A film about Yiddish featuring former Coronation Street star Nigel Pivaro and the Alevai Jewish Women’s Group will be premiered at Manchester Jewish Museum later this month.

Pivaro, who played Terry Duckworth in the ITV soap, worked with the women’s group on its North Manchester Yiddish Dictionary and accompanying short film, Alevai, directed by Salford-born Rafe Conn as part of the Bury New Road Heritage Project.

In the film, Pivaro tries to get to grips with the language and slang Yiddish words.

He said the experience had been enjoyable and was “excited about the project’s potential.
“It serves to highlight a unique form of linguistics passed down through the generations. As an actor and a journalist, I am always interested in diverse forms of communication.”

Alevai’s Denise Librae added: “The group was thrilled that Nigel came down. He put us at ease being filmed and interacted with everyone.

“For someone who doesn’t understand Yiddish, it is funny that they don’t know what you’re talking about. It was a nice atmosphere and Nigel handled the Yiddish like a convert without the snip!”

Pivaro is currently on stage in The Commitments musical and so will be unable to attend the film’s premiere. But he will give a virtual introduction and there will be live entertainment from Klezmorim of Manchester and a short Yiddish show.

Guests will also receive a copy of the dictionary.

The museum’s programmes manager, Gemma Meek, said the film offered “a warm, charming and often comedic insight into the ways these women use Yiddish and brings to life the emotions and senses behind the terms.

“It feels like you’re meeting these women and getting to know them as they invite you into their homes and lives.

“It’s a real celebration of the language and some of the people that keep it alive and evolving.”