By COLlive reporter
United Lubavitcher Yeshiva in Crown Heights is incorporating this year a change in how its students learn Chumash.
Grade 1 (Kita Aleph) children in the Crown Street school will be learning Chumash translated into English, instead of Yiddish.
The goal is for the teachers to be focusing the Chumash lessons on the content. Lashon Hatorah (language) acquisition skills (Shoroshim, prefixes suffixes etc.) will be the focus of a separate lesson, being an entirely different discipline.
As well, the Yeshiva will be bolstering Yiddish language acquisition by dedicating a focused 20 minute Yiddish total immersion lesson 2-3 times a week.
COLlive.com was told that these changes are a result of continued discussion in the school over how to better teach Yiddish to a generation that does not speak it.
“This is a pioneering move and we are carefully monitoring the results to ensure the desired outcome,” Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein, Assistant Principal in the Yeshiva, told COLlive.
He said the aim is that the students will over time be able to learn the Rebbe’s sichos and Ma’amorim in Yiddish as well as understand the Farbrengens.
Results are already being seen. One teacher wrote into COLlive: “This is the first time in my 25+ years of teaching that at this point in the year a boy was able to say, on his own, more than even one possuk!
“Ever since we made the change, I have close to 100% participation in the class… the boys have a ‘chayos’ in the learning and they are really into it,” the teacher said.
Educators said the move is in line with the Rebbe’s directive based on a Yechidus with Frank Lautenberg in 5732
[The Rebbe had ask Mr Frank Lautenberg to put on Teffilin. Someone asks: Does he not have to learn the brochos or the language, to read Hebrew?] the Rebbe responds: You can do all these thing in English, [Someone asks: All this in English? and the Rebbe responds: in English!, and then the Rebbe continues]:
Every boy or girl that is approaching, and does not understand Hebrew or Yiddish, should do all these things in English, it is a pity on the time loss, I am not for …. the Yeshivos who are very enthusiastic about forcing the people to teach all subjects in Yiddish, Gemara etc, I am not enthusiastic about it, we are spending a lot of time to learn a new language and after they have learned it, they have a language barrier, they cannot speak fluently, then are thinking in English, and it is a pity on the time Loss, as I said before “the building is burning!” it is not a normal time! and to say it a good way, it is a computer era, a computer must have the results in one second and because of that you [referring to Mr. Lautenberg who was a pioneer in the computer industry] are paid a million for this computer or 2 million, I don’t know exactly, this is your [again referring to Mr. Lautenberg] department….
AUDIO (relevant part at 3:36):
The Rebbe has also responded to Rabbi Aron Dov Sufrin OBM, who served for nearly 40 years as Director of Education of Lubavitch Foundation, London, UK, in a Yechidus, 20 Adar II 5725.
Issue: Most of the children in our school (The school referred to is Lubavitch House School in London UK) speak English at home. However in each class there are at least half the parents who would like their children to be taught in Yiddish, and one child has left because of this. There are one or two others who may leave because we do not teach in Yiddish. On the other hand, there is one or two who may take their children away to other schools if we do start teaching the children in Yiddish, and it will also deter parents of the English and German type from sending their children to us.
Yet there is a possibility that if we would go over to teaching in Yiddish, a small percentage of frumer children may join our school. Under the present system we have adopted, we are introducing Yiddish into each class (as the Rebbe Shlita may have noticed from the curriculum I handed in), but there is still dissatisfaction amongst some of the parents. We therefore wish to know what our policy should be for running the school, to teach in Yiddish or English.
The Rebbe’s Response: Tell the parents who want everything taught in Yiddish that they most probably also want their children to grow up to be shomrei Torah u’mitzvos, Torah observant Jews. If their children will be taught in Yiddish, which is a strange language to them, they may develop distaste to everything they learn. This will affect them in the future development of their personal Yiddishkait (Judaism).
It is appropriate to speak to them in Yiddish during their playtime, recess, breaks, or when telling them a story as this will help expand their familiarity with the language; however, not when teaching them formal Yiddishkait subjects.
You do realize that Yiddish is primarily a German derivative. Yes, German. There is nothing HOLY about Yiddish, it was (and is) spoken as a matter of convenience, a common language of sorts that allows people from different countries and backgrounds to communicate. That’s it. Don’t somehow make it something kodesh, it’s got more in common with the native language of Nazis than it does Hebrew.
My 4th grader has needed tuturing ever since he started learning Chumash in 1st grade. This Shabbos he proudly read and translated into English,15 pesukim, quickly and confidently!!!!
Of course I meant to write “not ONE word”….Reminder to self: proofread carefully.
Are you imlying that the Rebbe spoke the “low” language of Amelek? I believe the Rebbe had more knowledge than you.
The time to start speaking with the kids in Yeshiva is in headstart. When it is exciting to learn something new. By the time the kids are in first grade and are speaking ONLY in Yiddish in Yeshiva, learning and teitching in Yiddish makes sense. However, thats not the case. We are translatinig Loshon Kodesh into effectively Japanese! I am 50 yrs old. We grew up w teitching in Yiddish and answering our tests in Yiddish. It worked for me bec my parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles all spoke and speak to me in Yiddish. Our children do… Read more »
Not none word in the new plan suggests that Yiddish will take a back burner, be thrown out, be ignored, be devalued, or any such idea! Actually, is states that Yiddish will have a more prominent place in the educational process, because it will be taught with the right emphasis in an educationally sound sequence and time frame! The Chumash will be studied for its deeper meaning, instead of being compromised because students are expected to absorb its meaning through a language they are not as familiar with. I think that there are those who will oppose change when they… Read more »
It does NOT mean that. It simply means that when students are learning chumash, they will get the CONTENT of it more deeply, because they are studying its meaning in a more familiar language without the stress of unfamiliar Yiddish language. THEN Yiddish will be studied more directly and with more appropriate sequence and educational sense. So please , if you check with professional educators who are trained to present material in the most accessible and sound strategies, most likely they know what they are doing. Maybe you should give the professionals the chance to work their knowledge of learning… Read more »
for the Rebbe’s revelutionary view on this please visit http://www.chinuch.co and click on MORE thee click on YIDDISH IN YESHIVOS
Chutzpa of parents who think they can shift entire chinuch responsibility on the yeshiva. Yiddish isn’t the Yeshiva’s responsibility. Especially not for those who dont bother even trying speaking yiddish at home. If your kid can learn Spanish from the shiktza, one phrase at a time, SO CAN YOU! There is no excuse for you not learning and starting to use Yiddish at home! If there was a class of Russian speaking children, they will teach them chumash in RUSSIAN, AND teach them Yiddish as a language! Why the fuss? A Yeshiva’s goal is to teach torah, chassidus and Yiras… Read more »
The Rabbeim lived in Russia not in Germany YET THEY TALKED AND TAUGHT CHASSIDUS IN YIODDISH. The Rebbe lived in America YET HE FARBRENGED IN YIDDISH. Yidden that lived in Hungary, Poland etc. spoke Yiddish and in their Chadorim and Yeshivos they learned only in Yiddish.
HELLO, no one is doing away with Yiddish. READ the article. Quote, “the Yeshiva will be bolstering Yiddish language acquisition by dedicating a focused 20 minute Yiddish total immersion lesson 2-3 times a week.” And the aim of that is, ” that the students will over time be able to learn the Rebbe’s sichos and Ma’amorim in Yiddish as well as understand the Farbrengens.” So why the hysteria? Yiddish is not being abolished, in fact I suspect that boys will gain a better understanding of Yiddish by having special Yiddish classes than by gleaning whatever words they can from teitching… Read more »
I am extremely happy with this change! My son is thriving B”H and I cannot be more happy with this!
keep your head in the sand.
people, talk in and teach the fundamentals and rules of at least one language thoroughly to your children so they can think. only then can you teach all other things you want to teach them – and in that language
yeshivos in crown hieghts for chsidishe kinderlach should be speaking and learning in yiddish as it used to be but its going down the hill thats why there is a problem so why help to go down the hill faster instead lets try to promote more yiddish in the pri school, at homes etc.
As a youngster, I attended Bais Rivkah elementary school on Church Ave. In those days the class was made up of 2/3 Lubavitch girls and 1/3 non-frum local girls who joined our class. When we learned Chumash , it was teitched in YIDDISH. We chanted aloud and memorized all the words. Trust me, although most of us heard Yiddish at home, none of us had a clue what it even meant when we teitched the words “Sohu Vovohu” PUST un VIST” or “Mirachefes” HUT GESHVEBT….but we all went along and naturally when we asked what it meant and were told… Read more »
http://www.jewishinspiration.com/watch_videos_hands_on_chinuch.php
You say that French is being forced down your kids’ throats and can’t understand why Yiddish isn’t imposed in our kids here. I’ll tell you why: WE DON’T LIVE IN GERMANY!!!!! You live a province who’s primary language is French. We live in United States of America and, although Spanish is gaining in popularity, English is still our primary language. To all those getting bent out of shape: It’s really sad that so many folks equate level of chassidishkeit with Yiddish speaking. For the record, I work on Kingston Avenue and encounter hundreds of locals all day long. I hear… Read more »
READ the article!
1. All you saying this is wrong, you are arguing with the Rebbe! They are doing EXACTLY what the rebbe wants!
I came to pick up my nephew and heard the rebbi in charge of dismissal talking to the boys in YIDDISH!!!
2. they are not dropping Yiddish, only separating chumash from yiddish!
My oh my! What a stink!
To the person who claims that speaking Yiddish was somehow responsible for the holocaust because it is related to German. Please tell me why the Jews of Salonika went to Auschwitz? They were Sefardim who didn’t speak Yiddish at all.Why were thousands of French Jews murdered? Many were quite assimilated and spoke French exclusively. Furthermore if your hypothesis were true don’t you think the Baal Shem,the Shloh hakadosh,the Maharsho,and the Alter Rebbe would have known this and warned klal Yisroel?Your thesis is nonsensical and you owe an apology to our kedoshim HY”D.
My son is not in a Lubavich yeshiva. They teitch in Yiddish, and my son understands soewhat, but not that easily. When I do the homework with him, we teitch two ways. Into Yiddish and into English. This accomplishes the best of both worlds.
They are not eliminating Yiddish. They are trying to teach Chumash in the most understandable way, and also teach Yiddish.
is it more important then love and understanding towards others? is it more important then accepting different views? And even if you cant, at least the realization that harsh criticism will surly not change the others point of view, only acceptance will, might. I do not mean to say be silent, but this kind of communication is just foolish.
P.S. It’s hard to believe that the hanhala believes in the rightness of eliminating the Yiddish. I find that hard to believe.
Tells us that no matter which side is right, Yiddish is an important part of Lubavitch education.
I love learning it and I cant believe people dotn want to. My parents cant talk in yiddish b/c I understand too much b/c of learning yiddish w/ chumash and when i wanna tell my mother something in a store i speak in yiddish. I dont speak it fluently. I THINK THERER SHOULD BE A LAW TO TEACH KIDS A 2ND LANGUAGE!!! My father speaks hebrew, yiddish, english and russian and yet i only know this one!
What are they thinking??? That abolishing yiddish will resovle the problem of children not being able to speak it? Yiddish is a language deeply connected to chasidus. And despite what many people are thinking nowadays, Lubavitch is NOT Modern Orthodox, but a chasidus. Was it in vein that all our Rebbeim were speaking in yiddish? Was it for nothing that the Rebbe’s Ma’amorim and Sichos were given in yiddish? For me, suppressing yiddish is a crime. Even in France, where the Lubavitch community includes a lot of Sephardic Jews yiddish is mandatory and they make the effort to learn it!… Read more »
i remember learning that the bais hamikdosh was destroyed because of Jews fighting with each other, each one thinking he was better then the next. i don’t recall if i learned this in English or Yiddish but i remember it.
1st of all, the Rebbe was NOT speaking about ALL LUBAVITCH SCHOOLS. The answer he gave was specific to the situation in that London school. So, why do you generalize? 2nd, the problem of kids not being fluent in yiddish is that they didn’t learn at HOME. If more parents would speak in yiddish with their children at home, we wouldn’t have that problem among us. We cannot ask the school to do what is not done at home. It begins with parents. I am 100% in favor of teaching yiddish at school, as far as parents (or other peaople)… Read more »
Clearly the Rebbe was writing about a school in England or he was addressing Frank Lautemnberg and discussing the concerns on an” Amerikaner” Jew. How can anyone use this to support eliminating studying Chumash in Yiddish in Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch.The Yeshiveh that the Rebbe Rashab founded should teach Chumash in English?Shomu Shomayim. By the way, if I had a Yiddish keyboard this would be written in Yiddish.It’s time to make a choice-are we European Yiddish speaking Hasidei Habad or are we english speaking Modern Orthodox with a smattering of Hassidic “Lite?”
Good idea, but you know that will only cause dissension & elitism.
NO, NO, NO!
I hope this doesn’t happen! Yes there is a problem out there (kids don’t know Yiddish) and it needs to be solved, but taking away our traditional chasidish language of Yiddish from our schools is not the solution. It will only make the problem bigger…
WOW! How I wish we had that option in the 80’s
Great great news for our children
A sad day when in a Lubavitch cheder Yiddish is relegated.to the back seat. What a pity for the adorable yiddishe kinderlech who will be deprived of the opportunity of learning in Yiddish
Our daughters in Beis Rivkah could have French forced down their throats – total immersion, and that’s perfectly OK. They study all subjects in French and take government exams in French – although their parents don’t speak a word of that language. All perfectly fine !!!
Why doesn’t Yiddish – the holy language of our Rabbeim deserve the same, but gets thrown out ?
Please Yeshiva Montreal, Keep up the Yiddish !!!
Yasher Koach Rabbi Simpson for leading this innovative approach in the chinuch of our children!
With the help of the One Above, we will teach our children both subjects, Chumash and Yiddish, much better now!
There is a very simple reason why:
The learning objectives are now clearer.
Clearer goals of chinuch will bring up clearer-headed, happier children!
Have ULY – for those that speak English, and Oholei Torah – for those that speak Yiddish. Wasn’t this the very reason Oholei Torah opened up (because in the ULY on Bedford and Dean, they taught and spoke Engkish)?! Correct me if I’m wrong.
I’m glad my kids go to your school, as I remember the trouble I had in school when we translated into Yiddish and I never knew what I was saying!!
Yuddish a holy language?
Just peruse the non-frum leterature in Yiddish and you will encounter things that I dont want to write in this forum
The Rebbe would be so proud of your comment. The achdus you show is just beautiful, and right in time for Rosh Hashana too.
P.S. It’s not too late to do teshuva
Q: Which shiur in Oholei Torah Zal is the biggest (and has a big waiting list)?
Hint: It’s not given in yiddish…
I have tutored boys in OT 8th grade who was able to teitsh every word of the gemorah to english yet had very little idea was the gemora was actually saying
Nice theory but the Rebbe explained different.
צו מיר איז דאס א פלא, אז אלעמען שרייבן אז מען דארפ לערנען יידיש אפ איינגליש.
מיין עלטערן זיינען בעלי תשובה און זיי פארשטיין ניט קיין יידיש און איך האב ניט געלגרנט אין א חיידר ואס טייטשט אין אידיש און ב”ה איך פארשטיי די שיחות פון רבי’ן און קען מער וויינייק רעדין יידיש אמאל דארפ איך טאקע ברעכין מיין ציינער אבער טייטשין יידיש וואלט גארניט געהאלפין
ב”ה האב איך געלערנט חומש אפ איינגליש און פארשטאנן וואס איך האב געלערנט
S’iz pashut moirehdik, in mitten tug azoifil laidegeir. Zetst zich besser avek un lernt a sicha, maamor, blatt gemorah oif velche shprach zol zain
Good idea. instead of using chumash as an excuse to learn yiddish, and the boys not mastering either, instead they’re teaching them chumash and yiddish and the boys will master both. (btw, ive tutored OT boys who knew the yiddish translation of their chumash or gemara but didnt know whatit meant in the language they spoke! 😛
The students will learn much better now. Yasher Koach to Lubavitch Yeshiva.
The other Yeshivos should seriously be considering what is more important to them- the Yiddish language or the Yiddish neshama?
We should be worried about the shaved and trimmed beards and proster clothes prevelant in lubavitch today..a far bigger boosha than scrapping yiddish.
I actually aproached the Yeshiva principal months ago, asking for more yiddish, and was told this unfortunate news that not only will we not be getting more, but that we will probably be seeing less Yiddish in the coming years. I pleaded with him to at least have two tracks, and this way, everyone would be happy. Surprisingly, ULY probably has the most Rebbe’s with Yiddish speaking capabilities than any other Lubavitcher Mosad. So having a Yiddish track shouldn’t be too difficult. For some reason (and I’m really trying hard to figure it out) this idea was never implemented. What… Read more »
please correct your mispronounced Yiddish term. It should be “az och un vei” and not “a zoch in vei”. !
I am so happy they are doing this. Finally the kids will understand what they are saying. my daughter has a hard time in Bnos Menachem school with the chumash. they translate it into yiddish and eglish. it’s confusing and they dont understand what they are saying. ULY have also a new program with Chazorah. they keep doing it. there is no pressure for any tests. the teacher wont schedule when he gives a test. there’s no pressure on the kids or parents. it’s great. they just need to make sure to do chazorah every single night in case they… Read more »
MY son speaks yiddish. Its not my problem if the rest of the class doesnt understand a word. ITS NOT CHASSIDISH!!
The kids are required to chant the Posuk, then the Yiddish translation and then the English translation, which means for mastery the child must remember two different translations. That is an absurd expectation, especially for the linguistically complex pesukim. It’s likely (but not certain) that teaching Yiddish through pesukim translation helps the Yiddish of the children who speak Yiddish at home (who probably don’t need it anyway), but it’s certain that the dual translation taxes the Chumash learning process for everybody. Learning the translation of complex Hebrew texts is hard; Learning two translations for complex Hebrew texts is twice as… Read more »
א ראיה אז דאס איז געווען א קלוגער צעד פון ליובאוויטשער ישיבה: איך קען שרייבן וואס איך וויל און קיין איין ליובאוויטשער וועט עס נישט פארשטיין…
סאיז נישט די צייט יעצט צו וויינען און רייסען קריעה וועגן יידיש. דאס האט מען געדארפט טאן שון צענגליקער יארן צוריק ווען מהאט שוין אנגעפאנגען ארויסגעבן ליובאוויטשער אויסגאבעס אויף ענגליש אדער העברעאיש…נאר נישט יידיש.
א שאד
חבל על דאבדין
Although I must agree that this sounds like a great idea, and, if it works as described, should certainly be instituted in all of our Mosdos, I have had the opportunity to see another side of the coin. Whilst being a Shliach in Yeshiva, as well as during the rest of my life, I always felt bad for Bochurim that couldn’t learn a Sicha because it was in Yidish (especially common among children growing up on Shlichus – pre-online school), it is a real disability to not know Yidish! so, it’s important that they be taught Yidish, even as a… Read more »
your comment makes no sense at all!!
as for all alot of the other comments, its obvious who read the full article and those who just read the title. read the WHOLE thing before commenting
now we will be able to keep so many kids from going off the derech due to not being able to learn bec. of the confusion with languages …… people writing shame? shame on you..are you going to frumer then the rebbe? the rebbe was a tzadick and aslo a person with common sense………keep the kids interested…were not living in the shtetle….. this is amazing news…i am so happy for all those boys and girls who would have suffered otherwise… now we need big shpitz oholie totah to come of the horse and follow l yeshivas lead…. may we be… Read more »
We all wanted The Rebbe to be moshiach. How is it possible that the Moshiach will teach Torah in a language which is totally foreign to half the Jewish people in the world? There is only one language which is common to all the Jewish people in the world – Hebrew.
DO WE FIGHT OR ACCEPT THE REFORM TO LUBAVITCH – that is the question. And good luck Lubavitcher Yeshiva – remember the ones who pose this bright and grand idea and complain to them when some people avoid the school, chas v’shalom). It generally takes even ONE “powerful” speaking person – to CHANGE a whole system. “WHERE THE RABBONIM CONSULTED EVEN????!!) Look at Bais Rivka uniforms – it took someone with a bright idea to say – shorten the skirts, as the long ones are NOT TZNIUS! And everyone was influenced – and listened to that idea. In these times… Read more »
The gemarah was written in Aramaic because the Jews stopped speaking Hebrew and the Chachamim wanted it to be accessible to all. Sefer Daniel is in Aramish. Except for Lashon Hakodesh (which is how Hashem created the world) language is just a means to communicate, express ideas, and pass on information to new generations. Language becomes holy when Yidden use it to learn Torah and just amongst themselves for many generations. That is why Aramish, Yiddish and Ladino became holy. But language evolves based on where people migrate and the mix of people from other places. Aramish phased out after… Read more »
Yiddish is not an independent language. It is the Jewish dialect of the German language. The German language has hundreds of dialects, and Yiddish is just one of them. A person who knows only German can easily understand Yiddish. On the other hand, a person who knows only Hebrew cannot understand anything in Yiddish. All great Rabbis agree that the Germans are the children of Amalek. Therefore, Yiddish is the language of Amalek. As shocking as it sounds, the fact is that Yiddish is based on the language of Amalek. Amalek belongs to the three lowest levels of impurity that… Read more »
teach the kids yiddish as a language, and chumash focusing on skills of learning it, and then combine the two a few years later when they’ve mastered both. Instead of missing out on both subjects they actually learn the skills of both subjects.
Great idea!
the only way kids will know yiddish is from learning – people stopped speaking at home
זייער אינטערעסאנט ווי די פאַרפרומטע ייִדיש רעדנערס מאַכן זיך אינגאנצן ניט וויסענדיג די רבי ‘ס פּראַקטישע עצה. אפשר זייַענדיק אַ טרייסטער פאַר ייִדיש מאכט איינער מער פרום ווי דער רבי’ן
To #113 and several other similar opinions including misbehaving by not wearing a hat and jacket on the street….Do you know anyone who wears a hat and jacket on the street and doesn’t thank his wife for a beautiful dinner or celebrate his children’s small victories every day, who might lie a little on his income taxes, do a few shady business deals, throw an empty Starbuck’s cup on the sidewalk, not smile at the person next to him on the subway… the real deal is understanding and acting upon what Hashem is telling us this day through learning Chumash… Read more »
I learned in ULY 30 years ago and the overwhelming majority did not think in Yiddish nor did they consider Yiddish their first language…yet, Chumash teitsh was in Yiddish.
All these yechidusin and igros floating around have been around longer than thirty years. Why wasn’t it changed back then?
This is a very dangerous game that Lubavitcher Yeshiva is playing. Basing such a huge decision on a few letters when there are just as many answers from the Rebbe that are pro Yiddish teitch is dishonest and a perversion of the truth.
is that what the Frediker Rebbe said when he got here? When in America do like America?
What are you even propagating at this point, becuase it isn’t based on Chabad Lubavitch teachings. Why call yourself Chabad. Go send your kids to schools in Long Island and 5 Towns.
In America do like America? wow. thats sums it up people.
My doughter last year learnt in Yidish didnt know what was going on. Hard enough to start learning Chumush but also in Yidish? This year she learns in English and she came home and said Tate I love learning Chumush.
Wake up people we all speak English Its about time we translate it into English. When in Russia do like Russia but in America do like America
First let me ask a few questions, and then try to give some of my insight (opinions) for what it is worth. The Rebbe’s farbreingens were all in Yiddish, however, we probably can all agree that had the Rebbe Farbreinged in Yiddish many more people would understand, and many more people would come, is that not true> When we learn with a small child chumosh (even in english!) is it not true that most small children do not comprehend what it means that before everything was dark, Pust and Veest etc. and that Hashem took a rib from Odom and… Read more »
“Like” 27 & 32 and lots more…
if the teacher has the right skills, the kids will understand perfectly in yiddish. like history has proven! kids that never had yiddish anywhere close to their family, understood it perfectly in yiddish, those that didnt, were usually the ones that didnt learn other subjects too.
Yiddish also gives more of a “gefill” and “geshmak” to the learning, english just isnt the same.
Kids dropping out b/c of the yiddish?? like i said, they wouldnt learn much in school altogether!
Not anyone can do it, but a good mechanech can!
after the menachem foundation, this is the best thing in chinuch that is happening in lubavitch!!!
Where are heading? What’s next?
for all you people saying we should teach in the language we understand, so why bother using the Hebrew at all! Aside from Israeli families, I’d venture to guess more kids dont know Hebrew/Loshon Hakodesh and then even yiddish!
If its about understanding the Torah, and what is in the Chumash, lets just read the English!
This is a very clear situation of “the grandfather wore a kapta, the father wears a jacket, what will the son wear ?”
My parents both spoke fluent Yiddish but they only spoke with us in English!
Now I can’t speak with my own children and I am very sad that they will never know yiddish!
What were my parents thinking? That the schools would teach us? well, they did not!
Unfortunately I do agree that Yiddish will be lost very soon.
The only words I learned from my parents were “Patch in hinten” and “Chutzpinyak”
Are those words going to help me in life? don’t think so…..
Now for the truth! The REAL reason that (as apposed to all other Chassidim), Lubavitch speaks english is, because we are Mekariv people from all walks of life, who DON’T Speak Yiddish, and their kids attend our schools and blend together (BT and FFB together), so what becomes is that we accomadate them, and thus we ourselves speak English to our kids… This is one of the “casulties” that we have to give up in order to bring Moshiach closer. Which this is what the Rebbe wanted. So it’s “Nisht Geferlach”.
Is to teach our kids a good, decent English, so when they study Tanya in English translation or the Chasidic Heritage mamarim from Kehos they should understand what they are reading.
If not, then we lost on both ends….
To those who wrote that the yiddin in Mitzraym “lo Shimu Leshoinom” it wasn’t Yiddish, it was Loshoin Hakoidesh!!!!!!
Does anybody think the Rebbe would today change the language of the farbrengens because most chasidim today do not understand yidish? The problem is that the yeshives only had yidish as taitch not as the spoken lenguage in class or at least to explain the learning. It’s a shame that you hear kids saying tzedoko box and chalah cover instead of a tzedoko pushke and chaleh dekl.
To those against leaving Yiddish, perhaps you should take a refresher course in priorities. The Rebbe himself addressed Yiddish Vs. English, and CoL reported them earlier this year:
https://staging.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=13058&alias=how-to-deal-with-a-rebellious-child
Better a Chassic English speaker than a Yiddish speaking rebel, no?
They might as well call it Hebrew Academy of Crown Heights.
so sad because I really liked Lubavitch Yeshiva. I liked that it wasn’t so commercialized, and the children as a whole, are definitely finer and more aidel. Sad that I have to make such a choice, but I think Yiddish is still going to win. I want my sons to grow up understanding the geshmak of the Rebbe’s sichos in the shprach that they were said. Too bad!
I am otherwise a big fan of ULY, but they are making a big mistake. it’s going to cost them …. it’s all going downhill from here…too bad!
They should have 2 classes those who want english or yiddish should be able to chose. The school can also make that decision. they should also teach yiddish as a language so boys can speak it fluently. then it wont be so foreign.
WITH RESPECT TO NUMBER 48 “WE LIVE IN AMERICA”…… THE FRIDEKER REBBE CAME TO THESE SHORES WITH ONE MESSAGE Amerika is nisht andresh…. NO we keep Shabboss here NO we wear beards NO we eat Cholov Yisroel FOR THE SAKE OF EMES PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE HISTORY… PLEASE DO NOT REWRITE HISTORY…. LUBAVITCH HAS A GLORIOUS PAST…. LOOK AT THE REBBE RESHABS ARTICLES ON ZIONISM… THE FRIDEKER todays lubavitch dare not repeat them as its bad for PR….
Why bother learning it in Loshon Hakodesh and then translating into English, nobody speaks Loshon hakodesh in their homes!? Teach the Chumash only in English, the kids will know it better and you will learn a lot more than 11 pesukim a week . You can always teach them Loshon Kodesh as a separate subject. Why does Chumash have to be the platform to learn Loshon Hakodesh? Can you all see how far Chas V’Sholom this logic can go. It’s only a matter of time before this argument will become mainstream. After all, that’s the way they teach Chumash in… Read more »
Teach the religion NOT the language, Teach the child NOT the subject
Why can all other chassidishe institution’s stick with Yiddish. Why do we Lubavitcher’s need to lead the way in the other direction?
As is, the yiddish language is slowly disappeaing why do we need to be the ones to help it disappear?
why bother teaching chumash? how about teaching abc so that these kids could read sichos in english? or maybe we dont need sichos either? history and science might be a better idea? WHAT HAS THIS WORLD COME TO? ARE THE YESHIVOS SUPPOSED TOGIVE IN TO ALL THE DEMANDS OF OUR MODERN SHCHUNA? It’s only going to go downhill from here. Does anyone know if the other Yeshivos teach more yiddish? I think it’s time for CHANGE. But this time to a different Yeshiva.
As far as I am concerened another low hits Lubavitch… If the Rebbe was still here Farbrengen No offense to mechicsten,, and I mean that.. I beleive there should of being a petition asking the Rebbe to farbreng in ENGLISH!!!!!!! a zoch in vey…. that to these people Yiddish Mameh Loshen..chargon… a Language that for centuries has united Eurppean Jewry… is now one step closer to being forgotten!!! and where in LUBAVITCH.. THE YESHIVE THAT THE REBBE RESHAB HOT OISGEGLIBEN EVERY NESHOMAH… SHOULD KIDS FRON ENGLISH BEACKGROUNDS JUST SIT THERE LIKE DUMMIES AND NOT UNDERSTAND ? OF COURSE NOT BUT… Read more »
Why don’t thay reprint the Talmud info English and have a public burning of the old fashioned (useless ) Aramaic version !!!
Lubavich Yeshiva IS teaching Yiddish, as a language. The children are still learning Yiddish as a language but they are not translating Chumash into Yiddish. Their understanding of the psukim should not be sacrificed b/c of language barriers. The #1 priority of teaching Chumash is that the children UNDERSTAND the words and concepts. By making them translate into Yiddish most children become debilitated by the language.
to some this is a blessed change that finally the kids are learning in a way they can relate to and understand to some this is the sad end of an era in jewish education which traditionally tought in yiddish for a long long time to some this is a terrible!! this is a violation of the rebbe’s instructions. the main objective in teaching kids chumash is for the mto have an understanding of the basics, and it is a much better way to have kids understand if you teach it to them in they native tungh the whole yiddish… Read more »
Not only will our children not be able to read one laguage, now they will be totally illiterate. Unless of course ULY is planning on teaching ABC in pre1a so that the boys will be able to read the english teich. Until now my son could read the yiddish and if he didn’t understand a word, I would tell him what it meant. Now he won’t be able to read anything.
i didn’t grow up speaking yiddish at home, but when i came to CH and saw that the REbbe was speaking in yiddish, i decided that my children should be able to listen and understand the rebbe without any translator’s slant. they attended yiddish-only schools, got TOTAL IMMERSION from age 3, and have had NO PROBLEM learning chumash etc in yiddish. total immersion is the ONLY way to learn a language. it’s bee proven by psycholinguistical research that children can acquire alot of languages, but only if they start in total immersion from a very young age. it is NOT… Read more »
Everything about this article is approached the wrong way. Thankfully my son goes to the other school. He (and I) come from non Yiddish speaking homes. I went to a school where yiddish was not taught at all and it hurt me when I went away to Yeshiva in so many ways. Just because ULY will stop, does not mean when the boy reaches Yeshiva age his Roshei Yeshiva and Teachers will stop too. By allowing this to be the solution you are almost guranteeing that your child will not do well in the older Yeshiva programs. He will be… Read more »
OCHEN VEH!!! HOW WILL OUR KIDS KNOW WHAT MBD AVRAM FRIED AND LIPA ARE SINGING ABOUT IF WE DO AWAY WITH YIDDISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
or did i misunderstand? Are they teaching english and math at the end of the day???
WHAT KIND OF INSANITY IS THIS? IS THIS A GESZHER CONSPIRACY TO LEAVE YIDDISH TO THE CHOSEN ONES IN LUBAVITCH??? ARE WE TALKING HERE ABOUT A LUBAVITCHER MOISAD OR REFORM CONSERVATIVE EDUCATION. ITS AN EMBARRASSMENT WHEN CHILDREN GROW UP NOT UNDERSTANDING OR SPEAKING A WORD OF YIDDISH, CANT LEARN THE REBBE’S SICHOIS MAAMARIM FLUENTLY, CANT COMMUNICATE WITH THE POLISHER VELT OR WITH THEIR OLDER LUBAVITCHER VENERABLE GENERATION. WHAT SHOULD THEY LEARN FRENCH, RUSSIAN, GERMAN IF NOT YIDDISH. IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT THE LAST LANGUAGE THAT REQUIRES ITS NITZUSIM TO BE ELEVATED IS THE GERMAN LANGUAGE, AND YIDDISH IS THE… Read more »
This is all a result of people being passive on the “little things” I am not saying at this stage this is a bad idea but we need to look at the root of the problem. Yes it is bad that we have a pizza shop open late at night, yes it is bad that we have a manicure store on Kingston ave, yes it is bad that we have no respect for our moisdois, to the point that even people who CAN afford to pay tuition bargain. And it is bad that youngerleit wear jeans, (no difference if its… Read more »
In montreal, they actually teach the chumash translation in yiddish and english but focus on the english. They do learn yiddish as a subject. It is better that they know the chumash in knowledge then to just know the translation in Yiddish.
I expect all my children to learn Yiddish. It’s a part of out Lubavitch life. Never loose the Mama Loshen!
We are chabad chassidim, most of us grew up speaking or at least grandparents speaking yiddish. You meet so many jews around who speak yiddish the MAMA LOSHON of our generation. We need to keep it up. IF WE DONT HAVE OUR TZNIUS BEC. SO MANY NEW PEOPLE NOW AFFILIATE WITH CHABAD AND LIVE IN CROWN HEIGHTS, AT LEAST LETS KEEP THE YIDDISH. THE TEACHERS ALWAYS TRANSLATE AND GIVE A SHEET WITH THE ENGLISH AND YIDDISH. ITS HARD WORK FOR THE KIDS BUT HASTO BE DONE. we can not abandon yiddish. LIKE I SAID, WE ARE CHASSIDIM AND ALL CHASSIDIM… Read more »
Chossid lite
I’ve been begging them to make this change for years. But I’ll take it a step further. Not only should Yiddish not be used (it should be taught separately as a subject), but on the contrary, English, the language, should be formally taught from first grade or even earlier. The reason – it gives the kids tools of expression – enabling them to study Torah subjects efficiently. The argument that the Rebbe disallowed ‘English’ to be taught before the age of 9 is bogus. I believe the Rebbe was referring to secular subjects, not the study of language as a… Read more »
Q: “How will children be able to learn sichos?”
A: Teach sichos in class.
thank G-D its about time !!! hebrew is what they need to know !!! if anything were to happen in the us our kids wouldnt be in poland or germany speaking yiddish they would be in Israel speaking hebrew just makes more sense with whats going on in the world !! they should know loshen hakodesh period!!! and they should know it well!!!!
The Rebbe told his niece (the daughter of R’ Yisroel Arye Leib) when she came to visit, זאלסט רעדן אידיש מיט די קינדער, אזוי האט מען גערעדט ביים באבען און זיידען אין שטוב, אזוי וועסטו האבן א שייכות צו די משפחה. (Speak Yiddish with your children, that is the language that was spoken in your grandparent’s home, that way you will remain connected to the family).
Yiddish is the language of the Rebbe’s family.
Just FYI they yeshiva is not doing away with Yidish! They are still teaching it as a language! I think that our boys will learn Chumash the way they should! Understanding it not just reciting it and not understanding it at all! What is the point of learning Chumash if u don’t understand what your learning!
I learnt in a yiddish school too. it was hard in first grade, second, I might have not understood all the translations and words, but now i am able to understand a rebbes sicha in yiddish…
They are doing the same thing in cheder lubavitch of chicago, but thank g-d since our class had a lot of yiddish speakers we continued…..
When the New Haven Day School came to visit the Rebbe and the teachers started translating what the Rebbe said to english the Rebbe asked hayitochen the kids dont speak yiddish and this was a day school not Tomchei Timmim. What is your source that you say that the rebbe wanted that it should be taught only in english and the blame yiddish as a source of the reason for boys leaving yeshivahs is just ridiculous. the avg litvish kid knows twice the amount of what any lubavitcher kid knows from yeshivah I have relitives that are not lubavitch at… Read more »
oholai torah as well, but the kids CANT write English at tests, so tests are in yidish, that is confusing.
OHOLAI TORAH ITS TIME YOU GET IN TOUCH WITH REALITY AND TEACH ENGLISH.
If you’re teaching Chumash then you should translate the chumash into their language. Want Yiddish? Have a yiddish class, or better yet, converse with the class in yiddish in all matters other than translation.
I think it is excellent that children learn in the language they understand. This is crucial to developing the skills to learn and the love of learning. On the other hand Yiddish is a language that is fast losing ground in most communities around the world. Having Chumash taught in English does not negate the fact that Yiddish itself can be taught as a language so that our children will grow to be able to learn in Yiddish. Children are easily able to learn new languages and that is what would be the right mix, let the indeed learn in… Read more »
I never comment here -but this is such an important topic… First of all I don’t understand all the negativity on both sides – they are both vaid points. As I see it there are a few options – 1) I learned in an out of town cheder and we teitched everything in Yiddish and then in English. I did not come from a yiddish speaking home and I attribute me knowing yiddish today to that., and I speak yiddish to my children B”H. 2) B”H there are more than one class per grade – why can’t parents choose to… Read more »
I think the problem is that they are translating into yoddish without teaching yidish properly therefore the kids have no idea whats flying and in that case its important to teach cumash in english,
If the schools teach yidish as a subject and they teach it properly it wil be really good to teach in yidish.but at thins point where 95% of children dont understand yidish its a life saver to teach in english.
Big mistake. HUGE.
This article reminds me of how the reform movement started! The easy way is not always the correct way (or actually is usually the wrong way.) UMEKARVON LATOIRAH – we should bring them to the Toirah, NOT the Toirah to them. Instead of stopping teaching in Yiddish, we should encourage parents to speak more Yiddish with their children! Of course our schools should cater towards children who don’t (yet) speak Yiddish and of course certain (of our) mosdos should teach in English, but a Lubavitch Yeshiva in Crown Heights which stops teaching our children in Yiddish would be a busha… Read more »
You are not understanding the article. They are not doing away with Yiddish as a language, they are doing away with learning chumash with yiddish. They are STILL learning Yiddish as a language as a separate subject.
No! Please don’t take away our Yiddish!
When was this letter written to R’ AD Sufrin? I’m from London, we learnt only in Yiddish.
my parents didnt come from yiddish speaking ackground. as a child i learnt yiddish from yeshiva….i think its very important to teich in yiddish….todays parents/generation is lazy to work harder to teach their children. additionally teachers need to teach havana not just teich….thats the issue. the solution is not the easy way out…..our rebbe wanted our children to talk/understand yiddish….
How in the world will our children ever be able to learn or understand a Sicha of the Rebbe?????????
I am so glad I put my kids in the other school. Its a sad day when instead of correcting the issue, (ie, teaching the kids yiddish, so that they can understand it) the yeshiva is doing away with it altogether.
Then, to top it all off, he washes the shmutzike linen in public, by saying he is proud of it. Yeridos hadoros at its finest,, Rebbe You need to do something about this, bring us Moshiach NOW!!
A QUOTE FROM AN ANSWER TO REB ARON DOV SUFRIN, UK Tell the parents who want everything taught in Yiddish that they most probably also want their children to grow up to be shomrei Torah umitzvos, Torah observant Jews. If their children will be taught in Yiddish, which is a strange language to them, they may develop distaste to everything they learn. This will affect them in the future development of their personal Yiddishkeit (Judaism). It is appropriate to speak to them in Yiddish during their playtime, recess, breaks, or when telling them a story as this will help expand… Read more »
I have tested children in ULY in the chumesh they have learned and they repeat the yiddish טייטש but cannot explain to me what the Pasuk says.. they have no havana. Finally the children will understand what they learn. The boys should learn yiddish as a language curriculum during the day maybe the last hour when they are anyways going bonkers 🙂
The Rebbe wrote many letters in favor of translating in English…and also many letters in favor of translating into Yiddish.It all depends on the time,place,school…etc.So to sat ‘this is what the Rebbe wanted’,is unfair.The Rebbe himself knew many languages,but at a public Farbrengen,in 770,in (
The Rebbes Shechuna…he spoke in Yiddish.There are no easy answers,but to take Tomchei Temimim,in Crown Heights,and applaud ourselves for being progressive enough to do away with Yiddish????It just does not add up.Sorry.
If we had only listened to the Rebbe years ago on this issue, we wouldnt be in the mess we are in now. Thanks to the writer of this article.
One of the biggest problems in our educational system is that we think our kids are bilingual. Bilingual is defined as being fluent in 2 languages. But the reality is this: They speak and understand English, read Hebrew, teitch in Yiddish and write in no language at all!!!!!! If fluency means that one can read, write, speak and understand a language, then our children are, in fact SEMI-lingual. They possess, at best, HALF a language! So I say we pick a language….Yiddish, English, Hebrew, Farsi….whatever….and fully give our children that language so that whatever they learn, they can learn fully… Read more »
There are 2 possible approaches here: 1. The kids don’t know Yiddish so teach in English. 2. The kids don’t know Yiddish, so teach them Yiddish. All those commenters that said the Yeshivos should teach Yiddish from the moment the children come in to nursery have the answer. If the teachers of the youngest grades spoke ONLY in Yiddish, then by the time the children hit pre 1A they will be fluent, EVEN if Yiddish is not spoken at home. If you doubt that this would work, witness the many Israeli or Russian children that have come through our schools… Read more »
Just as Nazis burned Jewish books, their language is still preventing Jewish children from learning them.
I am happy with the change. Yiddish is a language spoken by Jews who lived in Europe. It was never spoken by Jews living elsewhere in the world. It is only ‘holy’ to the extent that holy Jews spoke it. But holy Jews speak many other languages, and in the USA it is english. Moshe never spoke it. And Hashem gave us the torah in Hebrew, not yiddish. Lets learn in a language we understand. Plus, as a non-yiddish speaking parent, how shall I help my son in a language I dont know.
Definitely with #13 on this one!!
Teach the kids to read and write English! You not going to get very far in life with Yiddish unless you live in a bubble in Crown Hights!! Parents can teach kids at home… but the schools should be in English!!
hooray!i have never seen the point in our children learning yiddish,this is a language that will not be around much longer it is pointless to teach in a language most children neither speak or hear at home.Well done
Vos hakst tu a chainik?
I think the Yiddish Language, has in it Kedusha, a Kedusha that you will not be able to pass on to the next generation with English. Yiddish is the language that our Rebbeim conversed in, and it is a crying shame that there are many people in Lubavitch cannot read or hear the Rebbes Farbrengan in it’s original. With saying that, it is a also a crying shame that children come to school, and walk out knowing nothing at the end of the day. Some people have said this is due to our insistence of sticking to Yiddish Tiech for… Read more »
Crown Heights Yeshivah is the best yeshivah in Crown Heights, Period!
we live in America i don’t know why most of you keep saying its our language. Its funny how many of you (all of you) are communicating in English not Yiddish. Do you speak Yiddish at home? If you really believe that this is the rabbis language (it is I agree, but it does not mean we MUST know it) then why are we not all communicating in Yiddish and reading blogs (collive) in English, let’s make a Yiddish bog. I would be happy if more then 100 people visited, it won’t happen. Stop with your “holier then, words” and… Read more »
How come there are so many morahs and rebbi’s who can’t even speak yidish? And then you expect the kids to understand what the Rebbi is reading to them from a yidish workbook (when he/she himself can’t put together a coherent sentence in yiddish?)
If the school taught the language from when the kids were little, and the teachers themselves spoke the language WE WOULD NEVER HAVE THIS PROBLEM. The kids would be fluent in Yiddish….
BDE to Lubavitcher Yiddish. Lubavitcher Yiddish OBM has died. It’s number of speakers have dwindled down over quite a few years long past the point where it’s no longer the primary language spoken by Lubavitcher Chassidim (as it always was pre Dor Hashvi’i and as it still is in other circles of Chassidim). Watching videos of events in 770 years ago, you notice that everything was in Yiddish, the emcee and most speakers by such events. I suppose with the style of Lubavitch of being Mekarev every Yid, you lose the Shprach. It’s a shame that even the little Yiddish… Read more »
The problem was never yidish. The problem is that some yeshivas are not serious. If Oholey Torah or ULY wanted to teach in Yiddish – there is a very simple solution: If the teachers, from kindergarten SPOKE to the children in yidish, and taught them yidish in kindergarten and pre 1A, ALL kids would speak the language fluently. But no, all the teachers speak primarily in ENGLISH, and then you expect the kids to understand the translation of chumash…. You can’t have it both ways, if you want the kinds to understand yidish, you TEACH it to them (and the… Read more »
L’shoinom was LASHON HAKODESH. Not the Arabic that Rambam spoke Not the French that Rashi spoke Not Greek. Not Ladino. And not Yiddish. Baruch Hashem the Torah is Still read in L’Shonom. It is now being translated into a language that is already known as Yinglish. Leave the kids alone. The Rebbe himself said to teach in a child’s native language. You want the kid’s to know Yiddish? No problem. Start in Kindergaten with total immersion, ie Morah only speaking yiddish to the kinderlach a gantz tog. Teach the kids Yiddish by all means. But not at the expense of… Read more »
This article makes is sound as if the yidish language is the cause of children not wanting to learn torah. Strange logic…
We made this change two years ago at our Cheder. No teitch to Yiddish in Chumash, but more hours in learning Yiddish in sichos and as a spoken language. Much better results.
Before, in our Cheder, we had kids who, while learning Chumash with a Yiddish teitch, were NOT learning Chumash (had no idea what the words meant), not learning Yiddish and had no clue what was flying even in the story line!! Now they are more excited about the Chumash, and learn Yiddish as the lashon of Chassidus.
the problen is not the kids the teachers dont know yidish. If I remember correctly the Rebbe in a siche mentioned about learning chasidus in yidish davke. Instead of trying to give our kids the geshmakeit that the yidishe shprach has with an yidishe gefeel we are making them more secular.
many times that one should not learn in Yiddish if he does not understand Yiddish. This is an opinion and statement of the Rebbe many many times. Check it out from sources that know not from your own hergeishim and boich svoras.
Dzigan summed it up well:
When he was asked why he insists on delivering his jokes in Yiddish and not in Ivrit, Dzigan responded, “Because it is impossible to translate. Say, for example, how would you say ‘TUCHES’ in Ivrit?”
The man answered, “Easy – what’s the problem?: ‘TACHAT’!”
Gigan replied, ” Nu? Vus far a PUNIM hut es?”
It was always the custom to translate Chumash into the main language of the child, or at least a language that he knew. Now the custom is restored to how it was originally.
Get 85% of parents to speak only Yiddish to their children – then you can teitch it in Yiddish.
translating into Yiddish and that word or phrase into
English, enabling the child to learn Yiddish and
understand as well?
DO WHAT THE CHILD WILL UNDERSTAND AND THEN TEACH YIDDISH
It’s about time. I grew up learning in yiddish, but we spoke yiddish from kindergarden onwards full time, and also learned to read and write yiddish at an early age, so that when we started other subjects we could already converse in yiddish and even read and write answers to the test questions. By the time my own children were in school, they spoke little yiddish and certainly didn’t learn to read and write, and often did poorly in other subjects because they were not fluent in yiddish, Trying to learn something you don’t really understand is extremely frustrating. Now… Read more »
The original reason for the yiddish teich was to help yiddish speaking children understand lashon kodesh, so they needed to have it teiched in the language in which they spoke and thought . Now we have a different need. OUr children think and speek in English. By teiching in English, they will have the same “help” in understanding the lashon kodesh in the chumash as did the yiddish speaking children of the past. The point is to learn chumash, and the easiest way to learn and grow to love what you learn is to relate to it in the language… Read more »
1. It is indeed sad that our children understand English better than Yiddish. 2. This being the reality (that our children understand English better), to teach Chumash in English is necessary based on the Rebbe’s Hora’a to teach in the language the child understands best. 3. The lack of Yiddish must be addressed at home and in school but not at the expense of the Chumash. 4. Eizehu Chochom Halomeid Mikol Adam – We can learn from our fellow Yidden in Boro Park and Williamsburg who ALL SPEAK YIDDISH – Lo Shinu Es Lshonam, (this may or may not be… Read more »
its very sad that teachers that dont know how to teach in yiddish to children of english speaking homes make changes in chinuch. there are many mosdos wher teachers know how to do it. , you are able to teach in yiddish abd still make sure that the children understand
there is a clear ststment from the rebbe on tape that was all ovee the emails that th erebbe clearly says to teach the children in the language that they speak. and the rebbe clearly says “i am against the method taught in yeshivos that it is in english… it wastes valuable time’ (i paraphrased…)
i dont agree with many things the school does, but on this issue they are correct and living with the current times we are in not the times ppl WANT to be in
For all those who think Yiddish is important, please start speaking to your children in Yiddish.
This is a necessary step based on the Rebbe’s Hora’a to teach in the language the child understands best
You are so right if the morah of nursery , kindergarten spoke only yiddish the kids would learn the language. The rabbeim should then continue to speak in yiddish and then the kids would have no problems doing chumash in yiddish as they know the language.
Its so true that yrs ago when people spoke to their kids in Yiddish we could justify teaching Chumach translated in Yiddish. But now that kids just don’t know it. Its just wrong to do that. Also I agree Yiddish should be taught as its own class as french is in Canada. This way the kids could have time to focus on it and actually learn it. Perhaps it could be taught while learning a sighs as a win win approach.
i live in Montreal, and more then half the children in my sons class were able to say over the entire Parshas breishis by heart with Translation, the rest of the children all participated with the minimum being 30 pesukim , Chumash is taught Yiddish and english, and many of the kids were able to Teitch Baal peh in both languages. so to say Tiddish is the problem is just wrong!
And next you’ll teach English b/4 Limudei kodesh so the student will understand the translation better and then you’ll tach chumish in English only so there’s no confusion of languages and then…………..
Check our history starting from “yetzias mitzraim” “Shelo Shinu Es L’shonom”, and to think that these are our next generations Rebbes but I do have to give credit where it’s due the writer of this op-ed was ashamed to write his name.
Ah gut gebemtchte yohr fahr klal yisroel
The Rebbe’s language. TEACH THEM YIDDISH rather than deprive talmidim of our language. In families who don’t speak Yiddish at home its always the boys who know Yiddish from yeshiva. It would be a disadvantage to omit Yiddish in Lubavitcher Yeshiva.
The fact that he’s treating the change as a positive step forward rather than, at best, a necessity is a sad commentary on the level of ruchnius in our mosdos.
Shame???? What shame, maybe kam kam 5% of families in CH speak yiddish (5% being generous), kids can only halt kep for limited time so why take the chance of losing there attention by translating one unknown language to another??? learning to translate lashon hakodesh is hard enough, why push another one at the same time, if you are sending your children to yeshivah to learn yiddish because it beautiful language then just buy a Rosetta Stone language package and genuk, but if you are sending your child to Yeshivah so that he can learn Lashon Hakodesh so that he… Read more »
wasn’t one of the reasons the Yidden were taken out of Mitzrayim was because “Lo Shibu Es Lishonum” They did not change their language?
The reason this article was written is because there were so many parents complaining about the change that they feel they want or need support so they are trying to publicize it with a positive spin so they will feel good about depriving our children the chance to learn the Yiddish Language. They will try to sell you a boat that the kids will “learn” yiddish as a subject and it will be spoken to them outside the classroom.
yeridos hadoyros!!!!!
if children were talked to in yiddish as soon as they entered the moisad at two or three yrs old they would know yiddish and there wouldn’t be this problem. it just does not sound the same when they translate in english.
For chaumash let them learn in English, and learn Yiddish as another language. its very important to know Yiddish as well.
Take this from an insider – they have not abandoned Yiddish – they have abandoned using the Chumosh and Gemara as their Yiddish text books.
his use of the word unilaterally is completely wrong. unilaterally is used when an action is taken alone without cooperation from others. what he meant was universally.
THE LANGUAGE IS LOST and the boys struggle to read Lekuttei Sichos NOT because their teacher does not translate the Chumosh into Yiddish, rather because at home they don’t speak yiddish – If we don’t teach our kids in a language which they understand – we wont lose a language; WE WILL LOSE OUR KIDS, G-D FORBID!!!
– this is not my opinion but rather the opinion of our Holy Rebbe.
As a child they taught me it in Yiddish and I did not understand a word. i would have rather learned in English and then maybe i would at least know Hebrew (maybe). I am not criticizing those who want to learn in Yiddish just stating my preference. So for me, good idea.
As a person who comes from an English speaking home, and went to Oholai Torah, I can attest that Yiddidh is the worst thing possible.
If one wants to teach Yiddish it should be for a class on its own; not during chumash when a child has to think of the meaning of theYiddish word, and what the Chumash and Rashi is trying to say.
PS: I happened to have been one of the smarter kids, so how much more so for a kid who is already struggling.
When I was in fourth grade, I learned Chumash in yiddish. When we stopped EVERYONE participated instead of just the people who knew yiddish..
as a Chumash melamed myself- giving kids teitch in English isn’t necessarily ‘havanah’ either without sufficient explanation and understanding of the nuances of Lashon Hakodesh and how it tanslates into English. v’yesh l’haarich….
Jews in Europe used Yiddish for a 1,000 years until it became a holy language, but as we all know it just comes from German. Yidden should prosper in America ad ki yovoy shilo and by learning in English eventually they’ll make that a holy language too. but we can’t lose Yiddish either. it’s such a beautiful language.
finally children are learning!
My only regret is that this was not done a decade or two ago. Who knows how many boys would have not dropped out of school because they felt like yeshiva was a waste and G-d’s Torah didn’t feel meaningful. Yiddish is special as the mamme loshon of the alte heim, but it’s not one of the 613 Mitzvos. Often times our community gets so caught up in the stringencies and “culture” that we imposed on ourselves, that we forget the bigger picture — Hashem wants us to be upright, moral people who live and love and learn, who elevate… Read more »
when i was there everything was in yiddish until 5th grade we translated everything into english and now it’s hard to open a sicha and just learn it without asking so many questions
Huge shame…..a beautiful language lost!
why the heck would you do away with yiddish!!
I personally was brought up in an English speaking house and went to a regular day school. didnt learn yiddish until mesivta, (via lekutei Sichos) and regret that I couldnt learn it earlier, Chinuch al Tahraos Hakodesh!!!! Faculty member is embarassed and and ashamed , otherwise he would of listed his name!!
wow lucky me i live in la soo i dont have to lean yiddidh B.C.M that is how they r:)