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On November 12-13, UNESCO hosted a symposium to explore Yiddish’s place as a living language in today’s world, and its central role in Jewish culture, music and literature.

Entitled “The Permanence of Yiddish”, the symposium featured experts, performers, writers, and journalists from France, Britain, Poland, Germany, Israel and the United States, including klezmer musician Michael Alpert and Kenneth Moss, Professor of Jewish History at John Hopkins University.

Some participants spoke while others sang, but all brought with them different perspectives on this rich and culturally vibrant tongue that served as a “go-between” language during the long Diaspora of Jewish communities throughout history.

The symposium was organized by the B’nai B’rith Representation to UNESCO and the Bibliotheque Medem with support from the U.S. Mission to UNESCO, the Israeli delegation to UNESCO and the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation.

In his remarks at the opening ceremony, U.S. Ambassador to UNESCO David Killion stressed the place of Yiddish in American culture as well as the importance of promoting and protecting Jewish culture and heritage through institutions such as B’nai B’rith and UNESCO…more.