VIDEO: A sign of Jewish unity as Ashkenazi Jews celebrate the Sephardi language, Ladino
Many Yiddishists are intrigued with the Ladino language. One reason is a challenge shared by fans of both languages — the sharp decrease of Jews who still speak it after decades of assimilation into American and Israeli society.
So on Jan. 21, 2024, Yiddish instructor Moishele Alfonso attended the New York Ladino Day: a celebration of Sephardi culture at the Center for Jewish History, presented annually by the American Sephardi Federation. There, he found several Yiddish speakers and chatted with them in order to find out what brought them there. The video is in Yiddish, with English subtitles.
A message from Forverts editor Rukhl Schaechter
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In the past, the goal of the Forverts was to Americanize its readers, to encourage them to learn English well and to acculturate to American society. Today, our goal is the reverse: to acquaint readers — especially those with Eastern European roots — with their Jewish cultural heritage, through the Yiddish language, literature, recipes and songs.
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