Finding naches in mamaloshn

MEMBERS of Sydney and Melbourne branches of a Yiddish conversation group are continuing to celebrate and treasure the language, and keep it alive and kicking in the community.

With that objective, members meet either weekly, fortnightly or monthly, mainly on Sundays, to participate in Yiddish conversations.

In Sydney, the group has been around for at least 20 years, under the umbrella of the Jewish Folk Centre in Woollahra.

Since the pandemic began in early 2020, Zoom is the main platform for their meet-ups, in both Sydney and Melbourne.

But with the recent removal of many COVID-related restrictions, both branches were able to hold weekend picnic get-togethers last month – at Centennial Park in Sydney, and Caulfield Park in Melbourne – and more are being planned.

Sydney member, Helen Berger, said the group’s meet-ups are not Yiddish classes, but opportunities to socialise and communicate in Yiddish, and celebrate the language and Yiddish culture.

“We’ve all become very good friends, because we have Yiddish in common,” Berger said.

“We are originally from different countries in Europe – for me it was Belgium – but we all have the same sort of history, as Yiddish was the language our parents spoke.

“All kinds of topics are discussed at our meetings, but it’s all in Yiddish.”

To find out more about the Sydney Yiddish speaking group’s monthly Sunday sessions, phone Helen Berger on 0409 241 588.

For more on the group’s Sydney weekly Monday sessions on Zoom, and also its Melbourne branch events, contact Dora Hechtman on 0418 317 241.