Leonard Nimoy's Mameloshn: A Yiddish Story

Yes, Leonard Nimoy speaks Yiddish. Learn more about Leonard (Leyb) Nimoy from his Jewish roots in Boston's heymish West End neighborhood to his brief stint working with famous Yiddish theatre maven Maurice Schwartz in these video highlights from the Wexler Oral History Project's interview with the man made famous by his role as Spock on Star Trek.

Archival photographs courtesy of the West End Museum, the Jules Aarons Estate, and Leonard Nimoy's personal collection.

[flootzavut]

Spock quoting Hamlet in Yiddish is the most delightfully surreal thing I have seen in a very long time. How fascinating to hear his story, thank you!

[musicauthority]

I'm half Italian, quarter English, eighth German, And eighth Jewish,
I'm a mutt. Mr Spock was my favorite character on Star Trek. I tried to model my life after him, being logical and having common sense. and I think it has helped me a lot through my daily life.

[catherine]

My one and only complaint about this interview? It was too, too short! I so wanted to hear more stories from this marvelous man.

[tndixiechicken]

Say not in grief 'he is no more' but in thankfulness that he was. - Hebrew Proverb

[leonorlizardo]

I met him once, when I worked for the Doctor who treated his Mother, Dora in Beverly Hills. This was in 1999 and he was such a gentleman, kind, worried about his Mother’s tests results.

[electricmastro]

"A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP" - Leonard Nimoy's last tweet

[rachelkrieger]

I was born in A DP camp in Germany in 1947 to parents surviving Auschwitz, I love speaking Yiddish and Hebrew. This is wonderful to hear him speak my language. HOBE A GITTEN TOOG MY YIGALE. SHALOM...

[coraldonna]

A wonderful, intelligent and erudite man seemingly devoid of ego and hubris.  Shalom.

[jerryberkson]

I didn't know that Leonard Nimoy was Jewish. This is beautiful, poignant material.
Imagine- he spoke Yiddish fluently- marvelous. What a warm human being.
Jerry Berkson

[davideisen]

RIP Leonard Nimoy...love live and prosper! It was very touching that he would have regular sessions with a Yiddish speaking psychiatrist in LA to simply have someone to talk to in Yiddish.

[davef.]

A living bridge between the old ways, culture and the modern. His stories are treasures.

[marinakaye]

Mr Nimoy was so familiar to me. My father was an immigrant barber, (Greek), I was always half Greek, half English. Every word he speaks resonates with me. Feel as if I knew him.

[rosewoodfretboard]

How can you not love this guy?
When I was much younger, I saw Leonard Nimoy in a TV movie that dealt with The Holocaust called "Never Forget." I think he played a character named Mel Mermelstein (I apologize in advance if I am incorrect). This was at a time when I was aware of him only as Spock and as the host of the TV series "In Search Of." It was such a different role and one of such significance that it shook me a little and made me realize that there was a bigger world out there. I'm sure it sounds a little cliched, but from the perspective of a small-town Catholic kid, it was profound. I had not been exposed to different cultures, and this was among the first. I'm grateful to Mr. Nimoy for his fine work.

[OtisFan]

My mother was 10 when Nimoy was born. I just played this for her. Her parents also came over from Eastern Europe, and they spoke Yiddish at home. She understood his Yiddish just fine, although they have slight accent differences. We will miss him. Baruch dayan ha'emet. (Blessed is the Righteous Judge.)

[sylviakaplan]

It's wonderful hearing him speak Yiddish.  That was my first language, since my parents were immigrants from Poland and spoke Yiddish at home.

[jackieollij]

Long love the Yiddish Language. 
Live Long and Prosper.

[pearlypetals]

It is amazing how jews from any country love to hear Yiddish. There is some magic about the language. Leonard was a very special gentleman. I and my dear Mame had great fun speakig Yiddish. She was from Grodno, spoke with the litvak accent. May you all live long and prosper.

[JaredRay_]

I can listen to this man tell stories for a blessing he was.

[Wulfdane]

I love listening to Leonard Nimoy talk about his life, fascinating.

[toboldygo]

I live the same life as Leonard but opposite. I am hundred percent Italian grew up in Queens predominantly Jewish Irish German as a child I would run errands for the older Jewish people in my neighborhood. It’s like Leonard said they seem to be afraid but they were beautiful decent people. The greatest love in my life was a Beautiful Jewish girl.❤️ i’m old now I dream of her often👸🏻✡️❤️✝️ 🙏🏻