Mendy Cahan (IL; actor, singer, Yiddish language)

grew up speaking Yiddish in the traditional-yet-cosmopolitan Jewish community of Antwerp, where contemporary professional badkhonim would perform at weddings. His father, Maier Cahan, knew the art of badkhones and would occasionally perform. Mendy Cahan has degrees in Philosophy and in Yiddish literature from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is founder and director of “YUNG YiDiSH” in Israel, an NGO dedicated to the transmission and collection of Yiddish creativity since 1990. He was founding director of the “Vilnius Yiddish Institute” in its first years.

Mendy is a Yiddish performer and singer with “Yiddish Express” and other constellations. He is an actor and Yiddish advisor at “The Gesher Theatre” in Tel Aviv. He was Yiddish dialogue coach for the film “Son of Saul” which was awarded the Grand Prix du Jury in Cannes 2015.

Photo: Ann Kruglikova