Video captures the warm, lively atmosphere at an all-Yiddish retreat

The ‘Yiddish Vokh’ is a shot in the arm for people who see Yiddish as an integral part of their Jewish identity

Photo by Pinchos Cylich

By Rukhl Schaechter September 13, 2023

For people seeking a Yiddish-speaking milieu, it’s nearly impossible to find one today outside of Hasidic circles.

But for one week each summer, one organization has been providing just that for more than 40 years. At the Yiddish Vokh, sponsored by the group Yugntruf, 150 students, families and senior citizens immerse themselves in a Yiddish-speaking environment at an informal lakeside resort in Copake, New York.

This year, the Yiddish Vokh, which took place the third week of August, was bursting with energy. People of all ages danced East European Jewish folk dances, read stories by classic Yiddish writers, played board games and dined together in the dining room — all in Yiddish. “This is amazing,” said photographer Pinchos Cylich, who had flown in with his wife Felicia from Melbourne, Australia. He was so impressed, he decided to capture as much as he could on film.

When Yiddish scholar Leyzer Burko saw Cylich’s collection of photos and videos, he was eager to share them outside the Yiddish Vokh community. He edited the huge file, quoting some of the participants and adding English subtitles. The result is a delightful montage that reflects the diversity of faces and activities at the Yiddish Vokh. Most importantly, the clip reflects the inspiring energy of the people who gathered to experience six days in a contemporary Yiddishland.

Rukhl Schaechter is the Yiddish editor of the Forward and the producer of the YouTube series, “Yiddish Word of the Day.” She loves cooking, Israeli folk-dancing and talking to her grandchildren.

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