SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — The Yiddish Arts and Academics Association of North America (YAAANA) is opening registration for its “Not Your Usual Intensive Winter Yiddish Language and Culture Program.” The first Yiddish winter intensive program in the San Diego area, it will run from December 6-20, 2020 virtually over Zoom. The winter intensive will include language and conversation (shmues) courses, as well as a cultural program, including Yiddish yoga, four different song workshops, and a special event by San Diego’s favorite klezmer musician, Yale Strom. YAAANA hoped to host this program in person, but in keeping with safety guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it moved the programming online. The organization expects that the virtual element to its winter intensive will make it possible for those from all around the world to take advantage of its offerings this winter. The teachers live both locally, in San Diego, and abroad, with instructors Zooming in from such cities as New York, Berlin, England, and Toronto.
The language courses will welcome students for four levels: beginner 1, beginner 2, intermediate, and advanced. The Beginner 1 Yiddish courses are for those who do not yet know the Yiddish alphabet (alef beys), while the Beginner 2 courses are for those who already have a working knowledge of the alphabet. The language classes will meet Monday-Thursday for the duration of the two-week program, and the cultural program will meet on Fridays and Sundays.
The program kicks off with a Yiddish children’s book reading by author, Yale Strom, on Sunday, December 6 at 11 a.m. PST. Strom, one of the world’s leading ethnographer-artists of klezmer and Roma music and history, will read attendees the world premiere of his new children’s book, Shloyml Boyml and His Lucky Dreydl. Other highlights of the cultural program include a timely Chanukah songs workshop taught by internationally renowned Yiddish performing and recording artist Elizabeth Schwartz on Friday, December 11 at 11 a.m. PST, and a Yiddish yoga course, taught by Tanya Yakovleva on Sunday, December 20 at 10 a.m. PST. All events in the cultural program will include translations for those who are interested in Yiddish culture, but have yet to learn the Yiddish language.
YAAANA is offering flexible pricing for its first winter intensive program. Most of the Yiddish language levels are $250 for the all-inclusive package (language course, conversation, and cultural programming) and $200 for just the language and conversation courses. The organization is also offering student discounts to those with a valid university ID. The song workshop package is $60 for all four song workshops and $18 per workshop. Yiddish Yoga and Yale Strom’s book reading are $10 each. For more information on registration and course descriptions, visit this link.
Year-round, YAAANA offers various other events, such as language courses, children’s programming, and cultural showcases. On Sunday, November 22 at 11 a.m. PST, YAAANA will hold its South African Yiddish Culture Showcase, detailing the journey of Yiddish-speaking Jews to South Africa and their way of life there. Visit this link for registration to this event. The organization also offers Yiddish-English and English-Yiddish translation services. YAAANA’s mission is to promote Yiddish language and culture through academic and artistic events. Jana Mazurkiewicz Meisarosh launched YAAANA in San Diego in 2017, noticing the lack of a major Yiddish organization in the San Diego area. Since then, YAAANA has spread Yiddishkeit through its various programming in San Diego and beyond. For more information about YAAANA, visit its website.
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Preceding provided by the Yiddish Academic and Arts Association of North America (YAAANA).