Travel, Culture, & Language   

Oy vey! It takes chutzpah for a goy to kibbitz about the mama loshen—that great language called Yiddish, from the German word Jüdisch, meaning “Jewish.” Calling Yiddish “one of the most colorful languages of the world,” linguist Chip Kauffman will give a one-session overview presentation on this unique language that was creolized from German, Slavic (Polish, Russian), and Hebrew influences. Rich in history of challenges through strife, persecution, and migration, speakers of Yiddish developed an uncanny sense of humor, making fun of hardship and pain as a means to deal with life. And we should kvetch? Let’s kibbitz a bisl about Yiddish!

Croatia, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic, has been overlooked as a travel destination. Its beautiful, rugged coastline is dotted with old cities and quaint villages, some dating back 3,000 years. Croatia has been governed over the years by many cultures, giving it a very diverse history. The coastline has more than 1,200 islands, clear blue waters, dramatic limestone cliffs, and pebbly beaches. The cuisine on the coast is like that of northern Italy. Inland, the influences are from Hungary, Austria, and Turkey. Photos and commentary will give you a sense of this interesting area.

Croatia, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic, has been overlooked as a travel destination. Its beautiful, rugged coastline is dotted with old cities and quaint villages, some dating back 3,000 years. Croatia has been governed over the years by many cultures, giving it a very diverse history. The coastline has more than 1,200 islands, clear blue waters, dramatic limestone cliffs, and pebbly beaches. The cuisine on the coast is like that of northern Italy. Inland, the influences are from Hungary, Austria, and Turkey. Photos and commentary will give you a sense of this interesting area.