In 1912 in Prague, the writer Franz Kafka introduced a Yiddish theater troupe’s performance by providing the audience a little comfort. “I would like to assure you, ladies and gentlemen, that you understand far more Yiddish than you think,” he said. Do those words still … Read more
By Emma Friedlander This Sunday, June 21, chanteuse Inna Barmash will be presenting “Yiddish Lullabies and Love Songs,” a concert at the Museum at Eldridge Street. I recently spoke with Inna regarding the inspiration behind this repertoire, the community’s reaction to klezmer music, and the … Read more
Over the years, we’ve learned so much about the Eldridge Street Synagogue and its congregants from the Yiddish minute books in our archives, which contain records of meetings of synagogue leaders. Although the earlier years have been translated, much remains to be done. Enter our … Read more
Language is one of the aspects of immigration that we explore through exhibits and education programs at the museum. In our Yiddish newspaper interactive activity, visitors become editors of their very own turn-of-the-century paper, mixing articles from socialist presses with editorials from the Orthodox dailies. … Read more
While reading Inside the Apple: A Streetwise History of New York City over the weekend, I discovered a Yiddish word that I’m adding to my list of favorites: kesselgarden. According to Wikipedia, Kesselgarden refers to the way “Castle Garden” was pronounced by Yiddish-speaking Eastern European … Read more