Yiddishkayt Nostalgia or Welcome to Yiddishland

By Zanna Linskaia

Gvalt, meshugeh, kvetch, shtick, shnook, shaigetz, vaice liber, yint mid oyerain... These funny words and sometimes ribald expressions I remember from my early childhood, when my grandma Dvora talked to my mother in Yiddish, trying to hide something from us children. Yiddish was a forbidden language in the former Soviet Union, together with Hebrew. Officially, there was one newspaper and magazine in Yiddish, Sovetishe Heimland, and its editor, Tzezar Solodar, had sworn in front of TV cameras that Yiddish was equal to other brotherly languages. He lied, because no Yiddish schools or books were permitted in the USSR after WWII. But nostalgia for Yiddish evoked a sense of longing for a language and culture that had been lost. This sentiment has been shared by many Holocaust survivors and immigrants from Eastern European countries. It was a desire to know our heritage that may have been forgotten.

“Yiddish wasn’t just words, it was an attitude. It was sweet and sour. It was a shrug and a kiss. It was humility and defiance — all in one,” wrote American writer Erica Jong. Yiddish has been the mother tongue, “mameloshn,” since the 11th century for millions of Ashkenazi Jews, who carried it around the world as they migrated to the USA, Canada, Latin America, Africa, Australia — elsewhere. It was a vehicle of communication among Jews — in everyday life, wonderings, love, and faith through music, songs, literature, theatre, and sayings. At the same time, Hebrew remained the holy language for prayers, holidays, and rituals.

Originating in Germany, Yiddish mixed German with influences from Hebrew, Aramaic, Slavic languages, and Old Romance. Yiddish has a unique script, using the Hebrew alphabet, but pronunciation and certain letters differ from Hebrew.

The golden age of Yiddish literature is considered to be the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The famous giants — Sholem Aleichem, Isaac Leib Peretz, Mendele Mocher Sforim — inspired prominent Yiddish writers. Isaac Bashevis Singer, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1978, captured the essence of Yiddishkayt with an aroma and texture of refreshing magic and laughter that had been handed down through the ages and generations. Contemporary writers such as Ephraim Sevela and Alex Tarn continue Yiddish traditions in their work.

The impact of the Holocaust and the postwar diaspora showed a significant decline in Yiddish speakers — from 12–13 million before WWII to 1.2 million in 2020, according to UNESCO. With the loss of Yiddish, Jews lose not only a language but also part of their cultural identity.

Despite historical challenges, Yiddish is still spoken in many Orthodox and Hasidic communities around the world. Furthermore, many universities now offer courses as interest in learning Yiddish increases. In the USA, some Yiddish words have become part of American English — so‑called “Yinglish.” Even 500 Yiddish slang terms and idioms are included in Webster’s International Dictionary.

The modern usage of Yiddish cuisine is unbeatable — bagels, blintzes, kugels, knishes, matzo balls, gefilte fish, strudel, and so on.

The repertoire of famous singers, composers, musicians, and songwriters — like Theodore Bikel, Neil Diamond, Shlomo Carlebach, the Barry Sisters, Dudu Fisher, Chava Alberstein, Nechama Lifshitz, and many others — has become popular with younger generations of singers, musicians, playwrights, and actors.

Today Yiddish is experiencing a revival in theatre, podcasts, the music industry, literature, and art. It’s becoming so universal that there is hope for Yiddish to remain alive. As we say in Yiddish — Me redt zich oys dos harts! — which means, “Talk your heart out!” Event detailsYiddishkayt Nostalgia / Welcome to YiddishlandWhen:  May 30, 5:30–8:30 PM Where: BJCATickets: Members $20; Non‑members $25; Featuring: Presentation and live performance by Steve Levine, followed by a reception RSVP: https://www.burquest.org/event-details/yiddishkayt-nostalgia-1 registration required