Our Mission

We are The California Institute for Yiddish Culture & Language (CIYCL).

We counter the tide that separates most Jews alive today from their own remarkable heritage. We seek to inspire the local and broader Jewish community by illuminating a uniquely creative and influential culture that was shattered in its prime. We challenge the fog of lost memory and ignorance about Yiddish that puts a vast and precious vital legacy at risk of completely expiring. Encountering Yiddish culture is an opportunity to experience an uncommon joy.

Our motto is “preservation through innovation.”
CIYCL is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization since 1999.