Course information
Contact
YIDDISH ALEF-BASICS: A YIDDISH COURSE FOR TOTAL BEGINNERS (ONLINE)
“Yiddish Alef-Basics” is a Yiddish Beginners Course aimed at those with no prior Hebrew alphabet experience. We start with vowels and add on consonants each week. By the end of the first class, the participants will be able to read a number of words and phrases. Each week will build upon the previous week’s material, to begin building one’s Yiddish vocabulary.
This class aims to teach literacy – the ability to read Yiddish in Yiddish. There will be some elements of grammar and style – but nothing past a basic/beginner level. Along with “doing the work” of literacy, we will also learn through culture, idioms, jokes, curses, and of course, songs. Be prepared for a lot of Simpsons humor. This is a one-hundred percent no judgment, no attitude, no shaming classroom.
Paideia Folkhögskola also offers the online courses Yiddish 4, Yiddish 8, Yiddish Conversation, and and Avrom Sutskever – Yiddish Poetry as well as the on-site course Upplev och skapa jiddischteater in Stockholm during the fall semester of 2026. Please see more information on each course’s webpage.
The course is given in collaboration with Jiddischsällskapet i Stockholm, Paideia – The European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden, and Yiddish Summer Weimar.
Course Structure
We will learn through lecture, and active participation. Each participant will be getting a chance to interact with the material. Everything will be shared through Google Slides. We start each class with a review.
Participants are expected to review the previous week’s material on their own at home before each class session.
Prior Knowledge
The course is given in English.
No prior knowledge required. This class is specifically for those starting from beginners.
To apply for this course, you need basic computer skills and knowledge of how to use the digital platform Zoom.
Course Material
Course material is included in the cost for this course.
About the Teacher
Avi Fried has been teaching Yiddish since 2019, with a focus on welcoming beginners to the language. His classes are known for their go-light, go-easy approach and a very Simpsons-style sense of humor. He teaches using games, collaboration, and creative word play, so that the learning should be slow, sweet, and digestible. He recently graduated from Lund University with a focus on Yiddish. Avi lives in Chicago, United States with his wife Barrie and a nice, old dog Miette. He likes cycling, punk rock, and any kind of noodle.