Breathing New Life Into Ladino

 at the Faculty of Humanities

 

How does one contribute to the revival of a language? In Summer 2024, the Faculty of Humanities took on this ambitious challenge, launching Israel’s first and only intensive Ladino International Summer School. Spearheaded by Dr. Ilil Baum, the initiative set out to preserve and promote Ladino – an endangered language once at the heart of Sephardic Jewish culture. Students from across the globe converged in Jerusalem not just to study Ladino but to celebrate its legacy, engage with native speakers and scholars, and immerse themselves in the living traditions that have kept this language alive.  

Written by: Keri Rosenbluh

Dr. Ilil Baum’s fascination with Ladino is as unexpected as it is inspiring. Born and raised in Jerusalem without a Sephardic background, she was unknowingly surrounded by Ladino speakers throughout her youth. It wasn’t until a post-army trip to South America – where she fell in love with Spanish – that her passion for languages surfaced. Baum returned to Jerusalem eager to pursue the language. But instead, she discovered Ladino.

Under the guidance of Prof. David Bunis, a world-renowned authority on Ladino and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Hebrew Language and the Center for Jewish Languages at Hebrew University, Baum developed a deep interest in language and identity among Sephardic Jews. She pursued a PhD on the Jews of Catalonia prior to their expulsion, exploring a unique corpus of texts in Catalan and Hebrew script.

A Bold Idea Takes Shape

As Dr. Baum’s academy journey unfolded, her interest in Ladino continued to thrive. The idea for an intensive Ladino summer school was born during her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan’s Frankel Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies. Inspired by frequent inquiries from students and colleagues across disciplines about opportunities to learn Ladino, she realized there were no existing immersive options for short-term Ladino study.

While semester-long Ladino programs are available, most participants can’t afford to dedicate the necessary time to long-term study. Baum envisioned an intensive program that could meet the needs and interests of diverse participants – much like the abundant, condensed Hebrew Ulpan programs and Yiddish summer schools that have been attracting a wide audience for decades.

Several years later, as a fellow at Hebrew University’s Martin Buber Society of Fellows, Baum shared her vision of an intensive Ladino summer school with the Director, and later with the relevant leadership within the Faculty of Humanities. Their response was wildly enthusiastic, and she was encouraged to begin planning.

Despite setbacks like the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges posed by Swords of Iron, Baum’s vision became a reality in July 2024 – thanks to generous funding, steadfast support from the Faculty of the Humanities, the Mandel Institute of Jewish Studies, and the International Office, and close collaboration with Hebrew University’s Rothberg International School.

Ladino’s Journey

To grasp the full significance of this endeavor, it helps to understand Ladino’s story. Also known as Judaeo-Spanish, Judezmo, or Spanyolit, Ladino emerged from medieval Spanish, blending influences from Hebrew, Turkish, Greek, and other languages spoken by Sephardic Jews after their expulsion from Spain in 1492. For centuries, it flourished as the common language of Sephardic Jews in the Ottoman Empire, the Balkans, and North Africa. However, historical events such as the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the rise of nationalist states, and the extermination of entire Jewish Balkan communities during the Holocaust, pushed Ladino to the brink.

Today, Ladino is classified by UNESCO as a severely endangered (SE) language. “There are an estimated 100,000 to 400,000 Ladino speakers worldwide, most of whom are elderly,” shares Baum. “Only a small portion of them are active speakers. Most can passively understand the language, but very few can speak it fluently.” Unlike Yiddish, which has successfully been passed down through ultra-Orthodox communities, Ladino often remained within the grandparent generation and was not transmitted by parents to their children.

“Today, Ladino is more of a relic than a productive language. It’s mostly kept alive among its speakers through proverbs, expressions, songs, and cuisine,” explains Baum. Yet, the language still holds tremendous cultural value. Preservation efforts by language enthusiasts have emerged in recent decades to help keep Ladino alive. Initiatives like the Ladino International Summer School, folklore events, and Ladino choirs are reviving interest and breathing new life into this endangered treasure.

A Global Gathering of Learners

Held at the Mandel Building, the inaugural 2-week summer program welcomed 28 participants from Israel and across the globe, ranging from undergraduates to seasoned researchers and professionals. Among them was a Yiddish teacher from Wisconsin, a PhD student researching Ottoman Jewish music from UCLA, and an adult learner from Mexico who directs Ladino theatrical performances.

International students hailed from the United States, Mexico, Spain, Italy, France, Holland, Turkey, and China, each contributing a unique perspective while united by their shared passion for Ladino and Sephardic heritage. “For me, the program was an island of hope,” shares Baum. “During one of the most challenging times that Israel has ever faced, it was inspiring to see a room full of people passionate about Ladino and Sephardic culture, and determined to come to Jerusalem to explore it.”

Israeli participants included students with Ladino-speaking grandparents, eager to reconnect with their roots. In one memorable moment, two Israeli cousins invited their Bulgarian grandmother to share her experiences as a native Ladino speaker, bridging generations in a way that epitomized the program’s mission.

Immersive Learning

The program balanced rigorous academic study with cultural immersion. Beginner and advanced students learned grammar, vocabulary, and Solitreo, a Hebrew-based Sephardic cursive script, taught by Prof. Bunis and Dr. Baum. Lectures delivered by leading scholars covered Sephardic history, literature, and culture. One engaging exercise included the reading of a 17th century Passover Haggadah, featuring original Hebrew text alongside its Ladino translation. Participants analyzed its verses while noting linguistic similarities between Ladino, Arabic, and Greek.

As endangered as Ladino may be, the program also highlighted its resilience. Students not only delved into historical texts but also interacted with contemporary Ladino speakers, reinforcing the language’s living legacy. “I felt it important to emphasize in class that Ladino is still a living language, with living speakers among us and a legacy worth preserving,” shares Baum. One student even envisioned creating Ladino metal rock music—a creatively modern twist on the language’s revival.

Beyond the classroom, participants enjoyed study tours to Jerusalem’s historic neighborhoods and Ladino collections, engaged with Ladino-speaking elders, and bonded over communal meals that added a rich social dimension to the experience. Dr. Baum recounts how participants from diverse cultural backgrounds formed lasting friendships, such as a pair of Turkish and Dutch students who met in Jerusalem and later celebrated the High Holidays together in the Netherlands. “These bridges, you never know where they lead,” she conveys.

Bridging Scholarship and Personal Discovery

When reflecting on the program’s impact, Dr. Baum highlights its dual significance. “For academics, the course offered invaluable tools – enhanced access to written Sephardic sources, proficiency in the script, and the skills to engage in conversations and conduct interviews. I think it really laid the groundwork for deeper research and discovery.” For participants whose interest wasn’t academically driven, Baum describes the experience as “a gateway to discovery – whether reconnecting with family heritage, exploring Ladino’s cultural richness, or finding inspiration to move beyond nostalgia and engage with the language in meaningful, personal ways.” One such student shared that, “Coming from a Ladino background, the course served as a new window through which I saw my family and myself.”

Looking Ahead

The Ladino International Summer School’s resounding success has set the stage for future initiatives. Dr. Baum, who has since assumed a tenured position in the Salti Institute for Ladino Studies at Bar Ilan University’s Faculty of Jewish Studies, is already envisioning the next chapter. Discussions are underway for a collaborative program between Hebrew University and Bar-Ilan University for Summer 2026, one that will continue to spotlight Ladino and Sephardic heritage.

Preserving a language requires dedication, passion, innovation, and public engagement, as the Ladino International Summer School has so powerfully demonstrated. Through initiatives such as this, a new generation is stepping up to honor this cultural treasure, doing its part to ensure Ladino’s place in the vibrant mosaic of Jewish heritage for years to come.