Yiddish: It's More than a Language - In-Service Training for Staff of a Jewish Home for the Aged

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by McQueen

The text presents a staff in-service training model rooted in Yiddish language and culture to address communication barriers and reduce loneliness among elderly Jewish residents. A narrative encounter shows how a misunderstanding around “shul” reflects deeper differences in language knowledge and memory. It describes resident demographics, staff diversity, and the role of Yiddish in daily institutional life through synagogue, music, and continuing education, concluding that improving cultural and linguistic sensitivity strengthens bonds and responsiveness.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Implications of Differences in Language and Culture

A Change in Attitude

"Linguistic sensitivity is needed to preventnegative judgments and to overcome com-munication problems."—John A.Cormican. Laverne Harris*is a newly-employednurse's aide at the Hebrew Home forthe Aged at Riverdale.Each morningshe assists Hyman Meyerson*,a wheel-chair bound 91 year-old patient,with hispreparation for the day.On Ms.Har-ris's first Saturday tour of duty,Mr.Meyerson announced that he would liketo go to “shul”. Knowing that Mr.Meyerson has diffi-culty speaking and frequent memorylapses,Ms.Harris assumed that her pa-tient had mispronounced the word,school.She gently put her arm aroundMr.Meyerson and assured him that hewas no longer required to go to school.When Mr.Meyerson again impatientlyinsisted that he be taken to shul becausehe was late,Ms.Harris sought help.Hersupervisor,a long-standing employeeof the Home,explained that shul is theYiddish word for synagogue,and thatMr.Meyerson's request reflected alifelong tradition of attending Sabbathmorning services. Yiddish:It's More than a Language;In-Service Training for Staff of aJewish Home for the Aged RoCHEL U.BERMAN Director of Community Affairs,The Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale AND AUDREY S.WEINERAssistant Administrator,The Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale AND GELLA S.FISHMAN Professor,Yiddish Language Literature,Stern College of Yeshiva UniversityNew York ...the workshops [on Yiddish}heightened sensitivity to our residents'roots and created a bondamong all those that shared this special experience. The Home,Its Residentsand Its Staff The Hebrew Home fot the Aged atRiverdale is an 1100-bed long-term carefacility,providing skilled nursing,intermediate care and adult congregateliving.The disparity between the cul-tural,racial and ethnic patterns of staffand patients at the Home is similar tothat of the majority ofJewish homes forthe aged across the country.While ad-mission policies are nonsectarian,aswould be expected for an OrthodoxJewish facility 99 percent of the residentpopulation is Jewish.Currently,ap-proximately 80%of the residents areEuropean-born(essentially easternEurope),a decrease of about 10%in thelast decade.The majority of these resi-dents learned Yiddish as their primarylanguage.Today it is part of the institu-tional culture and their lives throughthe synagogue,music programs,rem-iniscence and continuing education.The average age of the residents is 86%years;their average length of stay is al-most five years. In contrast,the Home's staff of 800employees is ethnically diverse.Eighty to eighty-five percent are of racialand/or ethnic minorities,includingAmerican and Caribbean Blacks,Portuguese,Hispanics,Phillipinos andOrientals.Although precise statistics arenot available,it is estimated that 30%to40%of the staff are American-born.While the ability to speak English is arequirement of employment,English isa second language for some 20%of thestaff.Similar to the resident population,the staff are also of long-standing ten-ure:more than 70%have worked at theHome for five or more years. # Implications of Differences inLanguage and Culture Loneliness in old age is accompaniedby a variety of physical and emotionallosses.These are further exacerbated bythe lack of opportunities to communi-cate in one's native tongue,and the en-suing cultural isolation.It has been ob-served that the disoriented bilingual el-derly are frequently more responsive intheir primary language,and that usingit can open windows to their minds andfeelings.2 To know the residents of theHebrew Home for the Aged at River-dale,and presumably many of theJewish institutionalized elderly,it is nec-essary to know the world that shapedthem,and to have an understanding ofthe Yiddish language in which their ex-periences are recorded.3 Among the many differences betweenthe resident population and the staff,alanguage barrier such as the one de-scribed in the above encounter is clearlythe most difficult to overcome.It hasbeen suggested that "hiring someonew

FAQs

Why is language sensitivity emphasized for staff working with elderly residents?

The text argues that language barriers can lead to negative judgments, communication problems, cultural isolation, and deeper emotional losses in old age. Using residents’ primary language can open “windows” into their minds and feelings.

How does the “shul” misunderstanding illustrate the article’s main point?

A nurse aide initially assumes a request to go to “shul” was actually “school,” then seeks help after the patient insists. The supervisor explains that “shul” is the Yiddish word for synagogue, showing how cultural-linguistic knowledge changes interpretation and care.

What does the article say about residents’ language background and institutional culture?

Most residents learned Yiddish as their primary language, and it remains part of the institution’s culture through synagogue life, music programs, reminiscence, and continuing education. Today these practices connect residents to their “roots” and shared experience.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by McQueen