Yiddish Classes
If you're looking for Yiddish language classes in Boston (and beyond!), you've come to the right place. Throughout the country, Workers Circle has been a leader in preserving and promoting Yiddish language and culture (Yiddishkayt). Yiddish was the language of 2.5 million Eastern European Jewish immigrants, of the Jewish labor movement and the struggle for rights, equality, and freedom. Today, Yiddish continues to be a vibrant language, inspiring modern literature, music, art, and activism. We invite you to explore this rich cultural inheritance!
Classes
Our instructors are passionate about Yiddish and are experienced educators. Whether you are a beginner, have been studying on your own on Duolingo, are a continuing student, or grew up speaking the language, we have a class that will accommodate you. Students cover a wide age range, from young adults to seniors. We offer semester-long classes across a range of levels. Students in doubt about their course level should email info@circleboston.org.
Most classes are currently online over Zoom, with the exception of one in-person Beginners section. You can participate from anywhere, and invite family and friends to join you. All classes, unless otherwise noted, run for 8 weeks. Check out information about our teachers here.
All classes start in mid-October 2023.
Beginner, in-person*
*Required: Proof of up-to-date vaccination
Wednesdays, 7:30 - 9:00 pm, with optional half-hour to learn the Yiddish alphabet from 7:00 - 7:30 pm, beginning October 11. There will be no class Thanksgiving week.
Instructor: Jonah Sidman
Level: Students new to Yiddish or those who know a few basics but want a structured start to learning anew in an in-person class. Also recommended for Duolingo learners looking for a structured introduction to grammar, conversation, and culture.
Materials: Students should purchase Colloquial Yiddish by Lily Kahn at The Yiddish Book Center or Routledge Textbooks or at other on-line sites.
Let's learn Yiddish — lomir zikh lernen yidish! Learn elementary grammar, how to read Yiddish and conversation skills. The class will be interactive and lively, using the textbook Colloquial Yiddish, and exposing students to Yiddish culture through songs, games, and other multimedia materials.
Students who don't yet know the Hebrew alphabet will be asked to join the class a half hour early for the first several sessions.
Beginner, Virtual
Tuesdays, 7:00 - 8:30 pm, with optional half-hour to learn the Yiddish alphabet from 7:00 - 7:30 pm, beginning October 10. There will be no class on October 31st.
Instructor: Alona Bach
Level: Students new to Yiddish, or those who know a few basics but want a structured start to learning anew. Also recommended for Duolingo learners looking for a structured introduction to grammar, conversation, and culture.
Materials: Students should purchase In Eynem: The New Yiddish Textbook, Vol I & II at The Yiddish Book Center. Either print or PDF version is acceptable.
Let's learn Yiddish — lomir zikh lernen yidish! This course introduces students to the fundamentals of Yiddish conversation, reading, and grammar through highly-interactive games, songs, activities, and short texts.
Students who don't yet know the Hebrew alphabet will be asked to join the class a half hour early for the first several sessions
Advanced Beginner, Virtual
Wednesdays, 7:00 - 8:30 pm, beginning October 11. There will be no class Thanksgiving week.
Instructor: Abby Howell
Level: For students who have taken a BWC Beginner course. Also open to those who already know the Yiddish aleph beys, some basic grammar & vocabulary, and who feel the class description fits their level, including those who have worked through Duolingo and feel ready to dive into more conversation and culture.
Materials: Students who do not already have a copy should purchase Colloquial Yiddish by Lily Kahn at The Yiddish Book Center or Routledge Textbooks or at other on-line sites. Additional readings will be provided by the instructor.
Do you know about der, di, dos, and dem, but shudder when you hear the words "dative" and "accusative"? Do you know how to exchange pleasantries in Yiddish but not how to talk about what happened yesterday? Do you know the alef-beys, but not have enough vocabulary to tell a story? Would you like to study Yiddish every week with an enthusiastic teacher who showers you with positive feedback no matter how many mistakes you make? This advanced beginner Yiddish class might just be right for you.
Early Intermediate, Virtual
Tuesdays, 5:30 - 7:00 pm, beginning October 10. There will be no class on October 31st.
Instructor: Jonah Sidman
Level: For students who have taken Advanced Beginner Yiddish at the Boston Workers Circle, or have equivalent knowledge and experience: that is, ability to speak, read, and write sentences communicating simple information about the past, present, and future, and some familiarity with using a dictionary to aid in translation.
Materials: Students who do not already have a copy should purchase Colloquial Yiddish by Lily Kahn at The Yiddish Book Center or Routledge Textbooks or at other on-line sites.
The teacher will supply supplemental readings.
This class will use Colloquial Yiddish, starting with chapter 11, and will incorporate exercises, songs, and additional short readings to further our study of grammar, conversation, and culture.
Continuing Intermediate, Virtual
Mondays, 5:00 - 6:30 pm, beginning October 16. There will be no class October 23.
Instructor: Abby Howell
Level: This class is suitable for continuing intermediate students who are familiar with the grammar of the Yiddish language but are still putting together the pieces, and for anyone who wants to study Yiddish literature in a supportive environment where they know they won't get lost. Maybe you've already tried reading books in Yiddish, or maybe you've only recently graduated from your first textbook, and are excited (and a little bit nervous) to dig into some real Yiddish literature with a seasoned guide.
Materials: Text: Fun Lublin Biz Nyu York. Students can find this text online for free at The Yiddish Book Center.
In this class, we'll read Kadya Molodowsky's 1942 novel Fun Lublin Biz Nyu York. It's written as a diary of a young woman who immigrates to New York under troubling circumstances. We'll read the text of the book together in class, looking up unfamiliar words as we go, discussing the text in Yiddish and/or English to make sure everyone is following along, and along the way, indulge in lengthy tangents about whatever else comes up.
Advanced, Virtual
Wednesdays, 8:00 - 9:30 pm beginning October 11. There will be no class Thanksgiving week.
Instructor: Hinde Ena Burstin
Level:The class is suited to advanced readers and speakers of Yiddish, including students in previous BWC advanced classes. Students who want to listen rather than read are welcome to join the class. We will discuss Dropkin’s work in Yiddish, in a supportive environment that encourages each person to speak Yiddish freely and fearlessly to the best of their ability.
Materials: This class will read and discuss the stories of Celia Dropkin's 1959 book, In Heysn Vint, which can be found online for free at The Yiddish Book Center.
Celia Dropkin (1887-1956) is a dynamic writer whose work is exciting, intense and confronting. Best known for her fierce and intimate poetry, Dropkin brings the same bold, unflinching voice to her short stories. Dropkin’s stories take the reader deep under the skins of sharply drawn characters, casting a critical gaze on the settings and social circumstances that they encounter. In this course, we will read a selection of Dropkin’s short stories in the original Yiddish, and will discuss the themes, characters, contexts and stylistics of these works.
די נאָ וואַ טאָ רישע שרײַ בערין ציליע דראָ ּפקין (1887-1956) האָ ט אַ רײַ נגעֿפירט ֿפרישע טעמעס און סטיליסטיק אין דער ייִדישער ליטעראָ טור. די דרײַ סטע, אינטימע שטימע ֿפאַ ר וועלכער איר ּפאָ עזיע איז אַ זויבאַ קאַ נט, געֿפינט זיך אויך אין דראָ ּפקינס דינאַ מישע דערציילונגען. דערצו באַ געגנט מען אין דראָ ּפקינס דערציילונגען איר שאַ רֿפן בליק אויף דעם אַ רום, ווי אויך איר ֿפעיִקייט קריטיש און קרעֿפטיק צו באַ האַ נדלען וויכטיקע סאָ ציאַ ל ענינים.
מיר וועלן צוזאַ מען לייענען אויף אַ קול אַ ן אָ ּפקלײַ ב ֿפון דראָ ּפקינס דערציילונגען, און וועלן אַ רומשמועסן די טעמעס, כאַ ראַ קטערן, סיטואַ ציעס, סטיליסטיק און קאָ נטעקסטן ֿפון די דערציילונגען.
Tuition for All Classes
| $195 | $270 |
Special Rates (Young Adult or Low Income):
| $140 | $195 |
No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Please contact sandy@circleboston.org, if you need financial assistance with tuition or book purchases for the class.