Classes for the General Public via "Zoom" Starting Fall 2023:

 

"Intermediate Yiddish."  This class is for students with some ability to read and speak.  Basic reading skills as well as present tense sentences, using subject pronouns and some adjectives, have been covered in a previous class.  The class will (probably!) meet Wednesday evenings, 5:30-7 pm and will run for ten sessions: Oct. 4 - Dec. 13 (skipping Nov. 22). The cost is $150, but as we say, "no one will be turned away for lack of funds!"  This means: I ask for a contribution, but all pay what they can, or they don't pay at all! Contact Yankl through this site or at jnlvtw@stanford.edu.

"Reading Yiddish Literature."  This class is for students with some ability to read Yiddish literature in the original.  Fluency by no means required -- but a basic ability to read is.  Instruction and discussion take place in a mixture of Yiddish and English.  Monday evenings, 7:30-9 pm, ten sessions beginning Oct. 9 and running until Dec. 11.  $300 (but "no one will be turned away...etc.") Contact Yankl via this site or at: jnlvtw@comcast.net.

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If the above classes don't work out for you, there are other possibilities in the area...here are some other useful links for online learning:
 

The Workers’ Circle. These are the smash-hit of the last few years: learn in real time, in visual contact with the best teachers around: https://circle.org/what-we-do/yiddish-language/

“YIVO,” literally, the “Yiddish Scientific Institute” is the premier Yiddish cultural institution in the world, and they offer online classes, too – with only top-level teachers, of course:

https://yivo.org/Classes

“Yiddish Ort – YO!”  A new initiative by the incomparable Niborski family, this time son Eliezer and his wife Miriam.  They organize online classes and programs: https://yo-yiddishort.org/

YAAANA – The Yiddish Arts and Academics Association of North America.  Also relatively new on the scene and located in La Jolla, CA (of all places), they offer classes and other programs as well: https://yiddishlandcalifornia.org/

 

Three good sites for beginners and intermediates:

Video lessons with Kolye Borodulin, a leading Yiddish educator – from the beginning: http://www.yiddishnakhes.com

DuoLingo – an online language learning program, emphasizing speaking (with a “Polish” accent): https://www.duolingo.com

Yiddish Pop –an “immersion” experience with animated characters, aimed at children but fun for anybody: http://www.yiddishpop.com/

KlezCalifornia is also centered in the east bay but with organizes events across the bay area, in particular musical and cultural events with Yiddish content: www.klezcalifornia.org

 

Yiddish classes also appear and disappear at Jewish Community Centers in the area:

    Palo Alto Oshman JCC: paloaltojcc.org

    San Francisco JCC: jccsf.org