Yiddish Institute
The Yiddish Institute at the Peretz Centre preserves and celebrates Yiddishkayt culture and the Yiddish language as the heritage of Eastern European Jews.
Fraytik Tsu Nakht -FTN;
Shabbes for Cultural Jews
Friday, January 19, 2024 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
​Join our monthly secular humanist Shabbes celebration and potluck supper, followed by a lecture by our guest speaker - Gerry Krystal, author of "Our Universe and How We Got Here".
Ticket: $15.00
No fees when bringing a dish​
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Services are run by volunteers on a rotating basis. Doors open 6pm; service starts 6:15.
Kirman Library
The Kirman Library is an exceptional library which contains a treasure trove of Jewish literature, history, music, art, theatre, humor and many scholarly studies in English and Yiddish.
English and Yiddish title are regularly being added to the collection.
*Enter KIRMAN LIBRARY in the library name field. Password is not needed.
Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir
The largest, best, and ONLY Yiddish choir in Canada, the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir performs the music of the Jewish people in Yiddish, Hebrew, Ladino and English, as well as the languages of other countries where Jews have lived. The Choir performs for holiday celebrations and special events at the Peretz Centre and in the Jewish community.
We start with acknowledging the birthdays and anniversaries in the current month. We then read from our booklet, do group singing, light candles/sip wine/taste bread or challah.
Sometimes we have a Dvar Torah and a Yiddish or Hebrew Word of the Month as well. Then we all say Shabbat Shalom/Gut Shabbes and enjoy some socializing while enjoying a pot-luck dinner. This is followed by a guest speaker on a wide variety of topics.
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You may use the library whenever the Peretz Centre office is open. You may borrow four items at a time, for a period of four weeks, which may be renewed if no hold has been placed on the item. Bring the books you are borrowing or returning, to the office, so they can be checked out or in.
For more information about library policy in general, overdue or lost items policy, or to obtain a library card contact the Peretz Centre office.
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If you wish to make a donation to the Kirman Library or have any questions or comments, please contact Al Stein:
604 731-1193 or alstein577@gmail.com.
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The Kirman Library is a proud member of the Yiddish Book Center, Amherst, Massachusetts.
E-meet your instructor - Itamar Mannof: Itamar Manoff is a PhD candidate in the Department of Educational Studies at the University of British Columbia, where he focuses on language education research. Itamar has over 15 years of experience in language teaching for adults, including Hebrew, English and Yiddish. Itamar is a current Yiddish Pedagogy Fellow at the Yiddish Book Centre in Amherst Mass., and is an alumnus of the 2018-19 Helix-Yiddishkayt program.
In addition, Itamar has participated in YIVO’s Uriel Weinreich Summer program and Klezkanada. In his teaching, Itamar focuses on conversational, communicative and theme-based approaches to the teaching of Yiddish language and culture, all the while emphasizing the importance of grammar and vocabulary acquisition.
Major works performed by the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir in recent years have included Rozhinkes mit mandlen, Yomervokhets (Jabberwocky), In Amerike, Benyomin der driter, Ikh bin a yid, Oyb nit nokh hekher, and excerpts from Di yam gazlonim (Pirates of Penzance, translated into Yiddish by Al Grand).
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For further details and events please contact Donna Becker:
Join us for a 5-lecture series online and discuss the following topics:
How did the changes in traditional Jewish life relate to gender and the place of women in society (and importantly, how do we queer these historical narratives)? Who were the Bund, and what was their relation to socialist movements of the time? What is a Shtetl, and how was it distinct from other types of communal settlement in Europe?