Uriel Weinreich Summer Program Testimonial: Olena Holoida, '23

A World Worth Discovering

by Olena Holoida, Summer Program ‘23

Coming from the Ukrainian city of Lviv, with its rich Jewish heritage, I have always felt a deep connection to Jewish culture. My journey began in 2018 when I embarked on the Jewish Studies program in Lviv, where my fascination with Yiddish language and culture took root. This initial spark led me to create the Yiddish Vinkl project.

Interested in immersing myself in the history and culture of East European Jewry, I applied for a six-week intensive program. I could not expect that I would discover so many new things in such a short time! I developed skills and proficiency in Yiddish during Literature, Grammar, and Shmues classes in a very interactive way. We frequently explored various aspects of a single topic, such as vocabulary, grammar, idioms, the author's background, and regional history, and conversed in Yiddish. It was definitely more helpful than learning everything separately.

The literature classes that stood out to me were the ones taught by Karolina Szymaniak. She made an excellent selection of works on Yiddish Literature from the late 19th century until the early 21st century. One work that particularly impressed me was Sholem Asch's Iber der Grenets (Crossing the Border), a powerful and timeless story about refugees and their hardships that feels relevant not only to problems of that time but modern ones as well. It's a moving work of Yiddish literature that resonates with readers today.

Now I have more skills and knowledge for researching works, studying biographies, and promoting Jewish cultural heritage through my projects, innovating for the further development of Yiddish. This program also provided a massive dose of inspiration and energy. It strengthened my connection with Yiddish and immersed me even more in the world to which Yiddish is the key—a world worth discovering!

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