YIDDISH

Yiddish Language and Literature Courses

Fall 2009

Elementary Yiddish for Beginners I, II, III.
YDDH 20300-20400-20500. JWSC 20300-20400-20500, LGLN 27200-27300-27400
The goal of this sequence is to develop proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking for use in
everyday communication. These courses introduce the main features of Yiddish culture through websites, songs, films and folklore.
Jan Schwarz, Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Jewish American Literature, Post-1945.
YDDH 27800/37800, CMLT 29800/39800, ENGL 25004/45002, GRMN 27800/37800
The goal of this course is to expand the conception of the field of Jewish American literature from English-only to English-plus. We examine how Yiddish literary models and styles influenced the resurgence of Jewish American literature since 1945, and we discuss how recent Jewish American novels have renewed the engagement with the Yiddish literary tradition. Readings are by I. B. Singer, Chaim Grade, Saul Bellow, Cynthia Ozick, Philip Roth, Bernard Malamud, Grace Paley, Jonathan Safran Foer, Art Spiegelman, and Michael Chabon.
Jan Schwarz, Winter 2010.

For information on the department's Yiddish language program, please see the section on Yiddish Language and Culture or contact the senior instructor for Yiddish, Jan Schwarz (schwarzj@uchicago.edu).