About 65 miles outside of New York City, the Yiddish Farm in Goshen, New York, offers a two-week summer program, but also offers shorter-term volunteering and learning opportunities. For the summer immersion program, which runs April 23-June 13 in 2018, participants are expected to reside on the farm and perform work there. Students of all ages, ethnicities, and religions are welcome to participate, although the farm is shomer shabbes (Shabbat-observant). English is allowed to be spoken the first week of the course, but after that, only Yiddish is allowed, regardless of proficiency level.
Since 2012 the Yiddish Farm has provided experiential outdoor education to Yiddish speaking children in the greater New York area. Our programming is uniquely presented in a way that is appropriate, engaging and memorable for today's Chassidic youth. Schools, camps and families return to the farm year after year to see our production first hand and learn through hands on immersion. In addition to tour groups we host private events and produce kosher and organic food that is widely enjoyed. We are in the process of writing a line of Yiddish language children books that will bring home the lessons learned on the farm. The organization is run by Yisroel Bass and his wife Yonit Leah, and a dedicated group of volunteers.