Among myriad expressions in Ladino, which Sephardim have used to navigate daily life, phrases like "ke no mos manke" encapsulate wishes for both longevity and well-being, even in one's absence. Reflecting this sentiment, this presentation will explore not only the domains where Ladino has disappeared in recent generations but also those in which it has been preserved among individuals and communities today. Surveying Ladino's presence in the United States throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries will reveal the language's dynamic vitality, including its most recent resurgence of interest.

Bryan Kirschen is an associate professor of Spanish and Linguistics at Binghamton University, where he is also Chair of the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures. His scholarship on Judeo-Spanish appears in noted academic journals and edited volumes. He serves as co-director of Binghamton University’s Ladino Collaboratory, co-organizer of the annual New York Ladino Day, director of the National Authority of Ladino’s international delegation of Shadarim, partnering host of the Enkontros de alhad series, instructor of Ladino through his Ladino Linguist platform, and curator of the Documenting Judeo-Spanish online portal.