attendance of 5 or more current and former members of the (ultra- orthodox) Haredi community, for whom Yiddish is their mother-tongue. With regard to the Yiddish theatre activities. the Open Rehearsal was attended by some 40-50 people. and the Director used the opportunity to experiment with ways of making the performances accessible to non- Yiddish speakers (i.e. not simply using surtitles). Through these various activities we continue to explore the Yiddish language in the context of Jewish culture and history, and include music, poetry, song and theatre, where possible, thus building on, and sharing, cultural knowledge and awareness. THE FUTURE We continue to try to gradually increase the range of activtties that come under our umbrella, but this is a slow, organic process. In this regard, it is particularly pleasing to see the gradual development of the Yiddish theatre activities. CONCLUSION The twelve-month period covered by this report has been a successful time for the Trust. We grow in confidence and in financial stabilty. We look forward to 2025126. Steve ogin (Chair) Phil Tomlinson (Treasurer)
5, including the Chair and Vice£hair of the Trust, organises the Theatre troupe activrties. STRUCTURE: The Trust is set up as a CIO, and has its full complement of ten Trustees. At this point, the Chair, Vice-chair, Secretary and Treasurer are the same as when the Trust was set up. The Trustees meet on-line exclusively, being located widely across the country, and are all actively involved in the discussions to manage the Trust. There are separate Committees, each meeting on a regular basis, which manage the Sof- Vokh, the YOMC, and the Yiddish Theatre troupe activities. FINANCE: The Sof-vokh 8ookings process is managed each year by a Trustee working closely with the Treasurer. Tid(et transactions are processed through Ticket Tailor, with payments going through PayPal and thence to the Charity's Bank Account. As a result, all financial transactions have a simple trail, and at the same time personal data is kept secure within these systems. The Annual turnover is under £25,000 per year. We aim to operate at cost, except that we build in a contingency factor to either absorb any unexpected expenses or allow us to slowly grow our reserves. We aim to have sufficient reserves to prevent any financial risk and, as we have no employees or physical assets, the main financial risk is of any CanlIations, or other booking problems, that are not covered in our arrangements with the venue. Our current reserve target is a quarter of the hotel costs for the Sof-vokh. Following the success of the Sof-vokh in the summers of 2023, 2024 and 2025, we managed a small increase in reserves. The Yiddish Theatre activities are earmarked as a separate activity within the YCT accounting. PUBLIC BENEFIT: The YOMC continues to provide a real opportunity for participation whether as performer or audience, a fluent Yiddish speaker, or a beginner. For Sof-vokh 2024 and 2025, we were able to provide about 15 bursaries out of the approximately 60 places. The programme is always designed to support the attendan of families with children. An interesting development over the past two years has been the
theme is suggested for the Open Mic presentations, and a Special Guest, either from the UK, or from around the world, is given a longer "guest-slot" to present something related to the theme, or from their wider interests in the Yiddish wodd. There are typically 6 to 8 presentstions, with an audience of 20-30 people, with many regulars and also new faces. Currently there is no income or expenditure involved in the YOMC, other than using the website which is financially supported by the Trust. 2) The Annual Yiddish Sof-vokh is a residential weekend where only Yiddish is spoken. The Sof-vokh accounts for most of the incorne and expenditure of the organisation. We receive some money in donations mostly through the website and booking processes, and this is eamarked for the provision of bursaries to promote access, especially for under 35s (most beneficiaries are actually under 25). The Yiddish Sof-vokh events in summer 2024 and 2025 were again at capacity (in summer 2025: 60 attendees, including 3 children under 10). The bursaries for summer 2025 were (as in 2024) also supported by the proceeds from a benefit. Hillscourt has again been booked for summer 2026 (261h_28t June 2026), and a team of some 12 people are on the Organising Committee. Yiddish Theatre troupe - In line wtth our aim to promote the use of the Yiddish language, we are helping to facilitate the establishment of a Yiddish Theatre troupe, Following the success of the 'Season of Yiddish Theatre" at JW3 in spring 2024, the Trust collaborated with the Yiddish writerlactor Tamara Micner in obtaining small grants from the Shoresh Trust to support building a Yiddish Theatre troupe (grants of just under £2000 in 2024, and just under £3000 in 2025, have been reIVed). Using this funding, Yiddish-theatre workshopslrehearsals have been held regularly, under the direction of David Schneider, the writerldirectorlactor whose family played a very active role as theatre professionals in the Yiddish theatre in London in the mid-20 century. The troupe, currently about 20 people, consists of both professionals and amateurs, fluent Yiddish speakers and those with little Yiddish. An Open Rehearsal for friends and family was held in summer 2024 and the plan is to hold two full-scale performances in summer 2025. A group of
TRUSTEES REPORT for YIDDISH CAFÉ TRUST for the PERIOD 15th August 2024 to 14th August 2025 Charity Number. 1200053. INTRODUCTION: This report covers the period August 2024 to August 2025. During this period, in addition to the monthly Yiddish Open Mic Café and the annual Yiddish Sof-vokh, the Trust has been actively involved in continuing to help foster a Yiddish Theatre troupe. AIM of the YIDDISH CAFÉ TRUST: Before discussing these various activities, it is appropriate to recap the aim of the Trust. The Trust exists solely in the UK for the public benefit, to advance the education of the public in the subject of the Yiddish language and its associated history. We therefore take an active role in promoting Yiddish culture and tradition in the fields of literature, poetry, theatre, art and music. This is achieved by, in particular but not exclusively, the provision of opportunities for Yiddish speakers of all abilities, and those who wish to leam Yiddish, to practice and hone their skills, to creatively engage with the Yiddish language and to speak, listen and perform publicly in that language. ACTIVITIES The Yiddish Café Trust continues to be a charity which focusses its energies into three main activities: the Yiddish Open Mic Café; the Yiddish Sof-vokh; the Yiddish Theatre troupe. 1) The Yiddish Open Mic Café (YOMC), which began in April 2018, is historically our longest running activty and predates the official founding of the charty. The Open Mic is organised currently by a team of seven, including one intemational member. The YOMC continues to provide opportunities for people to practice their use of Yiddish before a supportive audience, through short performances of reading poems or prose in Yiddish, enacting a brief drama, or singing Yiddish songs. The YOMC started as an activity in various locations in London (initially in the Poetry Café, Covent Garden). but Sin the Covid pandemic, is now usually online, enabling participation from around the UK, and also from abroad. A varied online (Zoom) programme takes place every month, wrth a short break over the summer. Each month, a
attendance of 5 or more current and former members of the (ultra- orthodox) Haredi community, for whom Yiddish is their mother-tongue. With regard to the Yiddish theatre activities. the Open Rehearsal was attended by some 40-50 people. and the Director used the opportunity to experiment with ways of making the performances accessible to non- Yiddish speakers (i.e. not simply using surtitles). Through these various activities we continue to explore the Yiddish language in the context of Jewish culture and history, and include music, poetry, song and theatre, where possible, thus building on, and sharing, cultural knowledge and awareness. THE FUTURE We continue to try to gradually increase the range of activtties that come under our umbrella, but this is a slow, organic process. In this regard, it is particularly pleasing to see the gradual development of the Yiddish theatre activities. CONCLUSION The twelve-month period covered by this report has been a successful time for the Trust. We grow in confidence and in financial stabilty. We look forward to 2025126. Steve ogin (Chair) Phil Tomlinson (Treasurer)
5, including the Chair and Vice£hair of the Trust, organises the Theatre troupe activrties. STRUCTURE: The Trust is set up as a CIO, and has its full complement of ten Trustees. At this point, the Chair, Vice-chair, Secretary and Treasurer are the same as when the Trust was set up. The Trustees meet on-line exclusively, being located widely across the country, and are all actively involved in the discussions to manage the Trust. There are separate Committees, each meeting on a regular basis, which manage the Sof- Vokh, the YOMC, and the Yiddish Theatre troupe activities. FINANCE: The Sof-vokh 8ookings process is managed each year by a Trustee working closely with the Treasurer. Tid(et transactions are processed through Ticket Tailor, with payments going through PayPal and thence to the Charity's Bank Account. As a result, all financial transactions have a simple trail, and at the same time personal data is kept secure within these systems. The Annual turnover is under £25,000 per year. We aim to operate at cost, except that we build in a contingency factor to either absorb any unexpected expenses or allow us to slowly grow our reserves. We aim to have sufficient reserves to prevent any financial risk and, as we have no employees or physical assets, the main financial risk is of any CanlIations, or other booking problems, that are not covered in our arrangements with the venue. Our current reserve target is a quarter of the hotel costs for the Sof-vokh. Following the success of the Sof-vokh in the summers of 2023, 2024 and 2025, we managed a small increase in reserves. The Yiddish Theatre activities are earmarked as a separate activity within the YCT accounting. PUBLIC BENEFIT: The YOMC continues to provide a real opportunity for participation whether as performer or audience, a fluent Yiddish speaker, or a beginner. For Sof-vokh 2024 and 2025, we were able to provide about 15 bursaries out of the approximately 60 places. The programme is always designed to support the attendan of families with children. An interesting development over the past two years has been the
theme is suggested for the Open Mic presentations, and a Special Guest, either from the UK, or from around the world, is given a longer "guest-slot" to present something related to the theme, or from their wider interests in the Yiddish wodd. There are typically 6 to 8 presentstions, with an audience of 20-30 people, with many regulars and also new faces. Currently there is no income or expenditure involved in the YOMC, other than using the website which is financially supported by the Trust. 2) The Annual Yiddish Sof-vokh is a residential weekend where only Yiddish is spoken. The Sof-vokh accounts for most of the incorne and expenditure of the organisation. We receive some money in donations mostly through the website and booking processes, and this is eamarked for the provision of bursaries to promote access, especially for under 35s (most beneficiaries are actually under 25). The Yiddish Sof-vokh events in summer 2024 and 2025 were again at capacity (in summer 2025: 60 attendees, including 3 children under 10). The bursaries for summer 2025 were (as in 2024) also supported by the proceeds from a benefit. Hillscourt has again been booked for summer 2026 (261h_28t June 2026), and a team of some 12 people are on the Organising Committee. Yiddish Theatre troupe - In line wtth our aim to promote the use of the Yiddish language, we are helping to facilitate the establishment of a Yiddish Theatre troupe, Following the success of the 'Season of Yiddish Theatre" at JW3 in spring 2024, the Trust collaborated with the Yiddish writerlactor Tamara Micner in obtaining small grants from the Shoresh Trust to support building a Yiddish Theatre troupe (grants of just under £2000 in 2024, and just under £3000 in 2025, have been reIVed). Using this funding, Yiddish-theatre workshopslrehearsals have been held regularly, under the direction of David Schneider, the writerldirectorlactor whose family played a very active role as theatre professionals in the Yiddish theatre in London in the mid-20 century. The troupe, currently about 20 people, consists of both professionals and amateurs, fluent Yiddish speakers and those with little Yiddish. An Open Rehearsal for friends and family was held in summer 2024 and the plan is to hold two full-scale performances in summer 2025. A group of
TRUSTEES REPORT for YIDDISH CAFÉ TRUST for the PERIOD 15th August 2024 to 14th August 2025 Charity Number. 1200053. INTRODUCTION: This report covers the period August 2024 to August 2025. During this period, in addition to the monthly Yiddish Open Mic Café and the annual Yiddish Sof-vokh, the Trust has been actively involved in continuing to help foster a Yiddish Theatre troupe. AIM of the YIDDISH CAFÉ TRUST: Before discussing these various activities, it is appropriate to recap the aim of the Trust. The Trust exists solely in the UK for the public benefit, to advance the education of the public in the subject of the Yiddish language and its associated history. We therefore take an active role in promoting Yiddish culture and tradition in the fields of literature, poetry, theatre, art and music. This is achieved by, in particular but not exclusively, the provision of opportunities for Yiddish speakers of all abilities, and those who wish to leam Yiddish, to practice and hone their skills, to creatively engage with the Yiddish language and to speak, listen and perform publicly in that language. ACTIVITIES The Yiddish Café Trust continues to be a charity which focusses its energies into three main activities: the Yiddish Open Mic Café; the Yiddish Sof-vokh; the Yiddish Theatre troupe. 1) The Yiddish Open Mic Café (YOMC), which began in April 2018, is historically our longest running activty and predates the official founding of the charty. The Open Mic is organised currently by a team of seven, including one intemational member. The YOMC continues to provide opportunities for people to practice their use of Yiddish before a supportive audience, through short performances of reading poems or prose in Yiddish, enacting a brief drama, or singing Yiddish songs. The YOMC started as an activity in various locations in London (initially in the Poetry Café, Covent Garden). but Sin the Covid pandemic, is now usually online, enabling participation from around the UK, and also from abroad. A varied online (Zoom) programme takes place every month, wrth a short break over the summer. Each month, a