Yiddish revival: Tel Aviv University introduces Yiddish theater and arts program

Tel Aviv University's Faculty of Arts is responding to a growing interest in all things Yiddish by introducing a new program to give students an opportunity to study and research Yiddish theater and arts, both in theoretical and practical ways, according to Ynet news.

Both Israeli and international students have shown a growing interest in the culture and language of the Jews of Eastern Europe and want to experience its spiritual and verbal richness, the TAU faculty said.

Each year, more than 100 students register for a number of diverse bachelor's and master's degree programs in Yiddish studies.

The university also offers international summer courses for students to deepen their knowledge of the Yiddish language and culture. This year's program was attended by 75 students from 14 countries, including the United States, Portugal, Argentina, and France.

In the State of Israel, Yiddish – a combination of the Hebrew, German and Slavic languages – is often seen as traditional and nostalgic at best, or as 'old' and 'grotesque' at worst, said the head of the Zimbalista Jewish Heritage Center Dr. Yair Lipshitz from TAU's Theater Arts department.

Despite these perceptions, Lipshitz added, Yiddish culture is composed of varied voices that were young, modernist, radical, sensual and avant-garde in their time.

"We are aiming to return these voices to the Tel Aviv of our times, and to enable our students to experience and research the surprising relevance of the Yiddish culture to their own lives today," said Lipshitz.

As part of the efforts to promote the study and research of the Yiddish language, in collaboration with Dr. Mark Zilberkweit, chair of the Foundation for the Preservation of Yiddish Culture, TAU recently unveiled a statue of Sholem Aleichem on its campus.

Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich, better known under his pen name Sholem Aleichem, was a Russian and American Jewish author and playwright who wrote his literary works in Yiddish. The popular musical Fiddler on the Roof was based on some of his stories about Tevye the milkman.

Yiddish has reportedly seen a revival in both Israel and Jewish communities in Europe in recent years, with Yiddish theater performances and even the publishing of Yiddish magazines.