Exploring London’s forgotten cockney Yiddish culture: A new podcast

Der fonograf, The Phonograph - a Yiddish weekly paper London February 1909, Courtesy of Jewish Miscellanies website

The Cockney Yiddish Podcast uncovers the vibrant yet little-known Jewish popular culture of London’s East End. Spanning seven episodes—six in English and one in Yiddish—the series brings to life newly unearthed songs, stories, and voices from the 1880s to the 1950s, offering a fresh perspective on immigrant life in London.

Yiddish was the language spoken by Jews from Eastern Europe before the Second World War. When tens of thousands of Jewish migrants arrived in London escaping poverty and pogroms, they brought Yiddish with them, leading to the development of a rich Cockney-Yiddish culture in the East End.

Podcast Highlights

Hosted by historians Professor Nadia Valman and Dr Vivi Lachs from Queen Mary University of London, the podcast delves into the fascinating intersections of Cockney and Yiddish cultures. Special guests include Michael Rosen, Miriam Margolyes, David Schneider, and musicians from Klezmer Klub and Katsha’nes, who add depth and personal experience to the storytelling.

Each episode explores a different aspect of East End Yiddish life, from music halls and street markets to political protests and family anecdotes. Highlights include:

• Episode 1: Now You’re Talking Cockney Yiddish – Find out how Jewish migrants fleeing poverty and pogroms brought Yiddish to London, where it blended with Cockney, with linguist Professor Paul Kerswill. Archival songs and the story “A London Girl’s Secret,” narrated by Miriam Margolyes, bring this history to life.
• Episode 2: Forverts! Politics and Protest – Discover East End Jewish radicalism including the Battle of Cable Street through stirring protest songs and historical insights, with Professor Ruth Livesey,.
• Episode 3: When You Go to a Yiddish Theatre – Dive into the vibrant world of Yiddish theatre, with David Schneider performing Shakespeare in Yiddish.
• Episode 4: Oy! Who Are You Laughing At? – Explore the comedy of East End Yiddish life, including rhyming slang, family jokes, and comic songs, with special guest Michael Rosen.
• Episode 5: Khanike oder Krismes – An all-Yiddish episode reflecting on the pressures of assimilation, with learners involved in the Yiddish-language revival, and featuring stories of families navigating Hanukkah and Christmas traditions.
• Episode 6: Look Back in Shmaltz – Nostalgia takes centre stage with songs and stories evoking memories of old Whitechapel and migrant experiences through food, with curator Aditi Anand.
• Episode 7: The Mystery of Solomon Levy – Uncover the tale of the iconic “gramophone man” of Petticoat Lane Market, immortalised in song and film, with broadcaster Alan Dein.

Insights from the Hosts

‘Yiddish songs and writing give us unique insights into Jewish immigrant life in the East End,’ said Dr Lachs. ‘The Yiddish language in London changed to incorporate the London experience so you get local Cockney words like ‘cuppa tea’ that became a part of East End Yiddish both in writing and spoken on the streets.’

Professor Valman said: ‘London Yiddish popular culture was extraordinarily vibrant, witty and responsive to the Cockney culture that surrounded it. It’s a fascinating, forgotten episode in the history of London. This podcast is for anyone interested in London’s subcultures – whether or not you understand Yiddish. And it’s part of the remarkable worldwide Yiddish revival’

About the Podcast

The podcast is an AHRC-funded impact project and is produced by Natalie Steed of Rhubarb Rhubarb. Natalie’s previous works include award-winning series such as The Sound of Anger (2 x Gold 2020 British Podcast Awards), Living With Feeling and the multi award-winning Folk on Foot.

The podcast is accompanied by a dedicated website, cockneyyiddish.org, where listeners can access Yiddish texts, translations, and additional resources to kickstart their own language-learning journeys.

The Cockney Yiddish Podcast is for anyone curious about London’s hidden histories, immigrant stories, and the enduring legacy of Yiddish culture in the East End. 

Listen to episode one now: https://cockneyyiddish.org/episode-1-now-youre-talking-cockney-yiddish/