Heritage Words

HUC Jewish Language Project
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  • JUDAISM
  • EVERY TWO WEEKS

Heritage Words features interviews about the words we've inherited and the meaning they bring to our lives. Heritage Words is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project, which raises awareness about Jewish ancestral diversity through the lens of language, in partnership with HUC Connect. Sarah Bunin Benor is the host.

  1. 25/11/2025

    Tsures, Shnook, and Overlapping Dialogue: The Language of Long Story Short with Raphael Bob-Waksberg

    This Heritage Words episode features Raphael Bob-Waksberg, creator of the new Netflix series Long Story Short. Bob-Waksberg discusses his Ashkenazi roots, noting that his primary exposure to Yiddish came from American pop culture such as Mad Magazine and Mel Brooks. He also discusses his show's use of overlapping dialogue and Yiddish heritage words such as tsures and ungepatchke, sharing that this specificity allows audiences to find universal connections. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records. Clips in this episode are courtesy of The Tornante Company.

    47 min

  2. 12/11/2025

    Language Therapy: Iraqi, Tunisian, and Libyan Jewish Heritage with Stephanie Ives

    This episode features Stephanie Ives, who shares her experience growing up in Los Angeles with a diverse Middle Eastern Jewish heritage, tracing ancestors from Tunisia, Libya, and Iraq. She discusses the various languages and cultural practices that shaped her and her journey to rediscover and transmit her family's Arabic and French heritage words to her children, emphasizing the importance of preserving this cultural depth for future generations. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.

    42 min

  3. 29/10/2025

    Yiddish, Arabic, and the Search for Ancestral Voices with Karen Skinazi

    This episode features Dr. Karen Skinazi, who explores her diverse linguistic heritage, tracing words and expressions from her Ashkenazi mother's Yiddish-speaking background, including terms like "eggies" and "zei gezunt". She also delves into her Sephardic Egyptian-Israeli father's influence, discussing Arabic words like "do'a" and "howaga," a French children's rhyme, and Hebrew expressions. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.

    49 min

  4. 16/10/2025

    Lost and Found: The Hidden Layers of Jewish Language and Literature with Dara Horn

    This episode features author Dara Horn, who discusses her approach to embedding "coded language" and hidden Jewish references, or "afikomanim," in her English novels, aiming to enrich American Jewish culture and connect readers to Jewish texts and traditions. She also shares her personal journey, including learning Yiddish to better understand Hebrew literature, her family's ancestral Yiddish background, and her new nonprofit, the Tell Institute, which educates the broader American public about Jewish civilization. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.

    48 min

  5. 03/10/2025

    Savoring Heritage: Ladino and Family Recipes with Elaine Lindheim

    In this episode, host Sarah Bunin Benor interviews Elaine Lindheim, a native Los Angeleno deeply involved in the Jewish community, about her Sephardic heritage and connection to Ladino. Lindheim shares how Ladino was the "secret language" of her parents and other relatives and explores the preservation of linguistic heritage primarily through family recipes and food-related terms like ojaldres, borekas, fritadas, and rosca. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.

    43 min

  6. 17/09/2025

    First-Generation Jew: Decoding Orthodox Dress, Speech, and Tradition with Aliza Bulow

    In this episode, host Sarah Bunin Benor interviews Aliza Bulow, CEO of CoreTorah.org, about her journey of converting to Judaism and navigating the language and culture of her new communities. Aliza discusses her names, the process of acquiring Jewish English, and her work in creating a Yinglish dictionary to help others acculturate. She also shares insights into the cultural nuances and linguistic specificities within various Orthodox communities. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.

    51 min

  7. 03/09/2025

    Fress Frumkeit: Living Jewish Culture Through Food and Language with Michael Twitty

    This episode features award-winning culinary historian and food writer Michael W. Twitty, who discusses the significance of his diverse English, Hebrew, and African names and his extensive exposure to various languages growing up. He delves into his journey as a Jew by choice, how he learned Jewish English, and the profound connection between language, food, and cultural identity within Black and Jewish communities. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.

    46 min

  8. 20/08/2025

    Sushi on Shabbat: A Pacific Islander’s Jewish Journey with Genevieve Okada Goldstone

    In this episode, Sarah Bunin Benor interviews Genevieve Okada Goldstone, who has a rich multiracial heritage, including Portuguese, Japanese, and Chamorro. Genevieve shares her long, personal journey of converting to Judaism and discusses her efforts to imbue her children with a strong Jewish identity. She explains how she has prioritized Hebrew heritage words, while still infusing elements of her diverse cultural background. Heritage Words - conversations about the words we inherit and the meaning they bring to our lives - is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project and HUC Connect. Host and producer: Sarah Bunin Benor Assistant producer: Kyle Elbaz Fingerhut Editor: Avishay Artsy Video editor: Talia Ehrenberg Editorial consultant: Hannah Pressman Theme music: Maurice El Medioni’s French and Algerian Judeo-Arabic album “Cafe Oran,” featuring the Klezmatics’ David Krakauer and Frank London, courtesy of Piranha Records.

    33 min
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Trailer

About

Heritage Words features interviews about the words we've inherited and the meaning they bring to our lives. Heritage Words is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project, which raises awareness about Jewish ancestral diversity through the lens of language, in partnership with HUC Connect. Sarah Bunin Benor is the host.

Information

  • Creator
    HUC Jewish Language Project
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © HUC Jewish Language Project
  • Show Website
    Heritage Words

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