History of Yiddish Civilization, and History of Yiddish Culture, in English at U.C. Berkeley
Yiddish 104, History of Yiddish Civilization (in English), MWF, 9 – 10am, with Noa Tsaushu. Offered Fall 2024.
This course will trace the development of Yiddish civilization down to today from the first settlement of Jews in German lands, roughly a thousand years ago. At its peak, Yiddish was spoken over a larger European territory than any language except Russian. In fact, long before Yiddish culture came to be centered in Eastern Europe, many of the best works of Old Yiddish literature were written in Renaissance Italy. Because Jews were a highly mobile population in contact with many different peoples, Yiddish was everywhere influenced by neighboring languages and became the prototypical fusion language.
Yiddish 103, History of Yiddish Culture (in English), Tu & Thurs, 12:30 – 2pm, with Miriam Borden.
This course will trace the development of Yiddish culture from the first settlement of Jews in German lands through centuries of life in Eastern Europe, down to the main cultural centers today in Israel and America. The course will examine how changes in Jewish life have found expression in the Yiddish language. It will provide an introduction to Yiddish literature in English translation, supplemented by excursions into Yiddish music, folklore, theater, and film.
- Listing ID: 6678
- Contact: 510-642-7445