Yiddish
Israel & Palestine • 1h 0m
Directed by Nurith Aviv • Documentary • 2020 • 61 minutes
In Nurith Aviv’s unexpected, original documentary, seven young interviewees share their love for Yiddish avant-garde poetry written between the World Wars. An expressive hybrid “jargon” with roots in Hebrew, German and Slavic languages, Yiddish has been shamed, banned, and nearly wiped out, but it’s a vernacular with rich political, historical, religious, socio-economic and literary import. In her spirited film, Aviv brings its ancient words to life.
“Must see! Nurith Aviv turns her attention to the storied tongue of Eastern Europe Jews. From Paris, Berlin, Vilnius and Warsaw, her interviewees make ancient words resonate today” —Le Monde
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