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Saved by Language

Discover how a boy saved his life during the Holocaust by speaking Judeo-Spanish. Help us finish this documentary!

Saved by Language

Discover how a boy saved his life during the Holocaust by speaking Judeo-Spanish. Help us finish this documentary!

1 Campaign |

Los Angeles, United States

$8,895 USD 104 backers

74% of $12,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal

Story

FAQ

Updates 16

Comments 10

Short Summary

Can a language save your life?

Yes it can, even an ancient one from the 15th century!

Moris Albahari, a Sephardic Jew (of Spanish origin), ran away from the train taking Yugoslavian Jews to Nazi death camps. He spoke in Judeo-Spanish (Ladino) with an Italian Colonel who helped Moris escape to a safe area. Three years later, Moris communicated in Ladino with a Hispanic pilot from the United States and led the pilot, along with his American and British colleagues, to a secure Partizan airport.

Ladino is now an endangered language. By being part of this film production, you will be part of a movement to preserve the language.

Watch the demo of Saved by Language. Press the CC button on the bottom right of the You Tube screen for Basque, Bosnian/Serbo-Croatian, Catalan, Chinese, Esperanto, Hebrew, Ladino, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Ukrainian subtitles. Ladino is listed as Spanish (Spain).

What We Need & What You Get

Our goal is to raise $12,000 to bring this documentary into your hands.

We have collected all footage from various visits to Sarajevo from July 2012 to September 2013.
Your support will cover editing costs.
No matter what size donation, you are helping bring this documentary to life and bringing much needed attention to the plight of endangered languages!
Here are the unique perks we have created unique perks for your contributions to making this film a reality:

(Post-production of the documentary will be completed summer 2014. The ebook and music will be sent within a week of your donation.)

The Impact

Ladino is one of thousands of endangered languages in the world. Preserving the beauty of these languages is a reminder that culture can survive every form of oppression except neglect, and it is up to US to keep them alive.

Your contribution is bringing this language, and potentially thousands of other endangered languages, to the forefront of the public eye.

Co-directors Bryan Kirschen and Susanna Zaraysky are preserving and revitalizing Ladino. They have even taught themselves the language by immersing themselves within Sephardic-speaking communities. Bryan teaches Judeo-Spanish to university students in Los Angeles!

Bryan, Susanna and Montserrat Franco (our Music Director) have presented their research on the language, the community, and Moris’ story in conferences worldwide and on CNN en Español, Univision, RTVE and other media. (See our press clippings, videos and list of presentations here.)

Other Ways You Can Help

Ask your friends and family to help spread the word about our campaign via Facebook and Twitter. Use Indiegogo share tools.
¡Ayudadmos, por favor! Si sosh de la komunita sefaradi, partajad muestra kampania i filmo en You Tube kon sus amistades, haverim, i famiya. Ke biva el djudeo-espanyol!
Share our demo video and Indie Gogo campaign within Spanish-language and Jewish communities. The Ladino language is not a well-known element of Hispanic and Jewish culture and history.

***To donate anonymously, use an email address we won't recognize and don't publish your name. (However, if you want to receive a copy of the movie or another gift that needs to be mailed to you, we will need a mailing address.) If you just want your name not to be publicly visible, you can select that option.***

Looking for more information? Check the project FAQ

Let us know if you think this campaign contains prohibited content.

Choose your Perk

featured

Muestra Estreya (Our Star)

$100 USD

Your name will appear in the credits of SBL as a supporter of the documentary. Here's your package of rewards: 1) Receive a DVD of the documentary when finished 2) Receive a digital download of Co-Director, Susanna Zaraysky’s book, "Language is Music book," available in English, Portuguese or Spanish. 3) Receive a digital download of "Adio Kerida," sung in Ladino from our Musical Director, Montserrat Franco, plus e-card. (If you are outside of the US, please add $5 for postage.)

Estimated Shipping

August 2014

23 claimed

Mersi Muncho & Muzika

$10 USD

You will be listed on our site as a supporter, receive a holiday e-card in Ladino, and a digital download of "Adio Kerida," a famous Ladino song sung by our Musical Director, Montserrat Franco, member of the Latin Grammys.

Estimated Shipping

December 2013

10 claimed

Language is Music

$25 USD

Receive a digital copy of Co-Director, Susanna Zaraysky’s book, "Language is Music," available in English, Portuguese or Spanish. The book has been featured on BBC, CNN, CBS, NBC and on many other international media channels. Also receive our holiday e-card in Ladino.

Estimated Shipping

December 2013

12 claimed

Travel Happy, Budget Low

$40 USD

A signed copy of "Travel Happy, Budget Low" (a budget travel guide written by Co-Producer Susanna Zaraysky) and the perks at the $10 level. Order now and give the book away as a holiday present!

Estimated Shipping

December 2013

2 out of 15 of claimed

The Documentary is Yours

$50 USD

Receive a DVD of the final Saved by Language Documentary You will be among the first to own the full-length feature when finished. In the meantime, we will send you a digital song download "Adio Kerida" in Ladino from our Musical Director, Montserrat Franco, along with our holiday e-card. (If you are outside of the US, please add $5 for postage.)

Estimated Shipping

August 2014

22 claimed

Personalized letter (Solitreo)

$200 USD

Receive a personalized laminated letter in Solitreo (Judeo-Spanish cursive handwriting) from the directors of Saved by Language. This letter will have a transcription in Latin characters, as well as the translation of English. You will get the Muestra Estreya status and all $100 perks.

Estimated Shipping

August 2014

1 out of 20 of claimed

Ambezate (learn) el Ladino!

$300 USD

You're on your way. In addition to the perks of the $100 level we will send you the Manual of Judeo-Spanish textbook and audio CD for learning Ladino! (If you are outside of the US, please add $5 for postage.)

Estimated Shipping

August 2014

3 claimed

Echemos Lashon! (Let's talk!)

$500 USD

Receive 2 hours of Ladino lessons (Phone or Skype) with Co- Director Bryan Kirschen in addition to rewards at the $300 level. If you are already a speaker, echamos lashon anyway. You're support is appreciated! (If you are outside of the US, please add $5 for postage.)

Estimated Shipping

August 2014

1 claimed

Virtual Meet-and-Greet

$1,000 USD

Receive a Skype Call from Co-directors of SBL, in addition to rewards at the $500 level.

Estimated Shipping

August 2014

1 claimed

A piece of history is yours!

$2,500 USD

Receive a replica of the oldest Haggadah, the Sarajevo Passover Haggadah, in addition to rewards at the $1000 level. The Haggadah will be mailed to you from Sarajevo! (The original Sarajevo Haggadah from 1350 was brought to Bosnia during the Inquisition and was saved by a Muslim cleric in WWII. It was preserved in an underground vault during the Siege of Sarajevo in the 1990s.)

Estimated Shipping

August 2014

0 claimed

Producer's Circle

$5,000 USD

Premiere screening of Saved by Language will be scheduled in New York City and Los Angeles upon completion of documentary. You and three guests are invited to share this moment with us (travel and accommodations not included). You will be listed as part of our producers circle with exclusive updates from our crew during all stages of production and post-production. You will be thanked on a separate page as part of our credits. This reward includes all those from the $2500 level.

Estimated Shipping

August 2014

0 claimed

Private Screening

$10,000 USD

Receive a private screening of Saved By Language for you an your guests at a location of your choice (within the United States), + Q&A with the directors of Saved by Language. This is in addition to awards at the $5000 level!

Estimated Shipping

August 2014

0 claimed

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