Rabbi Zach Golden cofound Yiddish cultural center Der Nister in Los Angeles

Yiddish is making a surprising comeback, with a surge of interest among younger generations, as evidenced by a recent gathering at Der Nistr, a unique cultural center in downtown Los Angeles. Rabbi Zach Golden, co-founder of the center, noted a significant increase in attendance at Yiddish events, stating, "This may have been the first time this amount of young people have showed up to such a thing from, like, 10, 15 years."

The revival of Yiddish, a language historically tied to Ashkenazi Jews, has gained momentum during the pandemic, according to Scribe Bunin Banor, director of the Jewish language project at Hebrew Union College. She reported a notable spike in online learning and participation in Yiddish activities, with over 360,000 users currently studying Yiddish on Duolingo, half of whom are under 30.

This resurgence is particularly poignant given the historical context; the majority of the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust were Yiddish speakers, which has long cast a shadow over the language. Aaron Paley, founder of Yiddishkayt, an organization dedicated to preserving Yiddish culture, explained that Yiddish was often viewed negatively, leading many Jews to assimilate and adopt English.

However, the current wave of interest is driven by a desire to reconnect with heritage. Golden expressed his motivation to learn Yiddish to communicate with his grandmother and reclaim a culture that faced near eradication. Others, like Iris Malka Morel, are exploring Jewish identity beyond Zionism, finding in Yiddish a cultural alternative.

As the community embraces Yiddish, Golden remains optimistic: "Zionist or anti-Zionist, I don't really care why everyone's here. I'm just glad to see so many people excited about Yiddish." This revival not only honors the past but also empowers a new generation to explore their roots and identity.