associated with Judaism to better emphasize the many cultural contexts from which Yiddish texts and culture originate and to distinguish this fresh, new publication from more traditional voices.

Iterations of In geveb’s mascot. The golden peacock symbolizes Yiddish literature and song. The final version evolved to be geometric and celebratory as well as instantly recognizable.

Website

As we worked to produce a fully responsive site, we focused on providing an optimal reading experience for visitors. Many articles either contain or include original Yiddish text; users are given the option of reading in English, in the original language, or side by side. Because In geveb publishes scholarly work, we designed an elegant approach to footnotes, inspired by traditional notation.

We’re so excited about the site, its functionality, its readability, and how freaking awesome it looks. I don’t think there’s a single academic journal out there that approaches this. We’re very grateful and really proud —- Saul Zaritt, Founding Editor

The site features a repeatable module that allows side-by-side comparison of translated texts with their English equivalent, with the ability for readers to switch to a single language if they choose. On phones, the user is able to select either single language view. We wanted readers to be able to easily access footnotes without having them distract from the body of the text. Our solution took a responsive approach that allowed us to tailor a reading experience specific to the device, be it a desktop or mobile device: Footnotes appear as marginalia on larger screens and are integrated into the text to open inline on tablets and phones.