Moshe Bondar

Partial Transcript: Moshe Bondar talks about what Miami Beach was like in 1967.
He came from NYC where he had lived for 5 Years. Moshe had immigrated to the US in 1961 when he was forced to leave Cuba. When Cuba became a Communist Country Jews were forced to leave. When he came to Miami he joined the Cuban Hebrew Congregation. Services were conducted in Hebrew but the only language spoken by the Cuban Hebrew Congregation was Yiddish. They had all kinds of activities. The biggest event of the year was the election of the Purim Queen. A school was organized in the temple for a small group of children. When the new building was open instead of an Orthodox congregation they opened as a Conservative congregation with the purpose of bringing in young people. The languages spoken were English and Hebrew.

Keywords: Communists; Conservative congregation; Cuban Hebrew Congregation; English, Hebrew; Hebrew; Orthodox Congregation; Purim Queen; forced to leave Cuba; Immigrated

Subjects: coming to the US

Partial Transcript: Moshe talks about all the activities that were happening in Miami in 1967. They brought in lecturers from all over the United States and many famous Yiddish authors. Their mother language was Spanish but they spoke Yiddish. As the children grew they drifted away from Yiddish completely and they became more involved in the English language.

Keywords: famous Yiddish writers

Subjects: activities happening in Miami in 1967

Partial Transcript: Moshe explains why it is important for people to remember the Yiddish language. Moshe grew up with Yiddish; all his other languages were learned. Yiddish is the glue that has maintained the Jewish people for generations. He feels Yiddish is a thriving language. It is being taught in many colleges in the United States and it is being taught at the Bar-Ilan University in Israel.

Keywords: Israel.; Bar-Ilan University

Subjects: important to speak Yiddish

Partial Transcript: Moshe talks about why it is important for the younger generation to value Yiddish. Yiddish is a sentimental language. It brings back memories of their grandparents and their parents. Many people feel nostalgic for Yiddish. Moshe’s daughter, Shoshanna, went to Boston U. While she was there she received letters from her grandmother in Yiddish which she could only respond to in English or Spanish. Shoshanna was frustrated that she was not taught Yiddish as a child. She is now a mother and she still goes to school to freshen her knowledge of the Yiddish language.

Keywords: Boston U

Subjects: value Yiddish

Partial Transcript: Moshe closes by talking about how he would like to see the leaders of the community getting more involved in supporting the use the Yiddish. He lists a number of organizations that are fighting to sustain the Yiddish language and how he would like to see community leaders visit these organizations.

Keywords: Leaders of the community

Subjects: Moshe’s closing thoughts