Major in Yiddish Studies
The program is designed as a combination of language and content courses. First- and second-year Yiddish language courses emphasize spoken and written communication, and provide a basic introduction to Eastern European Jewish culture. Goals include mastery of the structure of the language and enough cultural understanding to interact comfortably with native speakers.
After second-year Yiddish language courses are completed, students should feel sufficiently comfortable to begin to work with Yiddish literature in the original. Upper-level undergraduate/graduate courses are designed to accommodate students with a range of Yiddish language experience, and intensive language summer study abroad, such as the Naomi Prawer Kadar International Yiddish Summer Program (the Yiddish Studies program at Columbia offers the fully-subsidized Naomi Fellowship for students of Yiddish), or other academic summer programs, is also encouraged for improvement in language acquisition and comprehension.
The goal is to provide students with reasonable proficiency in reading a variety of literary, philosophical, and historical texts in the original and, through this training, to provide them with a critical understanding of Yiddish-speaking culture and society.
The second pillar of the Yiddish program is an intimate exposure to the literature and culture of the Yiddish-speaking Jewry. That exposure is achieved through several courses in Yiddish literature, which, although they may cover a variety of subjects or proceed from a number of methodological and disciplinary orientations, share a rigorous commitment to analyzing and experiencing that literature within an overarching historical and cultural framework.
These courses in Yiddish literature, culture and Jewish history will provide students with a solid interdisciplinary foundation in Yiddish studies. Inevitably and necessary, these courses, whether taught in Yiddish, English, or in a combination of the Yiddish text and English language instruction – cover the sweep of Yiddish literary history from the early modern period to today.
Students should plan their program of study with the director of undergraduate studies as early as possible. There is a prerequisite of two years of Yiddish, or equivalent to be demonstrated through testing.
The Major in Yiddish Studies requires a minimum of 30 points, distributed as follows:
- Two courses of advanced language study (6 points); YIDD UN2102, YIDD UN3101
- Three courses in Yiddish literature (9 points); e.g. YIDD UN3500, YIDD GU4420
- At least one course related to a senior thesis (3 points);
- Four related courses, at least one of which is in medieval or modern Jewish history (12 points); e.g. HIST UN4604, YIDD GU4113.
A senior thesis is required for the Major in Yiddish Studies. Students interested in a senior thesis or research project may do so through independent study with a faculty member over one or two semesters. Students must conduct original research, some of which must take place in the Yiddish language, and are required to submit a culminating paper, of no less that 35 pages.
Elective courses: Elective courses can be taken at Columbia as well as at affiliated institutions such as the Jewish Theological Seminary, Barnard College, New York University, etc. Columbia’s arrangements with the joint degree appointing program at JTS, i.e. JTS and GS Joint program with List College, offers students exposure to a wide variety of courses on Yiddish and Yiddish-related topics taught by experts in the field of Yiddish and comparative Jewish literature such.
Thanks to the consortial arrangements with other universities in the New York area (Barnard, NYU, Yale, Penn, etc.) students both in Columbia College and General Studies, can take courses at these institutions for degree credit, which allows for student exposure to experts in twentieth-century Soviet Yiddish literature, Yiddish women’s writing, Yiddish literature in Israel, and much more. These arrangements allow students to have, if they so choose, an even broader intellectual experience than the already broad interdisciplinary opportunities available to them via the courses offered by the faculty on the Interdisciplinary Committee on Yiddish at Columbia.
Language courses need to be taken at Columbia.
Honors options: Departmental Honors in Yiddish Studies can be granted to a total of 10% of the students graduating with the Major in Yiddish Studies in a given year across both Columbia College and General Studies.
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Minor in Yiddish Studies
The Yiddish Studies Program now offers three separate tracks for Minor in Yiddish Studies: Minor in Yiddish Language, Minor in Yiddish Language and Literature, and a Minor in Yiddish Culture. The Minor in Yiddish Studies is designed as a combination of five courses, the minimum of 15 points, and offers students an introduction to Yiddish studies, stopping short of the advanced work required for the Yiddish major.
Minor in Yiddish: five courses, minimum of 15 points.
See below for detailed requirements.
- Minor in Yiddish Language: five language courses from Elementary to Advanced.
- Minor in Yiddish Language and Literature: a combination of languages and content courses (2 courses at Elementary or Intermediate level, 2 literature courses and 1 content course, OR 1 course at Advanced level, 2 literature courses and 2 content courses).
- Minor in Yiddish Culture: five content courses: 3 literature courses and 2 content courses.
The Minor in Yiddish, which exemplifies Columbia’s interest in global and transnational study, allows students to attain a multifaceted introduction to the topic through interdisciplinary study that incorporates language learning and/or literature exploration situated within an overarching historical and cultural context. The Yiddish minor serves as a complement to the existing Yiddish major by providing students with an opportunity to gain a solid interdisciplinary foundation in Yiddish studies: linguistic skills that are indispensable to deeper exploration of the field, analytical thinking, and critical understanding of Yiddish-speaking culture and society—all to equip students to further their scholarship in Yiddish studies in and beyond their undergraduate education.
Requirements
Minor in Yiddish Language:
Requirement: Five Language Courses
YIDD 1101 UN Elementary Yiddish I 4 points
YIDD 1102 UN Elementary Yiddish II 4 points
This year-long course offers an introduction to the language that has been spoken by the Ashkenazi Jews for more than a millennium, and an opportunity to discover a fabulous world of Yiddish literature, language and culture in a fun way. Using games, new media, and music, we will learn how to speak, read, listen and write in a language that is considered one of the richest languages in the world (in some aspects of vocabulary). We will also venture outside the classroom to explore the Yiddish world today: through field trips to Yiddish theater, Yiddish-speaking neighborhoods, Yiddish organizations, such as YIVO or Yiddish farm, and so on. We will also have Yiddish-speaking guests and do a few digital projects. At the end of the two-semester course, you will be able to converse in Yiddish on a variety of everyday topics and read most Yiddish literary and non-literary texts. Welcome to Yiddishland!
YIDD 2101 UN Intermediate Yiddish I 4 points
YIDD 2102 UN Intermediate Yiddish II 4 points
Prerequisites: YIDD UN1101-UN1102 or the instructor's permission.
Prerequisites: YIDD UN1101-UN1102 or the instructor's permission.
This year-long course is a continuation of Elementary Yiddish II. As part of the New Media in Jewish Studies Collaborative, this class will be using new media in order to explore and research the fabulous world of Yiddish literature, language, and culture, and to engage in project-oriented activities that will result in creating lasting multi-media online presentations. In addition to expanding the command of the language that has been spoken by the Ashkenazi Jews for more than a millennium, i.e. focusing on developing speaking, reading, writing and listening skills, and on the acquisition of more advanced grammatical concepts, students will also get some video and film editing training, and tutorials on archival research. The class will continue to read works of Yiddish literature in the original and will venture outside of the classroom to explore the Yiddish world today: through exciting field trips to Yiddish theater, Yiddish-speaking neighborhoods, YIVO, Yiddish Farm, and so on. And we will also have the Yiddish native-speaker guest series. Welcome back to Yiddishland!
YIDD 3101 UN Advanced Yiddish 3 points
This course focuses predominantly on developing reading comprehension skills, as well as on listening, writing, speaking, and some more advanced grammar. It explores literary and scholarly texts examining the modern Jewish experience in the context of the twentieth-century history and culture of the Ashkenazi Jews. Supplementary texts will be selected based on students’ interests and may include historical pedagogical materials, past and present newspaper articles, polemic, poetry, historical and scholarly articles. We will also venture outside the classroom to explore the Yiddish world today: through field trips to Yiddish theater, Yiddish-speaking neighborhoods, Yiddish organizations, such as YIVO, and so on. We will apply our reading and translating skills to contribute to the Mapping Yiddish New York online project, and will also have Yiddish-speaking guests. At the end of the semester, you will be able to converse in Yiddish on a variety of everyday topics and read authentic Yiddish literary and non-literary texts. Welcome back to Yiddishland!
Please note: Study abroad courses (such as the Naomi Fellowship run by Yiddish Studies Program) can count towards the minor fulfilment as wel.
Minor in Yiddish Language and Literature:
Requirement: Combination of language and content courses, at least 15 points.
2 language courses at Elementary and/or Intermediate levels (listed above), and 3 elective content courses (listed below), at least two of which are literature courses.
OR
- 1 language course at Advanced level (listed above) and 4 elective content courses (listed below), at least two of which are literature courses.
Minor in Yiddish Culture
Requirement: Five elective content courses; including at least three literature courses, at least 15 points.
The courses in Yiddish literature, culture and Jewish history, whether taught in Yiddish, English, or a combination of the English and Yiddish texts and English language instruction will expose students to modern global Yiddish/Jewish cultures from a number of methodological and disciplinary perspectives.
Recommended* elective content courses for:
Minor in Yiddish Language and Literature and Minor in Yiddish Culture
- YIDD UN3500: Survey of Yiddish Literature
- CLYD UN3500: Readings in Yiddish Literature
- YIDD GU4420: Gender & Sexuality in Yiddish Literature
- CLYD UN4200 : American Jewish Literature: Survey
- CLYD GU4250: Memory and Trauma in Yiddish Literature
- YIDD UN3520: Magic & Monsters in Yiddish Literature
- HIST UN3657: Medieval Jewish Cultures
- HIST UN3644: Modern Jewish Intellectual History
- HIST UN3630: American Jewish History
- HIST UN4604: Jews and the City
*The above list is recommended and not required since there are only two full-time Yiddish faculty members at the Department of Germanic Languages, and the courses are offered in rotation. This option also allows students to choose courses aligned with their interests and research needs. All the literature courses are taught by the Yiddish faculty at the Department of Germanic Languages, other courses are taught by faculty in History, Slavic, and Religion Departments.
The Yiddish minor requirement can be fulfilled by choosing from the list of approved courses (listed here and on the departmental website) in consultation with a Yiddish Advisor – either Jeremy Dauber, Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS), Agi Legutko, the Director of the Yiddish Language Program (DLP), preferably during the first two years of undergraduate studies. All courses have to be approved in advance by the Yiddish Advisor, who will make sure student minor design (particularly in case of Minor in Yiddish Language and Literature and Minor in Yiddish Culture) offers a solid foundation in Yiddish language, literature, and culture.
The Yiddish Advisor is in contact with the faculty outside of the Germanic Languages Department in order to consult, collaborate, and monitor the student progress towards the minor, the same model being applied in regard to the Yiddish Major. Many of the Columbia faculty teaching Jewish studies content courses are also affiliated with the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies, which provides students and other departments with information about Jewish/Yiddish studies courses offered across the university on a regular basis.
List of all elective content courses for the Yiddish Minor available on the Columbia College Bulletin.
Concentration in Yiddish Studies
Concentrations are available to students who entered Columbia in or before the 2023-2024 academic year. The requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree, and the role of the concentration in those requirements, can be found in the Academic Requirements section of the Bulletin dated the academic year when the student matriculated at Columbia and the Bulletin dated the academic year when the student was a sophomore and declared programs of study.
Concentrations are not available to students who entered Columbia in or after Fall 2024.
The concentration in Yiddish studies requires a minimum of 21 points, distributed as follows:
- Two courses of advanced language study (6 points); YIDD UN3101, YIDD UN2102
- Two courses in Yiddish literature (6 points); e.g. YIDD UN3500, YIDD GU4420
- Three related courses, at least one of which is in medieval or modern Jewish history (9 points); e.g. HIST UN4604, YIDD GU4113.
Director of Undergraduate and Graduate Yiddish Studies
Professor Jeremy Dauber
Email: [email protected]
Director of the Yiddish Language Program
Dr. Agnieszka Legutko
Email: [email protected]