Welcome to the Mother Tongue Project
The rich and fascinating Jewish languages, which were passed down from generation to generation for centuries, are gradually disappearing as their native speakers pass away. The objective of this project is therefore to conserve the languages of Eastern and Western Jews, and the cultures they embody, by creating and collecting recordings of Jews from around the country speaking in their native Jewish tongues.
Welcome to the Mother Tongue Project
The recorded narratives – including songs, ballads and laments, midrash and folktales, descriptions of customs and rituals, as well as personal, family and community histories – are archived on this website, where they are directly and easily accessible to the general public, free of charge.
Welcome to the Mother Tongue Project
The value of these Jewish languages cannot be overstated, for they contain unique linguistic and cultural features of great importance, which were passed down orally and were never recorded in writing.
These spiritual treasures are still alive here in Israel, and we must save and preserve them before they are swept away by the tide of history.
Welcome to the Mother Tongue Project
Documenting and conserving these traditions will enhance familiarity with the Jewish cultures that nurtured the founding fathers and first citizens of the state. It will also contribute to consolidating and strengthening the identity of Israelis whose communities of origin have barely been studied and do not have a dominant presence in Israeli society.
Welcome to the Mother Tongue Project
The project collects audio and video recordings that are in the hands of the public for the purpose of copying, transcribing and translating them, and adding them to the online library.
