Heritage Words

HUC Jewish Language Project

Heritage Words features interviews about the words we've inherited and the meaning they bring to our lives. Heritage Words is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project, which raises awareness about Jewish ancestral diversity through the lens of language, in partnership with HUC Connect. Sarah Bunin Benor is the host.

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21 episodes
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Avg 46 min
English

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S6 · E7
Wednesday · 48 min
The All-Yiddish Household in California: Generational Continuity with Reyna Schaechter and Isaac Bleaman
Reyna Schaechter, a Yiddish heritage speaker and performer, and Isaac Bleaman, a linguistics professor at UC Berkeley, discuss raising their children in a monolingual Yiddish household. Reyna details her multi-generational Yiddish lineage, describing how her father used musical jingles and annual Yidish-Vokh retreats to transmit their Southeastern Yiddish dialect. Isaac discovered Yiddish as a teenager through klezmer music, leading to his academic career researching Yiddish and developing digital language resources. Together, they describe practical household strategies like code-switching between dialects, translating children's books with label makers, and connecting with other Yiddish families. They conclude by exploring shifting attitudes toward Hasidic Yiddish and language revitalization. Heritage Words – conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives – is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer and video editor: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S6 · E6
October 14 · 46 min
Lezbitzen, Queeruv, and Gaymara: Queer Jewish Language with Miryam Kabakov and Eden Moyal
Miryam Kabakov, executive director of Eshel, and Eden Moyal, a sociolinguist, discuss the intersection of queer identity, Jewish languages, and Orthodox spaces. Eden details the sociolinguistic mechanics of identity, explaining how queer Jews use playful portmanteaus like lezbtzn and Gaymara. She describes their linguistic expressions as deeply infused with reclaimed Yiddish words like umtsveyik and transminik to express their dual identities. Through Eshel's advocacy, Miryam builds communal empathy and supports queer Orthodox Jews, best expressed by the slogan, "We're here, we're queer, we're machmir." They conclude by discussing how shifting language over time reflects changing attitudes and helps Orthodox families navigate identity, grief, and religious faith. Heritage Words – conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives – is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer and video editor: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S6 · E5
September 30 · 50 min
Curses and Code Switching: Dreaming in Yiddish with Sheldon Londner
Sheldon Londner, a secular Yiddishist raised in Los Angeles, shares the powerful legacy of his Polish survivor parents and his lifelong bond with the Yiddish language. Sheldon recounts his parents' miraculous survival of the Holocaust, their journey to America, and how they passed down Yiddish as his first language. He discusses the unique linguistic gift of growing up bilingual, the cultural concept of the "Yiddish gas" (Yiddish street), and the challenges of maintaining fluency without an active speaking community. Today, Sheldon actively preserves this heritage by organizing a weekly Yiddish reading circle. Heritage Words – conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives – is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer and video editor: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S6 · E4
September 9 · 44 min
From Calcutta to Philadelphia: Baghdadi-Indian Language and Identity with Rahel Musleah
Rahel Musleah, an award-winning journalist and educator, discusses her roots as a Baghdadi-Indian Jew from Calcutta. Rahel details the history of her name, explaining how the Arabic pronunciation ‘Musleah’ contrasts with the Hebrew ‘Matsliach’ due to her family's Iraqi origins. She describes her linguistic upbringing as primarily British English, yet deeply infused with Hindustani and Judeo-Arabic heritage words like awafi and kabrowed. Through leading heritage tours to India and preserving her father's Baghdadi melodies, Rahel celebrates her multifaceted ancestry. She concludes by emphasizing her dedication to passing down these unique, blended traditions to her grandchildren. Heritage Words – conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives – is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S6 · E3
September 2 · 39 min
Dementia Summons Dad’s Childhood Language: Preserving Kashi with Sabrina Hakim
Sabrina Hakim, an Iranian Jewish real estate administrator in Los Angeles, discusses her upbringing in Tehran and her family’s roots in Kashan. Sabrina describes migrating to California in 1978 during political unrest, overcoming initial language barriers in high school, and growing up speaking Farsi. When her father developed dementia and unexpectedly began speaking Kashi (Judeo-Kashani), Sabrina urgently started documenting his native language. She details her collaboration with the Jewish Language Project and emphasizes the vital importance of preserving endangered Jewish dialects to safeguard family history and memory. Heritage Words – conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives – is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S6 · E2
August 19 · 48 min
From Taylor Swift to Tehillim: Ashkenazi Identity and Modern Songwriting with Shep Rosenman
Shep Rosenman, an entertainment lawyer and songwriter, discusses his roots as an Ashkenazi Jew from Far Rockaway, New York. Shep details the origins of his names, explaining how his grandmother feared his given name, Shabtai, would link them to the false messiah Shabbetai Tzvi. He describes his linguistic upbringing as primarily English, yet deeply infused with his parents’ Yiddish phrases like “abi gezunt” and “nisht shabbos geredt.” Through his songwriting based on the Psalms, Shep builds spiritual connections and invites listeners to engage with ancient texts. He concludes by discussing his preservation of ancestral Yiddish songs and traditional Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation. Heritage Words – conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives – is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S6 · E1
August 5 · 54 min
Polish Jewish Life Today with Marek Jezowski and Dominika Zakrzewska-Olędzka
Marek Jezowski and Dominika Zakrzewska-Olędzka, members of Warsaw's progressive Jewish community, discuss their experiences reclaiming their Jewish identity in today’s Poland. Marek recounts fighting the 1982 government to register his daughter's Hebrew name, while Dominika shares her personal process of choosing the Jewish name Lilach. They describe navigating a linguistic landscape where Hebrew and Yiddish words like kippah and shul are integrated into daily conversations. Heritage Words – conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives – is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S5 · E8
July 22 · 36 min
Jewish Unity Through Diversity: A Shabbat Conversation
How do you talk about Shabbat? Do you say Hamotsi or Nöten? Kiddush or ‘Adus? Attend knis, kenisa, kal, or shul? This episode features American Jews from various backgrounds – including Syrian, Bukharian, Persian, Iraqi, and Ashkenazi – discussing their Shabbat traditions, with a focus on the unique words from other languages present in their English. Heritage Words – conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives – is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S5 · E7
July 8 · 57 min
Mediterranean Recipes and Rhythms: with Ariel Lazarus, Nissimmi Naim-Naor, and Samuel Torjman Thomas
Ariel Lazarus, Nissimmi Naim-Naor, and Samuel Torjman Thomas discuss their diverse Mediterranean Jewish roots spanning Morocco, Gibraltar, and Libya. The guests detail how family histories are preserved through heritage words, explaining how unique dialects like Llanito and Tripolitanian Arabic pronunciations shaped their identities. They describe their upbringing as deeply infused with ancestral traditions, carrying forward heirlooms like chraime recipes and Andalusian piyyutim. Through their respective arts in food and music, the trio celebrates convivencia and the dynamic quality of Jewish culture. They conclude by discussing the vital social aspect of preserving and sharing these tangible and spiritual heirlooms. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S5 · E6
June 24 · 48 min
"Will They Taste What We Taste?": Cooking Up Ladino with Benny Ginsberg-Margo
Growing up in a polyglot household, Benny Ginsberg-Margo developed a deep fascination with the intersection of language and identity. With mixed Sephardi and Ashkenazi roots, he developed a connection to Ladino after encountering it during his bar mitzvah. As a linguistics student and WikiTongues fellow, Benny launched Mersi Muncho, a Ladino cooking YouTube channel, to revitalize the language and celebrate Sephardi culture. In this episode, he shares his vision for Ladino's future as a community language for generations to come. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S5 · E5
June 10 · 33 min
The Secret Language of Cattle Dealers: German-Jewish Roots with Ken and Hannelore Krug
Hannelore Krug, a German-Jewish immigrant, and her son Ken, a genealogy enthusiast, discuss their family's roots in Hesse-Nassau, Germany. They detail the family's history as cattle dealers, noting a unique professional German-based jargon that incorporated many Hebrew words, including for numbers. Hannelore describes immigrating to New York in 1937 and her rapid linguistic assimilation, while Ken recalls German becoming a secret language used by his elders. Through preserving heritage words like schneckchen and traditional recipes like bienenstich, Ken pieces together their ancestral puzzle. He concludes by highlighting his extensive genealogical research and successful efforts to reclaim their family's German citizenship. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S5 · E4
May 27 · 41 min
Bon Siman and Oy Vey: Jewish Papiamentu and Curaçao Yiddish with Michèle Russel-Capriles and Phyllis Meit
Michèle Russel-Capriles and Phyllis Meit of the Jewish Cultural Historical Museum in Curaçao discuss their roots as Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews on the island. Michèle details her 15th-generation Sephardic heritage and the unique Jewish Papiamentu vocabulary her grandmother documented. Phyllis describes her Ashkenazi background, tracing her family from a Romanian shtetl to the Caribbean, and notes the survival of Yiddishisms within her community. Through their work, they preserve and showcase the island's diverse cultural history. They conclude by reflecting on their multilingual upbringing and the importance of keeping ancestral languages alive. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S5 · E3
May 13 · 43 min
Dancing on the Same Page: Multilingual Calligraphy and Bridge-Building with Ruben Shimonov
Ruben Shimonov, a multilingual educator and artist, discusses his roots as a Bukharian Jew from Uzbekistan. Ruben details the etymology of his names, explaining how the Russian suffix -ov was forced upon Bukharian names. He describes his linguistic upbringing in Tashkent as primarily Russian, yet deeply infused with Bukharian loanwords like bas and osvo. Through his Hebrew-Arabic-Persian calligraphy, Ruben builds interfaith bridges and celebrates the "Persianate" Jewish world. He concludes by discussing the vulnerability of the Bukharian language and his efforts to preserve it within the diaspora. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S5 · E2
April 29 · 46 min
From Baghdad to London: Losing and Keeping Judeo-Iraqi Arabic with Samantha Ellis
Memoirist Samantha Ellis discusses her background as the daughter of Iraqi Jewish refugees and her memoir about losing her ancestral tongue, Judeo-Iraqi Arabic. Samantha speaks about her family's migration from Baghdad to the UK, explaining why her parents chose not to fully pass the language down to her. And she explores her evolving connection to her ancestral culture, from her heritage words and foods like amba to embracing her role as a "keeper" of Judeo-Iraqi Arabic, rather than a fluent speaker. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S5 · E1
April 15 · 51 min
Singing from the Fragments: Iraqi-Ashkenazi Music with Yoni Avi Battat
Sarah Bunin Benor interviews musician Yoni Avi Battat, who discusses his background studying classical violin and his journey to bringing Arab music into the American Jewish soundscape. Yoni discusses his mixed Ashkenazi and Iraqi-Jewish heritage, explaining how he reclaims his Iraqi roots through microtonal melodies, the oud, and his album Fragments. Yoni explores the contrasting experiences of his ancestral languages, from his Polish maternal side's loss of Yiddish to the vibrant Judeo-Iraqi Arabic of his paternal grandparents, finding connection through heritage words like abdalak and the guttural sounds of Arabic. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S4 · E7
March 30 · 51 min
The Rabbi Who Rejected Yiddish: Mordecai Kaplan’s Vision with Jenna Weissman Joselit
Jenna Weissman Joselit discusses Restless Soul, her biography of Mordecai M. Kaplan. Jenna begins by exploring her own family’s linguistic history, including the myth of a “Marrano bullfighter” ancestor, before diving into Kaplan's 102-year life and massive diary that he called his “golem.” She details Kaplan’s vision of Judaism as a civilization rather than just a religion, highlighting his goal to create “plus-Jews” who embrace the joys of tradition. Jenna explains Kaplan’s rejection of Yiddish in favor of Hebrew and English and his invention of terms like “peoplehood” and “Reconstructionism”—a term likely borrowed from Upper West Side real estate development. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S4 · E6
March 18 · 37 min
Chicken-Footed Demons and Synagogue Shouting: Venezuelan Sephardic Life with Joseph Bendahan
Meet Joseph Bendahan, a nuclear physicist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory who grew up in Caracas, Venezuela. Joseph details his family’s Sephardic roots in the Moroccan cities of Tetouan and Ouezzane before their migration to South America. Reflecting on the endangerment of his ancestral language, Haketia, he describes how the mix of Spanish, Hebrew, and Arabic thrived in Venezuela’s unique social environment. Joseph highlights vivid folklore like the chicken-footed dembajos and expressive phrases like se te caiga el mazzal, illustrating how even his Ashkenazi friends adopted these colorful Sephardic words on the playground. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
March 11 · 51 min
Bonus Episode: Ayuni: Foods of our Middle Eastern and North African Jewish Grandmothers
Today we want to introduce you to another podcast that we think you’ll like, Ayuni: Voices of our Jewish Grandmothers. On Heritage Words we discuss Jewish culture that's passed down through the generations. Ayuni does that too, taking us into the homes of Jewish families from the Middle East and North Africa. Dalya Arussy Di Veroli, Sarah Sassoon, and Dr. Drora Arussy have delightful conversations around rituals, holidays, food, and, yes, heritage words. Even their title is a heritage word. As their description says, "Ayuni, a term of endearment meaning “my eyes,” passes from grandmother to granddaughter, carrying worlds of memory, longing, and love." Check out Ayuni on YouTube and wherever you listen to your podcasts. As a taste, here's a sample episode we think you'll like: Food As Memory. The hosts share the foods they grew up on and the stories surrounding them. Enjoy this bonus episode! Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S4 · E5
March 4 · 53 min
Opera and Film: Christian and Jewish Neo-Aramaic with Nora Lacey and Alan Niku
Sarah Bunin Benor interviews Nora Lacey, founder of the Assyrian Arts Institute, and Alan Niku, a filmmaker and scholar of Mizrahi culture. Together, they explore the connections between their endangered Neo-Aramaic dialects: Nora’s Christian Assyrian and Alan’s Jewish Hulaulá from Sanandaj. Nora details her work revitalizing the language through the arts, including the first Assyrian opera, Gilgamesh, while Alan discusses documenting his heritage through his Dreamy Kalimi video series. The guests test their mutual intelligibility and share heritage words. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.
S4 · E4
February 18 · 41 min
How an 11-Year-Old Learned a Dying Language: Lishan Didan with Sam Miller
Sarah Bunin Benor interviews Sam Miller, a computational linguist of mixed Ashkenazi and Nash-Didan heritage. Sam details his maternal roots in the cosmopolitan city of Urmia, Iran, where his family navigated a multilingual world of Aramaic, Farsi, and Kurdish. Driven by a childhood desire to shoulder the “burden” of his endangered ancestral language, he discusses his documentation work with the Jewish Language Project. Sam highlights Nash-Didan heritage words for traditional foods like shifteh and tava, and shares creative revitalization projects, including a Lishan Didan cover of “Country Roads.” Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.

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