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That time Yiddishists met extraterrestrials a short while ago in a galaxy not far away

JL;DR SUMMARY Clara Shapiro reflects on her surreal summer experience at the Steiner Program, where a group of eclectic students immersed themselves in Yiddish language and culture at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jewish CultureYiddishCommunityYiddish Book CenterImaginationCultural ImmersionLanguage RevivalYouth CultureSteiner ProgramLarp

Places mentioned

Amherst, Massachusetts, United States
"Buddies of mine whod gone to this program at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts, the year before told me there was a name for this phenomenon the Steiner crazies."
Harvard, Massachusetts, United States
"Everything about this summer was a far cry from Harvard, where I spend most of my year."

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Cairo Item ID 53629
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Retrieved 2025-06-08 05:30:46 UTC
Curated 2025-06-08 08:30:44 UTC