Yiddish classes to resume this coming spring

Students may not expect to study up on devil folklore and sexuality for a Yiddish course, but new university language instructor Agi Legutko is determined to revive the traditional Ashkenazi Jewish language on the campus in a new way.

Just two years ago, many thought regular Yiddish instruction would die off at this university after the Meyerhoff Center for Jewish Studies lost funding last year for its sole Yiddish instructor, Miriam Isaacs, who retired last year. But after former Meyerhoff Director Hayim Lapin raised the necessary $120,000 to provide another two years of Yiddish courses to students, the center hired Legutko after a national search and will begin offering Yiddish language courses again in the spring.

"We're very excited here that there is going to be a continuation," said Charles Manekin, the center's new director. "Yiddish is far from dead and is making a comeback."

Although the center, which operates largely through endowment funding, has enough money to support Yiddish until spring 2013, Manekin said officials have not raised any more money since last year, and he hasn't yet made another fundraising push since taking over the center.

"It's not an easy task," Manekin said. "It's the same for all these somewhat specialty cultures. Unless you find people who have themselves a commitment to the field, it's difficult to raise money."

Legutko said her goal is to combat the perception that Yiddish is a dying language by bringing the culture to life in the classroom.

"People thought Yiddish was dying 150 years ago and it's still around," Legutko said. "I see it as a living connection to the past and to heritage, but now is sort of another generation of Yiddish native speakers."

This semester, Legutko launched JWST 429D: Advanced Topics in Jewish Studies: Dybbuks and Spirit Possession in Jewish Literature, a course that explores devil folklore in Jewish studies and a seminal Yiddish play called Dybbuks. Legutko said she is planning a conference for next Halloween that would include bringing a Yiddish theater troupe to the campus to perform the play.

Next semester, Legutko will teach the first JWST 409M: Gender, Sexuality, and the Body in Modern Yiddish Literature course, which she said may challenge students' perceptions of Yiddishite women.

"I don't think [JWST 409M] is a standard or traditional approach to Yiddish literature, so I'm especially excited about it," she said. "Usually women authors are pushed a little bit to the margins."

Manekin said he hopes to eventually secure enough funding to add other specialized Jewish studies topics to the program, such as the history of Jews in Russia and in Arab countries.

Students with roots in Yiddish language and culture said they were grateful the center revived these opportunities to learn about their heritage.

"All of my grandparents speak Yiddish so I feel like it's an important part of my history and a way for me to connect with my past," said sophomore studio art major Jennifer Rothschild.

And several students said they thought the university should continue to invest in specialized courses.

"I think it's OK to teach more specialized classes that might only be interesting or applicable to a small group of students," sophomore journalism major Jason Benscher said.

lurye@umdbk.com