THE EARLY SUTZKEVER: AVROM SUTZKEVER’S POETRY BEFORE WWII (ONLINE)

In this course, we will be reading and discussing Avrom Sutzkever’s early poetry — from his beginnings as a young poet up to the war years. The material will consist of shorter poems—not his longer works.

This course enables participants to discover one of the greatest Yiddish poets at their own pace and in the poet’s original language. The course will also provide an opportunity to improve active speaking skills.

The course is given in collaboration with Paideia – the European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden and Jiddischsällskapet i Stockholm.

Paideia Folkhögskola also offers the online courses Yiddish 4, Yiddish 8, Yiddish Alef-Basics and Yiddish Conversation 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.

Course Structure

Participants should read the material for each lesson in advance, mostly one poem per lesson. Sometimes there will be an optional writing assignment.

During class, the teacher will focus on the language, the poetic content, the imagery, as well as the cultural, idiomatic, and historical references and allusions. All discussions will be conducted entirely in Yiddish.

Prior Knowledge 

The course will be taught entirely in Yiddish. Participants are expected to have an advanced level of Yiddish, but not necessarily prior experience reading poetry or Sutzkever. Describe your prior knowledge in your application.

Those who participated in the course during the spring semester are welcome to join again, as the corpus will be different.

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 

Dr. Miriam Trinh was born in Poland, grew up in Germany, and has lived in Israel since 1995. She holds a PhD from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and her main field of research and teaching is the Yiddish language and modern Yiddish literature, especially poetry with a focus on the Holocaust period. She currently teaches at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem but has also taught over the years in various countries and institutions, including in recent years at Paideia’s Intensive Yiddish Summer School.

מרים טרין איז געבוירן אין פּוילן, אויפֿגעוואַקסן אין דײַטשלאַנד און לעבט אין ישׂראל. זי לערנט די ייִדישע שפּראַך און ליטעראַטור שוין איבער 25 יאָר אין פֿאַרשיידענע לענדער און ראַמען, און באַזונדערש אויף די אינטערנאַציאָנאַלע ייִדיש־זומערקורסן צווישן אַנדערע אין ייִוואָ (ניו־יאָרק) און תּל־אָבֿיבֿער אוניווערסיטעט. אין די לעצטע 3 יאָר האָט זי אויכעט געלערנט אויף די אינטענסיווע זומערקורסן אין פּאַידעיע, שטאָקהאָלם. איר דאָקטאָראַט האָט זי געשריבן וועגן פּאָעטישע טעקסטן פֿון די געטאָס און לאַגערן און בכלל ספּעציאַליזירט זי זיך אין מאָדערנער ייִדישער ליטעראַטור און חורבן־פּאָעזיע.

Photo: Avrom Sutzkever, by Haïm Urison (1905 – 1943).

Welcome to the Intensive Yiddish Summer Program in Stockholm!

This is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Yiddish over four intensive days of study, led by experienced and passionate teachers.

Dates: August 17–20, 2026
Daily Schedule: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM (including lunch breaks)
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Languages of Instruction: English and Yiddish
Program Cost: 1100 SEK (includes smorgasbord lunch, study materials, and coffee)
Note: Travel and accommodation are not included.
Organizers: Paideia Folkhögskola, Paideia – The European Institute for Jewish Studies and Jiddischsällskapet i Stockholm. 

Course Levels Available:

Participants may apply to one of the following three levels. Please read the descriptions carefully to determine which best fits your experience.

1. Yiddish – Beginners Level 

Teacher: Katka Mazurczak

Course Description

This intensive beginners’ course is designed for those who want to use Yiddish in everyday situations and who know the alef-beis and have a basic knowledge of the language. If needed, reading practice comic will be sent in advance. Prior to the start of the course you can also practise reading the alef-beis using the provided material. 

Rather than following a traditional textbook approach, the lessons will focus on using the language and practical, everyday expressions to help you communicate and describe your surroundings. It is perfect for those who want to refresh and strengthen their skills.

The aim is to make you more confident and fluent, and to teach you some basic grammar rules using a communicative approach.

Materials

All course materials will be provided.

Prerequisites

•  Knowledge in the Hebrew alphabet.
• Basic knowledge of the language

2. 
   

   Yiddish – Intermediate Level
   

   Teacher: Oren Cohen Roman

Course Description

This course builds on basic knowledge of Yiddish grammar, particularly the verb tenses (past, present, and future), the three cases (nominative, accusative, and dative), and sentence structure. Over four days of intensive study, you will read simple texts in Yiddish, develop listening and speaking skills, write your own texts, and deepen your understanding of Yiddish grammar.

Among the texts, you will encounter famous writers and poets, such as Sholem Aleykhem, Kadia Molodowsky, and Yosl Birshteyn. You will also write your own texts, listen to recorded songs, and watch selected videos. Of course, you will also have the opportunity to speak with each other in Yiddish.

Materials

All course materials will be provided.

Prerequisites

• Ability to to read and write Yiddish (i.e., know the Hebrew alphabet)
  
• Familiarity with verb tenses (past, present, and future) as well as the three grammatical cases (nominative, accusative, and dative)

3. Yiddish – Advanced Level
   

   Teacher: Yaad Biran 

Course Description

In this intensive four-day course, we will speak almost exclusively in Yiddish to create our own small Yiddish-speaking environment. Together, we will read selected prose and poetry and hold class discussions to enjoy and better understand Yiddish culture. Through conversation and writing short texts, we will work on expanding our vocabulary and becoming more comfortable expressing ourselves. 

Materials

All course materials will be provided.

Prerequisites

• Fluent understanding and speaking ability in Yiddish. The course is taught almost exclusively in Yiddish.
  
• Reading skills in Yiddish
  
• You are welcome even if your grammar knowledge is limited

Meet the Teachers

Katka Mazurczak

Katka Mazurczak has been an educator of Yiddish culture since 2008. She holds an MA in Hebrew from the University of Warsaw and has a background in radio journalism. She has attended advanced Yiddish summer programmes in Tel Aviv, Vilnius, Warsaw and Stockholm. She worked as a Language Promoter for Yiddish at Isof in 2024.

She currently teaches Yiddish and Hebrew in schools and online. She has completed a one-year Yiddish teacher training course at Lund University. In addition to teaching, Katka translates, proofreads texts and creates subtitles. She would also like to start hosting a regular Yiddish podcast again. In her spare time, she enjoys tending to her city garden pallkrage and going for walks in nature. 

Oren Cohen Roman

Oren Cohen Roman is an associate professor of Yiddish at Lund University in Sweden. He is a cultural historian of Ashkenazi Jews and a scholar of Yiddish literature from its medieval beginnings to the present day. His research interests include literature inspired by the Tanach/Bible, cultural transfer, gender, and the history of reading.

His book Joshua and Judges in Yiddish Verse: Four Early Modern Epics was published in 2022 by De Gruyter. His publications include a study of Yiddish written in Latin letters (Journal of Jewish Languages), a song reporting the martyrdom of two Jewish criminals in 17th-century Moravia (Jewish History, with Daniel Soukup), and the depiction of female musicians in the works of Sholem Aleichem (Massekhet: Women of the Jewish World).

Yaad Biran

Dr. Yaad Biran teaches Yiddish at Paideia (online), Beth Shalom Aleichem in Tel Aviv, Haifa University, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv Summer course. He researches Yiddish literature with a focus on Yiddish in Palestine/Israel.

Beyond his academic work, he is a writer of Hebrew fiction and Yiddish cabaret, as well as a tour guide, leading tours in the footsteps of Yiddish culture in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Photo: The image is of a painting by Jean Hessel.