Yiddish

Last updated: November 11, 2010 at 10:57 a.m.

Faculty

Ellen Kellman
(Near Eastern and Judaic Studies)

Special Notes Relating to Undergraduates

Only students who entered Brandeis prior to the fall of 2011 are eligible to apply for this program. For current requirements for the minor in Yiddish and East European Jewish Culture, please see Near Eastern and Judaic Studies.

Courses of Instruction

Courses of Instruction

YDSH 10a Beginning Yiddish
Meets for four class hours per week.
The first of a four-semester sequence, this course introduces basic Yiddish grammar. Students also develop reading, writing, and conversational skills. Yiddish songs, poetry, and folklore are incorporated throughout. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Kellman

YDSH 20b Continuing Yiddish
Prerequisite: YDSH 10a or permission of the instructor. Meets for four class hours per week.
Continues the study of grammar begun in YDSH 10a. Writing and speaking skills receive more emphasis than in the previous course, and students begin to build vocabulary and reading skills that will enable them to approach more complex texts. The history and culture of Eastern European Jewry are studied through Yiddish songs, films, and literature. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Kellman

YDSH 30a Intermediate Yiddish
[ fl wi ]
Prerequisite: YDSH 20b or permission of the instructor. Meets for four class hours per week.
Third in a four-semester sequence. Students continue to develop reading skills as they sample texts from Yiddish prose fiction, folklore, and memoir literature. Grammatical instruction is more contextualized than in the previous courses. Speaking and writing skills are strongly emphasized. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Kellman

YDSH 40b Advanced Intermediate Yiddish
[ fl hum ]
Prerequisite: YDSH 30a or permission of the instructor. Meets for four class hours per week.
The fourth in a four-semester sequence, this course is a continuation of YDSH 30a. Students discuss assigned texts in Yiddish. Written assignments emphasize the development of fluency and grammatical accuracy. Usually offered every year.
Ms. Kellman