Irena Klepfisz, author of A Few Words in the Mother Tongue: Yiddish and the Contemporary Jewish Writer, kicked off the program with a lecture and reception held in the JCCs Klein Branch Theater. Born in Warsaw, Poland in 1941, Dr. Klepfisz emigrated to the United States in 1949, receiving her formal education in New York and Chicago. During her presentation, she spoke about her background and how it led her to integrate Yiddish words and phrases into her English poetry. After a brief reception, Dr. Klepfisz led the first workshops. Her unique and improvisatory approach inspired the students and seniors, many of whom had little or no prior experience in writing poetry. By the end of the afternoon, the participants left eagerly awaiting the next workshops.

The following weeks saw Dr. Nathalie Anderson, a Swarthmore college poet and English Professor, and Drexel Unversity Judaic Studies Program Director, Dr. Rakhmiel Peltz, pick up where Dr. Klepfisz left off. By the program’s end, people of all ages gained hands-on experience using the Yiddish language and writing creatively. More importantly, through group and one-on-one interaction, participants had an opportunity to discuss the importance of Yiddish as both a language and a culture.

In addition to participating in the workshops, Drexel University students enrolled in Dr. Peltz’s course Language and Cultural Diversity in the USA observed and evaluated the proceedings. Afterwards, each wrote ethnographic reports on the intergenerational encounter, analyzing how the older adults who grew up in the United States with Yiddish transmit their love and knowledge of the language to another generation.

Everyone who participated agreed that Languages of Jewish Expression: Generations Communicate brought together sectors of the community that usually have little or no contact. It was another step in helping young and old discuss and explore the diverse and rich Jewish culture.

This project was funded in part by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and the Robert Saligman Charitable Foundation.