Uriel Weinreich Summer Program Testimonial: Jake Millhouse ‘21

Going from a Sideline Fan of Yiddish to a Lifelong Devotee

by JAKE MILLHOUSE, Summer Program ‘21

Choosing to participate in YIVO's Summer Program was one of the best decisions I have ever made! I had always wanted to invest time into learning Yiddish and this program gave me the opportunity to jump right into the language. The program's core structure is incredibly thorough; it includes a daily grammar class, a daily reading course, and a thrice-weekly conversation class. The electives and workshops span the gamut of interests from Ashkenazi cooking to Yiddish literature, and of course plenty of opportunities to experience Yiddish music!

I can't express enough that as a beginner, I felt completely embraced by the language and culture through this experience in the Summer Program because of how thorough and well-designed this program is. The pacing was perfect, the content is engaging and challenging, and the teachers are truly interested in sharing their knowledge and passion for Yiddish. Both the teachers' and students' enthusiasm is contagious! This experience has taken me from feeling like a sideline fan of Yiddish into a lifelong devotee, speaker, and learner of the language and culture.

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