Rephonic
Artwork for Heritage Words
Ladino
Yiddish
Jewish Language Project
Jewish Identity
Cultural Heritage
Hebrew
Heritage Words
Judeo-Arabic
Jewish Culture
Judaism
Jewish Language
Coded Language
Sephardic Culture
Cultural Identity
Spanish
Mexico City
Music
Yiddish Literature
North Macedonia
Jewish Linguistic Diversity

Heritage Words features interviews about the words we've inherited and the meaning they bring to our lives. Heritage Words is produced by the HUC Jewish Language Project, which raises awareness about Jewish ancestral diversity through the lens of language, in partnership with HUC Connect. Sarah Bunin Benor is the host.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes35Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Religion & SpiritualityJudaism

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Artwork for Heritage Words

Latest Episodes

Hannelore Krug, a German-Jewish immigrant, and her son Ken, a genealogy enthusiast, discuss their family's roots in Hesse-Nassau, Germany. They detail the family's history as cattle dealers, noting a unique professional German-based jargon that incor... more

Michèle Russel-Capriles and Phyllis Meit of the Jewish Cultural Historical Museum in Curaçao discuss their roots as Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews on the island. Michèle details her 15th-generation Sephardic heritage and the unique Jewish Papiamentu v... more

Ruben Shimonov, a multilingual educator and artist, discusses his roots as a Bukharian Jew from Uzbekistan. Ruben details the etymology of his names, explaining how the Russian suffix -ov was forced upon Bukharian names. He describes his linguistic u... more

Memoirist Samantha Ellis discusses her background as the daughter of Iraqi Jewish refugees and her memoir about losing her ancestral tongue, Judeo-Iraqi Arabic. Samantha speaks about her family's migration from Baghdad to the UK, explaining why her p... more

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Recent Guests

Michèle Russel-Capriles
President of the Jewish Museum Curaçao, cultural historian and curator
Jewish Museum Curaçao
Episode: Bon Siman and Oy Vey: Jewish Papiamentu and Curaçao Yiddish with Michèle Russel-Capriles and Phyllis Meit
Phyllis Meit
Museum curator and research presenter
Jewish Museum Curaçao
Episode: Bon Siman and Oy Vey: Jewish Papiamentu and Curaçao Yiddish with Michèle Russel-Capriles and Phyllis Meit
Ruben Shimonov
Educator, community builder, artist; National Director of Education, American Sephardi Federation
American Sephardi Federation
Episode: Dancing on the Same Page: Multilingual Calligraphy and Bridge-Building with Ruben Shimonov
Samantha Ellis
Daughter of Iraqi Jewish refugees, author of Always Carry Salt (Chopping On My Heart in the UK)
Author
Episode: From Baghdad to London: Losing and Keeping Judeo-Iraqi Arabic with Samantha Ellis
Yoni Avi Battat
Musician and composer exploring Iraqi Jewish heritage through Arab, Yiddish, and Hebrew music
Independent musician / Kedma founder
Episode: Singing from the Fragments: Iraqi-Ashkenazi Music with Yoni Avi Battat
Jenna Weissman Joselit
Historian and biographer, author of Mordecai M. Kaplan, Restless Soul
Yale University Press / Jewish Lives
Episode: The Rabbi Who Rejected Yiddish: Mordecai Kaplan’s Vision with Jenna Weissman Joselit
Joseph Bendahan
Los Angeles Bay Area-based linguist and Sephardic heritage enthusiast sharing his family's HaKetia story
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Episode: Chicken-Footed Demons and Synagogue Shouting: Venezuelan Sephardic Life with Joseph Bendahan
Drora Arussy
A guest on Heritage Words, Ayuni co-host
Ayuni: Voices of Our Jewish Grandmothers
Episode: Bonus Episode: Ayuni: Foods of our Middle Eastern and North African Jewish Grandmothers
Dalya Arussy Di Veroli
A guest on Heritage Words, Ayuni co-host
Ayuni: Voices of Our Jewish Grandmothers
Episode: Bonus Episode: Ayuni: Foods of our Middle Eastern and North African Jewish Grandmothers

Host

Sarah Bunin Benor
Host of Heritage Words

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 11 ratings
  • Learn and enjoy

    Consistently good yet wide-ranging, takes me outside my usual silos. Jack interviewing his mother (my generation) is the most delightful thing you'll hear online

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Feivel Yek
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Strong mix of linguistics, history, and food culture.
Thoughtful inquiries that illuminate language and culture.
High-quality research and scholarly yet approachable discussions.
Engaging guests with deep expertise and accessible storytelling.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

From Baghdad to London: Losing and Keeping Judeo-Iraqi Arabic with Samantha Ellis
Q: It seems from your book that you didn't really grow up in an Iraqi Jewish community beyond your family; did you have other friends who were children of immigrants from Iraq?
Yes, there was a tight-knit Iraqi Jewish community in London, and I focused on my own family to present an authentic, nuanced picture of language transmission, migration, and intergenerational choices in heritage language use.
The Rabbi Who Rejected Yiddish: Mordecai Kaplan’s Vision with Jenna Weissman Joselit
Q: How did Kaplan's idea of civilization influence Jewish life beyond a mere denomination?
Kaplan sought to create a flexible, expansive framework that could animate ritual, language, and community across congregations and movements, fostering a sense of belonging that transcended denominational boundaries.
The Rabbi Who Rejected Yiddish: Mordecai Kaplan’s Vision with Jenna Weissman Joselit
Q: Why did Kaplan steer away from Yiddish in favor of Hebrew and English?
He viewed Yiddish as constraining and emotionally overblown for modern American life, preferring Hebrew and English as adaptable, future-oriented languages for a universal American Jewish identity.
The Rabbi Who Rejected Yiddish: Mordecai Kaplan’s Vision with Jenna Weissman Joselit
Q: What does Kaplan mean by plus Jews versus minus Jews?
Plus Jews embrace the full spectrum of Jewish life with intentionality, while minus Jews focus only on duty and the risks of anti-Semitism, guiding Kaplan toward a more open, engaged, and self-reflective belonging.
Chicken-Footed Demons and Synagogue Shouting: Venezuelan Sephardic Life with Joseph Bendahan
Q: What steps could help preserve HaKetia for future generations?
Suggestions include recording fluent speakers, building a Living Dictionary with example sentences, creating mentor-learner programs, and engaging communities in active language transmission.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Heritage Words

What is Heritage Words about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful interview series focused on heritage language, Jewish identity, and cultural memory. Conversations span linguistics, culinary traditions, and literary heritage, often featuring scholars, authors, educators, and community activists who explore how language shapes belonging, memory, and contemporary Jewish culture. Noteworthy is the emphasis on underrepresented languages and diasporic communities, plus collaborations that bring culinary and musical elements into language preservation. Potential listeners will find it engaging if they're curious about how words encode history, identity, and intergenerational storytelling, with a clear bias toward scholarly context and lived experience.

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Which podcasts are similar to Heritage Words?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Heritage Words:

1. Chutzpod!
2. Identity/Crisis
3. The Promised Podcast
4. Heavyweight
5. On the Nose

How many episodes of Heritage Words are there?

Heritage Words launched 2 years ago and published 35 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Heritage Words?

Recent guests on Heritage Words include:

1. Michèle Russel-Capriles
2. Phyllis Meit
3. Ruben Shimonov
4. Samantha Ellis
5. Yoni Avi Battat
6. Jenna Weissman Joselit
7. Joseph Bendahan
8. Drora Arussy

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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