Advanced II Yiddish (Thursday)
Tuition: $480 | YIVO members: $375**
Students: $240 (Must register with valid university email address)
This is a live, online course held weekly on Zoom. Enrollment will be capped at about 15 students. All course details (Zoom link, syllabus, handouts, assignments, etc.) will be posted to Canvas. Students will be granted access to the class on Canvas after registering for the class here on the YIVO website. This class will be conducted in Yiddish.
Instructor: Lucas Fiszman
Who should take this course?
This course is appropriate for those who have completed Advanced I Yiddish or equivalent coursework.
What topics will this class cover?
In this course, students will take their Yiddish to the next level as they continue to strengthen their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. We will place special emphasis on oral expression and pronunciation, helping learners gain greater confidence and fluency. Students will also work closely with connectors and explore more complex syntactic structures in depth. Class materials will include excerpts from Yiddish II by Mordkhe Schaechter, Yidish af yidish by David Goldberg, and Mit vort un maysim by Khonen Bordin (all materials provided by the instructor).
A key goal of the course is to enrich students’ command of the loshn-koydesh component, enhancing both comprehension and active use.
Grammar instruction will focus on the nuanced use of konverbn, the full range of functions of zikh, phonological changes in adjectives and verbs, and additional features that arise organically from the readings.
Throughout the term, students will engage with a variety of authentic (or slightly adapted) classic Yiddish texts, along with contemporary selections from the Yiddish press and magazines. They will also choose a set of classic Yiddish readings—distinct from those studied in Advanced I—to accompany their learning journey.
Is knowledge of the Yiddish alphabet required?
Yes, knowledge of the Yiddish alphabet is required.
Course Materials:
All course materials will be provided digitally on Canvas.
Questions? Read our 2026 Spring Classes FAQ.
Lucas Fiszman holds a degree in Linguistics from the Universidad de Buenos Aires, where he has been faculty since 2008. He learned Yiddish at the Fundación IWO, in Tel Aviv’s and Strasbourg’s programs, at YIVO, and at Arbeter Ring. He also teaches Yiddish in Buenos Aires at Fundación IWO, ICUF (YKUF), and in Montevideo (Uruguay).
His research focuses on language contact and history of Yiddish teaching in Buenos Aires. He has presented his work in conferences and symposiums, both in Argentina as well as abroad. His work has been published in local and foreign academic journals, as well as in several edited volumes.
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