Uriel Weinreich Summer Program Testimonial: Yael Horowitz, ‘23

A Pivotal Moment in My Yiddish Life

by Yael Horowitz, Summer Program ‘23

In 2018, I made a commitment to myself that I would do deep learning of Yiddish. I wanted to learn Yiddish to ground my art practice, my connection to heritage and history, and as an entry way into Yiddishkayt. I was able to do all of these things this summer at the YIVO-Bard Summer Program.

Each day this summer, I came into YIVO in person to learn with extremely knowledgeable teachers and dedicated classmates. Every day I felt like my brain was melting out of my ears in the best possible sense. From week to week and even day to day, I noticed changes and advancements in my Yiddish. The classes all built off of each other seamlessly and I was able to put into practice, immediately, in afternoon classes the things that I had learned that morning – the power of immersion!

My class gelled into a unit. With our instructors, we co-created a supportive and enjoyable learning environment. I looked forward to being in the classroom with my classmates every day. I have never laughed so much in a classroom while simultaneously learning so much. Our instructors were instrumental in creating a space of questions and exploration, they adapted each day’s lessons based on the needs of our class, they managed to create classrooms that were both rigorous and flexible. It felt like we were doing more than just rote language learning—we were learning culture, history, and Yiddish ways of being.

Learning a new language is a profoundly humbling experience. In order to learn you have to actively make mistakes and fumble; doing so at YIVO felt safe and encouraged. The care that the instructors, the students, and the YIVO staff has for Yiddish learning is palpable. Leaving this summer, I feel extremely motivated to continue learning Yiddish and to put it to use as I begin a Ph.D. program in performance studies this fall. This summer felt like a pivotal moment in my Yiddish life.

Learn more about the Uriel Weinreich Summer Program in Yiddish Language, Literature, and Culture.