Sandy Fox: Judaism Unbound Episode 206 - ‘Practical’ Isn’t the Point
Sandy Fox, American Jewish historian and host of Vaybertaytsh, a “feminist podcast for the Yiddish-speaking and the Yiddish-curious,” joins Dan Libenson and Lex Rofeberg for a conversation that weaves together the topics of Yiddish, podcasting, summer camp, gender, and much more. [1] (Fox is also known among Yiddish-speakers as סאָסיע־פֿריידל).
This episode is the fourth in a series of episodes produced in collaboration with the Yiddish Book Center, as part of its Decade of Discovery initiative, in honor of 40 years since the Yiddish Book Center’s founding. [2]
(0:01 - 18:12): To begin the conversation, Fox reflects on her journey toward starting Vaybertaytsh. She speaks to the almost complete absence of audio content that is available in Yiddish for contemporary audiences, and the distinction between content that is in Yiddish versus that which is about Yiddish. She provides a window into some of the different groups of people who tune into her podcast, including “heritage speakers” (individuals who grew up in Yiddishist families), non-heritage speakers (those who have come to Yiddish later in life), and even some who are members of Hasidic communities. Fox then looks back on two different kinds of summer experiences that have left a lasting impact on her in different ways: her years attending Zionist summer camp, and one transformative summer at Yiddish Farm. [3] She also cites a few podcasts that influenced how she crafted Vaybertaytsh. She also explores the term Vaybertaytsh itself, which as a term refers to texts translated specifically for “wives” (Vayber). Along those lines, she speaks about Yiddish’s historical relationship to issues of gender.
(18:13 - 32:35): Fox looks at the ways in which American Yiddish-speakers can connect across axes of difference, be they political or religious, because of their shared love for Yiddish language and culture. She gives a shout-out to those who are in the process, as we speak, of creating an easily accessible digital platform (via Duolingo) for learning Yiddish. She also questions framings of Yiddish as “cool,” arguing that those who do so may imply — intentionally or not — that it is only a passing fad. Fox takes a look at the topic of Ashkenormativity, and she takes a moment to name that learning Yiddish isn’t, and shouldn’t be, primarily a decision related to practicality. Instead, she argues that people who feel called to learn Yiddish — or anything — should do so simply because it brings them joy.
(32:36 - 52:21): Beginning with an overview of the digital publication In Geveb, [5] Fox considers the place of Yiddish in the field of American Jewish History. Shifting gears (although, in a sense, tying a number of earlier issues together!), Fox gives an overview of her work that explores some of the dynamics of mid-20th century Jewish summer camps, be they Zionist, Yiddishist, or affiliated with one of the American-Jewish denominational movements. [6] To close the episode, Fox gives some of her thoughts on Jewish education, the value of language-learning beyond fluency, and following passions — even and especially when they are impractical, or off the beaten path.
[1] Learn more about Sandy Fox here, and check out Vaybertaytsh at Vaybertaytsh.com.
[2] Explore the Yiddish Book Center’s offerings at YiddishBookCenter.org, and learn more about the Decade of Discovery in particular here.
[3] For more information about Yiddish Farm, head to YiddishFarm.org.
[4] A November 2019 article in The Forward looks into the Yiddish Duolingo project that is currently in process, including some of the debates happening around the Yiddish dialects that it will prioritize. Access it by clicking here.
[5] Take a look at In Geveb’s offerings at InGeveb.org.
[6] In discussing Jewish summer camps, Fox mentions the organization IfNotNow, and its You Never Told Me initiative. Learn more about it at YouNeverToldMe.org and/or by listening to Episode 124: IfNotNow - Ilana Levinson, Jill Raney.