Autobiographical Writing in Yiddish

This course is that rare thing: an Advanced Yiddish course that combines the study of grammar with the reading of advanced texts. The twice-a- week format provides the time to further develop the skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing.
COURSE CONTENT
We will read autobiographical texts by male and female writers that deal with traditional Jewish life in Eastern Europe (Bella Chagall and Sholem Aleichem), the importance of sports among Jewish youth in Poland before WWII (comedian Shimen Dzhigan), immigration to North America (Canadian Yiddish educator Falik Zolf) and Israel (poet Binem Heller), the Holocaust (memoirist Mashe Rolnikayte and Dzigan), and life in postwar Soviet Union (poet Velvl Chernin).
Grammatical topics will be drawn from the texts and will include Yiddish verbal prefixes (such asder,ba,tse, far…), adverbial complements, use ofzikh, prepositions and conjunctions of time, structure of complex sentences, use ofLoshn-Koydesh, future sentences vs. conditional sentences and other advanced points of Yiddish grammar. The teacher will provide the materials.
In fact, the materials are part of a textbook in progress for advanced students by Sheva Zucker.
Who should take this course?
This course is appropriate for those who have taken an Advanced Yiddish course or have completed Sheva Zucker’sYiddish: An Introduction to the Language, Literature& Culture, Vol. II or an equivalent textbook.
Twice a week really gives you an opportunity to improve your skills!
Frequency:Twice per week, 24 sessions
When and Where:Tuesdays & Thursdays 6:00pm-7:30pm ET on zoom
Dates:Septebmer 9 to December 16, 2025.
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Sheva Zucker
is the author of the textbooksYiddish: An Introduction to the Language, Literature & Culture, Vols. I & II and most recently,Fun Yener Zayt Shvel, a collection of her writings forAfn Shvelmagazine. She has taught and lectured on Yiddish language, literature and culture on five continents and has taught Yiddish for over two decades in the Uriel Weinreich Program in Yiddish Language, Literature and Culture, currently under the auspices of Bard College and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in New York City. She was the executive director of the League for Yiddish and the editor of its magazineAfn Shvelfrom 2005-2020. Her research and translations focus mostly on women in Yiddish literature.