MENEMSHA FILMS

Swedishkayt follows self-proclaimed "international Yiddish-ish-icons" YidLife Crisis, the Canadian performing/filmmaking duo of Eli Batalion and Jamie Elman, as they continue their journey to demystify the Jewish world, this time in a whirlwind trip to Stockholm. YidLife provides the"(gefilte)fish out of water" perspective on the little known story of the Swedish Jews, from the first Jewish immigrant 250 years ago to today's"Jew's Who,"and then some how finds the time to reflect this all back on stage in a performance for this whole community. Tying the experience together is the common thread of Yiddish language and culture, the very thing which connects this Montreal-based duo to Sweden, where the language is-to the duo's great surprise-a protected minority language(!?!) From meeting like-minded Yiddish speaking cousins from across the Atlantic to finding the comedy in the diary of community founder Aaron Isaac to straight talk with Stockholm’sJewish youth over beer and bites, Swedishkayt is a feel-good community portrait which depicts a diverse and thriving minority, demonstrates the ever-evolving interplay of language, culture and identity, and celebrates finding common ground and sweet surprises where you'd least expect them