What musical characteristics define and distinguish "Israeli-Yiddish" compositions from non-Israeli ones? Discover the music of born-and-bred, non-Yiddish-speaking Israelis who nonetheless chose to compose works in the Yiddish language.

While the use of Yiddish was discouraged in the early days of Israel, over time the language came to be seen in a more positive light, inspiring a number of composers to write music to Yiddish texts. In her talk, Dr. Laya Silber discusses the challenges that proponents of Yiddish faced in the first twenty years of Israel's independence and explores the political and sociological trends that led changing attitudes toward the Yiddish language and culture there.

Dr. Laya Silber is on the faculty of the Bar-Ilan University Music Department, where she teaches music theory, ear training, and conducting, and directs the university's chorus. She has studied Yiddish at the YIVO Center and continues her studies with the Jerusalem Reading Circle. Silber has published several articles about the Yiddish Art Song.

PLEASE NOTE: Lineup is subject to change.