YIVO-Bard Summer Program
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Beginner I Yiddish (Sunday Afternoon)

Class starts Sep 11 3:00pm-4:30pm

Tuition: $450 | YIVO members: $350**
Students: $225 (Must register with valid university email address)

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This is a live, online course held weekly on Zoom. Enrollment will be capped at about 15 students. All course details (Zoom link, syllabus, handouts, assignments, etc.) will be posted to Canvas. Students will be granted access to the class on Canvas after registering for the class here on the YIVO website. This class will be conducted in Yiddish and English.

Instructor: Sharon Bar-Kochva

Who should take this course?
This course is appropriate for those who are new to Yiddish or would like a review.

What topics will this class cover?
This class will cover the Yiddish alphabet, basic grammar, and vocabulary. Students will begin to develop different language skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Through songs, proverbs, jokes, and simple literary texts, students will also get acquainted with Yiddish culture.

Is knowledge of the Yiddish alphabet required?
No, knowledge of the Yiddish alphabet is not required. However, students who have no prior experience with reading and writing the Yiddish or Hebrew alphabets are highly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Yiddish alphabet before class, as the course will move at a fast pace. The tools and videos provided here will be helpful in getting a handle on reading and writing the alef-beys, and are designed for independent use.

Course Materials:
This course will use the textbook In eynem: The New Yiddish Textbook, Vol I & II by Asya Vaisman Schulman, Jordan Brown, Mikhl Yashinsky (Purchase).

Questions? Read our 2022 Fall Classes FAQ.

Sharon Bar-Kochva works as a Yiddish teacher and a librarian in the Paris Yiddish Center, where she is also head of the pedagogical team. She has been teaching Yiddish in various levels worldwide since 2004, both in academic and non-academic frameworks. She received her PhD from Inalco University in Paris on the topic of Pseudonymes of Yiddish and Hebrew writers.


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