Ladino, also known as Judeo-Spanish (djudeoespanyol), is a language that originated from Old Spanish spoken by Jews in Spain before they were forced to leave in 1492. After the expulsion, these Jewish communities moved to places like Turkey, Greece, and North Africa, taking their language with them. Ladino is similar to Spanish from the late 15th century, so it has old-fashioned words and grammar that you won’t find in modern Spanish. Over time, it has picked up words from other languages like Turkish, Greek, Arabic, and French because of the different places where Sephardic Jews lived. Having a centuries-old literary tradition, Ladino is still used by some Sephardic Jewish communities, especially for religious practice and cultural expression.

We are fortunate to be able to offer our students the very rare opportunity to study Ladino from the basics to beyond. Our classes delve into vocabulary, grammar, speaking and reading, and even Rashi script! Please explore some of our past offerings below and check out our upcoming activities and events calendar for future classes.

Related Events

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  Israel Unfiltered Pre – Trip meeting

  April 20/4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
• 

  JFS Board of Directors Meeting

  April 22/12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
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  An Evening with Isaac Mizrahi

  April 22/7:00 pm – 9:00 pm