Yugntruf – Youth for Yiddish () is an organization of young

Yiddish Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ve ...

-speaking adults that is dedicated to the spread of the Yiddish language through various programs and events. It was founded by

David Roskies David G. Roskies (Yiddish: דוד ראָסקיס; born 1948, Montreal) is an internationally recognized Canadian literary scholar, cultural historian and author in the field of Yiddish literature and the culture of Ashkenazi Jews, Eastern European ...

and Gavi Trunk under the guidance of the late Dr.

Mordkhe Schaechter Itsye Mordkhe Schaechter ( yi, איציע מרדכי שעכטער; December 1, 1927 – February 15, 2007) was a leading Yiddish language, Yiddish linguist, writer, and educator who spent a lifetime studying, standardizing and teaching the langua ...

in 1964.

Name

''Yugntruf'' () means “call of heyouth” and “call to youth”. It combines the words (, “youth; the young”) and (, “call”, cognate of German ). Translation: “A small comment about the name ''Yugntruf'': Many have asked us what a "truf" is. The name comprises the two elements ''yugnt'' and ''ruf'', which means ‘a call to heyouth’ (''a ruf tsu der yugnt'').”

Activities

It hosts events such as * th
Yidish-Tog
(“Yiddish Day”), a day in New York in which programs are run in Yiddish. * th

in which groups of Yiddish speakers come together to read and discuss in Yiddish. () means “environment”. * the week-lon
Yidish-Vokh
(“Yiddish Week”) retreat, held in

Copake, New York Copake is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 3,346 at the 2020 US census, down from 3,615 at the 2010 census. The town derives its name from a lake, which was known to the natives as ''Cook-pake'', or ''Ack-koo ...

, in which participants spend an entire week conversing completely in Yiddish. In addition, Yugntruf sponsors
literary magazine
as well as the publishing of books for children in Yiddish. Many members of Yugntruf have decided to raise their children as Yiddish speakers.

References

External reference

* Ashkenazi Jewish culture in Maryland Ashkenazi Jewish culture in New York (state) Jewish organizations Jewish youth organizations Jews and Judaism in Baltimore County, Maryland Jews and Judaism in New York (state) Reisterstown, Maryland Yiddish culture in Maryland Yiddish culture in New York (state) Youth organizations established in 1964 Youth organizations based in the United States {{Yiddish-stub