Journey to Yiddish land [electronic resource] / by Picture Pan Production, Rea Karen, and Gernot Steinweg.

New York, NY : Filmakers Library, 2001.

English

This edition in English.

1 online resource (29 min.).

The Yiddish language, which transcended national borders, was born a thousand years ago in Rhineland, Germany. There were once 11 million people who spoke Yiddish. After World War II the language and culture were in danger of extinction. At the time of the establishment of the State of Israel, Yiddish was abandoned, in favor of modern Hebrew, except by the Hasidim. It was even outlawed in the secular schools until 1996. But now there is renewed interest and efforts are being made in Israel, and even, surprisingly, in universities in Germany, to keep alive the flame. This lively film brings us glimpses of Yiddish theatre, song and dance. The director of the Yiddish Theatre in Tel Aviv describes how he was captivated by the language and committed himself to the struggle to perpetuate the theater. A member of the International Association of Yiddish Writers and Journalists comments that there are enough writers, but not enough readers. The documentary demonstrates how language and cultural identity are intertwined.

Originally released as DVD.
Title from resource description page (viewed May 24, 2011).

For College; Adult audiences.

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