About this talk

Throughout history, Jews have spoken a wide range of languages shaped by migration and cultural contact. This multimedia presentation begins with an overview of Jewish languages and the shared features that unite them. While Yiddish continues to flourish in Hasidic communities, its use has declined elsewhere, and several long-standing Jewish languages—such as Ladino, Judeo-Arabic, Jewish Neo-Aramaic, and Judeo-Malayalam—are now endangered and spoken mostly by older generations. At the same time, many Jews are engaging with these languages in "post-vernacular" ways through music, food, and cultural expression, and new Jewish language varieties, including Jewish English, Jewish Latin American Spanish, and Jewish Russian, are emerging.

The second half of the talk will focus on "heritage words"—words from ancestral languages that have been passed down through the generations even after the languages themselves are no longer spoken. Drawing on interviews from the Heritage Words Podcast, Dr. Benor will explore how emotionally charged words about food, family, affection, and curses help people maintain inter-generational bonds and express layered Jewish identities.

About Sarah