Yiddish, the historic language of Jews in Europe and Russia, was once nearly extinguished. But now Jews drawn to the language for different reasons are keeping Yiddish alive.

The scion of Yiddish theater royalty announces a “coda” to a spectacular career — a concert at SF Symphony on April 26.

Half a century ago, in the fall of 1969, Michael Tilson Thomas — a promising, young conductor and scion of Yiddish theater ...