REGISTRATION FOR THE WINTER 2026 SEMESTER IS NOW OPEN!
Visit our FAQ (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS) page for more information about our classes and policies, or send us an email at yiddish@ujafed.org
Cancellation Policy: CFY will offer students a full refund for withdrawal by the end of the second week of the course (i.e. before the third class of the course). No refunds are available after the second week of classes. Refunds will be processed approximately one month after the course begins.
Classes are subject to enrollment. Course fees are in Canadian funds.
Learn, refresh, and improve your speaking, reading, and writing language skills with experienced instructors in a fun and stimulating learning environment.
Mondays on Zoom, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm ET | January 12 – March 23, 2026 (no class March 2)
10 classes | Cost: $200 CAD
Instructor: Ruth Gerlock
This introductory level course is suitable for those with no prior or minimal Yiddish language knowledge. Students will be introduced to the alef-beys, basics of Yiddish conversation, grammar, reading, and writing in an engaging class supplemented by songs and activities.
Wednesdays on Zoom, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm ET | January 14 – March 18, 2026
10 classes | Cost: $200 CAD
Instructor: Ruth Gerlock
This high-beginner level course is suitable for those who have taken at least one or two semesters of beginner-level Yiddish courses, or equivalent prior experience. Students will continue to develop their basic conversational skills, grammar understanding, and facility with the alef-beys through a variety of engaging themes.
Sundays on Zoom, 10:00 am – 11:30 am ET | January 11 – March 22, 2026 (no class Feb. 15)
10 classes | Cost: $200 CAD
Instructor: Ruth Gerlock
This course is suitable for those who have studied Yiddish for one to two years or have equivalent experience. Students must be able to read alef-beys at least at a basic level. Students will continue to develop their intermediate-level speaking and reading comprehension skills through reading and discussing selections of Yiddish poetry and short stories, review of grammar with points drawn from the texts, and relevant vocabulary and conversational activities.
Wednesdays on Zoom, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm ET | January 14 – March 18, 2026
10 classes | Cost: $200 CAD
Instructor: Sharon Power
This course, conducted primarily in Yiddish, is designed for students who have previously studied Yiddish at the Intermediate level and are ready to apply and further develop their reading and speaking skills in a literature-focused course. Students will read and discuss an engaging selection of short to medium-length Yiddish texts (poetry, newspaper articles, short stories). Cultural and linguistic points of interest will be highlighted as we analyse the texts. For the Winter 2026 semester, we’ll be reading selections of poetry written in the 1920s and 1930s by the New York modernist poets known as the Inzikhistn/”Introspectivists,” including Jacob Glatstein, Aaron Glantz-Leyeles, Celia Dropkin, and more.
Sundays on Zoom, 10:00 am – 11:30 am ET | January 11 – March 22, 2026 (no class Feb. 15)
10 classes | Cost: $200 CAD
Instructor: Sharon Power
This course, conducted entirely in Yiddish, will focus on advanced reading, writing, vocabulary, grammar, and conversation. We will read short stories and other Yiddish literary materials and use the texts as jumping-off points to explore higher-level grammatical topics and discuss historical, cultural, and linguistic points of interest. For the Winter 2026 semester, we’ll be reading works by South African Yiddish writers.
Third Tuesday of each month on Zoom, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm ET, resuming January 20, 2026. The Leyenkrayz meets monthly year-round.
Cost: $30 annual fee
Participants will read and discuss the collection of short stories in Yiddish from the book A SHTUB MIT ZIBN FENTSTER by Kadya Molodowsky. Materials will be provided in PDF form. The Leyenkrayz is facilitated by Ana Kuper Berman.
Please note: If you registered for this program in September 2025, you do not have to register again until next September, Fall 2026.
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