Revoicing the Forbidden: The Yishuv, Yiddish Films, and Hebrew Dubbing

Abstract: This essay focuses on the compulsory Hebrew-language dubbing of Yiddish sound films during 1930s and 1940s in Mandatory Palestine (1920–1948). The term “dub” is a shortened version of the word “double” and denotes the practice of supplanting a film’s original language with another, mostly (though not exclusively) for translation purposes. Hebrew dubbing was a practical compromise that made it possible for Yiddish films to be screened in Palestine, albeit not in their original tongue. This was an arrangement that bridged the gap between the rigid ideological language restrictions commanded by the Hebraist leadership of the Yishuv, and the general population’s desire to enjoy films that represented a culture beloved by many. The topic of enforced dubbing, standing at the intersection of national language policy and popular entertainment, showcases the tension between the ideal of total Hebraization and the consumption of foreign-language cultural products.