Ben Gurion University in Beersheba is enriching its Yiddish curriculum with two new courses established with the assistance of Harry and Hanna Singer of New York. The courses, to be offered within the framework of the humanities and social sciences are the writings of Sholom Aleichem and the “shtetl” as mirrored in Yiddish literature. Both will be taught by Anna Driesner who came to Israel from Poland 14 years ago. She presently teaches Yiddish at Ben Gurion University.
In announcing the courses, Ben Gurion University. President Yosef Tekoah noted that the university in far removed from Yiddish-speaking enclaves in Israel and that over one-third of its student body consists of Oriental Jews. Nevertheless, he said it has embarked on a program to preserve and perpetuate Yiddish culture.
According to Tekoah, who is a former Israeli Ambassador to the UN the Yiddish program is aimed at increasing mutual understanding and respect between the Oriental and Western Jewish communities in Israel. He said the Yiddish courses have proven surprisingly popular with Ben Gurion University students.
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