Mar 05, 2026
Photographs, 1959. Sholem Aleichem Folk Institute (SAFI), Camp Boiberik (RG 659.1). YIVO.
INTRODUCTION
Ready for some fun af der zun? 2026 is the year of the leyener, and In geveb is proud to gather the programs that allow you to do everything from dusting off your conversational Yiddish to parsing Yiddish texts. Below, you’ll find programming everywhere from New York to Melbourne, and for any length from two-day music festivals for weeks-long intensives. We encourage you to give these programs a look and consider taking time this summer to connect with fellow Yiddish libhobers, whether that be through cultural festivals, intensive language study, or somewhere in between.
Did we miss something? If you would like to suggest an addition or correction to this list, please contact us.
Note: All currency values are subject to change based on fluctuating exchange rates.
BY REGION/TYPE
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United States
YIVO-Bard Uriel Weinreich Summer Program in Yiddish Language, Literature, and Culture (New York, NY or online)
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: Program runs from June 21–July 31, 2026. Course offerings, cost, and application deadlines are not yet posted for summer 2026 and will be forthcoming in the spring.
Description: A six-week intensive program which offers Yiddish language classes and rich instruction in Yiddish culture, history, and literature, this program is offered in both in-person and virtual formats, with the in-person program conducted at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in New York, NY. An offshoot of the Uriel Weinreich Summer Program, YIVO offers the Yiddish Civilization Lecture Series as part of their curriculum, with Tuesday lectures given in English and Thursday lectures given in Yiddish. This lecture series is virtual.
Levels: Language and literature classes range from beginner to advanced.
Housing: Not included in tuition cost. A limited number of dormitory-style rooms are available through NYU for the duration of the six-week program for in-person students. Locally-based students are welcome to commute to YIVO.
Additional Offerings: One-week refresher course offered June 15-218. To learn more, visit this link.
Worker’s Circle Yiddish Classes (online)
Information about summer 2026 courses have yet to be published.
Yiddish Book Center — Steiner Summer Yiddish Program (Amherst, MA)
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: Program runs from May 31–July 17, 2026. There is no tuition fee, but students are responsible for housing and dining costs through residential college (total: $3,200). Opportunity for intermediate students to serve as interns and receive a stipend and housing subsidy. Application deadline is February 2, 2026, and admissions decisions are sent out on March 10, 2026. For more details, visit the logistics page.
Description: A seven-week intensive for students aged 18-25, the Steiner Summer Yiddish Program conducted at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, MA provides a full year’s-worth of language courses and multiple cultural enrichment opportunities. This immersive experience allows for students to expand their knowledge of written and spoken Yiddish amongst a cohort of similarly-motivated peers, tuition free. Students also have the coveted opportunity to attend Yidstok: The Festival of New Yiddish Music, organized by the Yiddish Book Center. (Information about Yidstock 2026 has yet to be published.)
Levels: Beginner and intermediate classes are offered, and no prior knowledge of Yiddish is needed for the beginner class. Intermediate level applicants should have completed one year of university-level Yiddish or equivalent before matriculation.
Housing: Students are required to live in dormitories of Hampshire College, a residential college adjacent to the Yiddish Book Center. Visit the logistics page for more information.
Europe
Yiddish Barcelona — Casa Adret (Barcelona, Spain)
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: NEW! This program will run July 19–24, 2026. Tuition is €250. Registration will take place through this form. Organizers will be publishing the program website and social media pages soon. For more information, email [email protected].
Description: Based at Casa Adret, in the heart of Barcelona's historic Jewish quarter, this program will welcome up to 30 participants. Mornings will consist of language classes, while afternoons will be devoted to tutoring sessions as well as a Yiddish theater and song workshop. Evenings will feature cultural activities open to the public, which will explore the imagery of Sefarad in the Ashkenazi world, Yiddish in Spanish-speaking contexts, audiovisual testimonies of the Shoah in Yiddish and Judeo-Spanish, and translationfrom Yiddish into Catalan, among other. Evening events will be multilingual.
Levels: Language courses are offered at three levels: beginners with no prior knowledge, beginners with prior knowledge of the Hebrew alphabet, and intermediate.
Housing: Suggestions for affordable accommodation options will be listed on their website.
L’Institut d’Etudes du Judaïsme — Yiddish on the Continent (Brussels, Belgium)
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: This intensive program is held from July 6–17, 2026. Applications must be sent to the listed mailing address or by email to [email protected] by June 2, 2026. Tuition is 500€, reduced to 400€ for full-time university students. Scholarships are available for students between 18 and 30 years old, covering the registration fee. Scholarship applications are due April 30, 2026.
Description: An intensive two-week program in Yiddish language, literature, and culture, registered students will take part in translation, singing, and theatre workshops, lectures, Yiddish film, concerts, and excursions. Fit for those who would like to be introduced to Yiddish language and culture, or for those looking to enrich their existing knowledge.
Levels: Intensive languages courses are offered at five levels. Each level is conducted predominantly in Yiddish. A class for early beginners will be offered if there are a minimum of five registered students by April 30, 2026.
Housing: Accommodation information is not specified. For further information, email [email protected]
Yiddish Summer Weimar Programs (Weimar, DE)
See three separate programming options below.
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: Programming runs from July 31–Aug 10, 2026. See the Yidish-Hoyz website for a full breakdown of pricing. To apply or to register as a participant, fill out this form. Final registration is June 30, 2026.
Description: Speaking Yiddish with old and new friends in a 10-day immersion during Yiddish Summer Weimar’s Festival Week, from 31 July to 10 August, you will live with fellow speakers in one of several Yiddish-only apartments in central Weimar. Take advantage of free mini-workshops on Yiddish song, dance, instrumental music, and more; a daily concert and other evening events at discount prices; lively performances at the Late Night Cabaret; and discounted access to the weeklong Yiddish Buffet workshop, which offers three hours per day of structured activities in Yiddish. The program is available for the full 10 day duration or as an abbreviated weekend program.
Levels: Knowledge of conversational Yiddish is recommended.
Housing: Accommodation is provided through tuition.
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: Programming runs from August 1–8. 2026. Each 3 hour workshop has a price of 265 € Standard / 212,50 € Reduced / 370 € Sponsor / 90 € Under 18. Register here for this program.
Description: Associated with the Yidish-Hoyz program, Yiddish Buffet offers a supportive, all-Yiddish environment for part of each day. If you’re a resident of Yidish-Hoyz, the Buffet is an ideal way to expand your linguistic range in new, creative directions within a YSW-style workshop structure. Workshop sessions include theater, creative writing, interview skills, and reading skills, all taught in Yiddish.
Levels: For intermediate and advanced Yiddish learners.
Housing: This program does not require housing, as sessions are in isolation.
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: Programming is divided into two weeks. The first week runs from July 13–18, 2026, and the second week runs from July 21–26, 2026. See the Yiddish Language Program website for a full breakdown of pricing. Register for this program here.
Description: This is the main Yiddish language program of Yiddish Summer Weimar, taught primarily by native speakers from Chassidic backgrounds. Witness various important moments in Ashkenazi Jewish cultural history and criss-cross the territory of Yiddishland, or at least its European core.
Levels: Week 1 of the program is open to all, whereas Week 2 of the program is for intermediate and advanced learners.
Housing: Housing details are not specified on the website.
Summer Seminar in Yiddish Language and Culture (Warsaw, Poland)
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: The 24th International Summer Seminar in Yiddish Language and Culture runs from June 29–July 17, 2026. Students can choose between the two-week and three-week program, where students experience 40 and 60 hours of language instruction, respectively. Each program has a standard and student-discounted tuition rate, with the two-week program at $590 ($430 for students), and the three-week program at $780 ($560 for students). Applications must be submitted by May 31, 2026, and scholarship applications are due April 10, 2026.
Description: This seminar offers language classes at four levels, lectures on the Yiddish language and culture, workshops, tutorials, and other activities. Each year, leyners gather in Warsaw’s Muranów district to participate in conversation courses, experimental workshops, museum and archival trips, and cooking classes.
Levels: Language classes are offered at levels 1-4. Other aspects of the program are accessible to all four levels.
Housing: Not included in the price of tuition.
Jewish Music Institute — Ot Azoy (London, UK)
Information about Ot Azoy 2026 has yet to be published. See here for last year’s details.
Intensive Yiddish Summer Program — Paideia Folkhögskola (Stockholm, SE)
Information about the 2026 program has yet to be published. See here for last year’s details. Its coordinators describe the program as “a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Yiddish over four intensive days of study, led by experienced and passionate teachers.”
Yiddish Summer School | די זומער־שול (London, UK)
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: NEW! London's Yiddish Summer School will be held from August 17–21, 2026. Fill out the Expression of Interest form here. Enrollment spots are expected to fill quickly.
Description: Hosted in North West London, this program celebrates the virbant Yiddish cultural community in London by offering Yiddish language classes, Klezmer workshops, Yiddish poetry readings, Yiddish puppetry workshops, and more. This program is taught by Sima Beeri, Osian Evans Sharma, and Tamara Micner and will feature myriad participant-led workshops.
Levels: Language classes are offered at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
Housing: Not included in the price of tuition.
Additional Offerings: The Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue offers weekly Yiddish Conversation Circles, which serve as the inspiration for the summer program. Sign-ups for this program is password protected. You can send inquiries to the synagogue at [email protected].
Yiddish Summer-Course in Vilnius 5786 (Vilnius, LT)
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: This program runs from August 16–21, 2026. Tuition is 300€, which includes study materials, meals, guided excursions, and more. Find the registration form here. There is a rolling deadline.
Description: During this one-week Yiddish language course, you will study with Professor Anna Verschik (Estonia) and Dr. Lazer Burko (Poland). You will explore the Yiddish language through historical sources—texts, documents, and excerpts related to the Bund (a Jewish organization that promoted Yiddish language and culture in Eastern Europe). Throughout the course, you will develop your reading skills while gaining insight into the cultural and ideological context in which Yiddish functioned as a modern political and literary language.
Levels: The program is offered at two levels: advanced and proficient. The prerequisite for the advanced course is basic knowledge of Yiddish (equivalent to completion of a beginner-level course), and the prerequisite for the proficient course is high-level Yiddish proficiency (equivalent to completion of an advanced course). Find expanded descriptions for each course below.
Advanced: In this course, you will improve your Yiddish language skills by participating in engaging les-sons: you will speak on everyday topics, read literary and philosophical texts, deepen your grammatical knowledge through writing, and expand your vocabulary. You will also practice speaking, writing, and even singing in Yiddish through interactive activities. In this course:
• You will expand your grammar and vocabulary through everyday conversations and literary and philosophical texts;
• You will work with written materials to better understand grammar and syntax;
• You will participate in interactive speaking, writing, and singing activities to improve fluency.
Proficient: This course will be designed for you if you are able to understand complex texts and language in a variety of contexts—from everyday communication to literature and academic discus-sions. You will be able to express your ideas fluently, accurately, and with nuance in both spoken and written form, appropriately using style, idiomatic expressions, and cultural refer-ences. You will also have a strong understanding of the history of the Yiddish language and Jewish culture. In this course:
• You will analyze literary and journalistic texts;
• You will complete creative and analytical assignments;
• You will actively participate in discussions;
• You will practice speaking, writing, and singing in interactive activities to further enhance your fluency.
Housing: A detailed program and additional information will be sent to you after completing the registration form.
Israel
Tel Aviv University — Naomi Prawer Kadar International Yiddish Summer Program (Tel Aviv, Israel)
The TAU website is undergoing maintenance at the time of publication. Website links will be provided when available.
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: The program will run from July 5–30, 2026, Sunday-Thursday. Tuition is $1,450 and a $60 tuition fee. Full-time students are eligible for scholarships ($800 for B.A. and M.A. students; $950 for PhD. candidates), and housing cost subsidies are available for undergraduate and graduate students. There are additional language-based grants available for graduate students and post-doctoral researchers.
Description: Mornings consist of language instruction, and afternoons offer robust cultural programming on campus and around Tel Aviv. These offerings include film screenings, tours of Yiddish Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and deciphering Yiddish manuscripts. Hosted by Tel Aviv University, students are in close proximity to a wealth of research and cultural resources.
Levels: Language instruction offered at Beginner (I), Intermediate (II), and Advanced (III) levels.
Housing: Accommodation details are not yet published.
Additional Offerings: See additional programming at Tel Aviv University on their website.
Festivals and Music Programs
Shtetl Berlin (Berlin, Germany)
Save the date! This Berlin-based grassroots festival is running from June 10–14, 2026, with more details forthcoming.
KlezKanada — Summer Retreat (Lac Supérieur, QC, Canada)
Save the date! From August 17–23, 2026, this annual retreat will celebrate the living traditions of Yiddish arts and culture. There are hands-on workshops for vocalists, dancers, visual artists, language learners, and writers led by a world-class faculty.
Jewish Culture Festival in Kraków (Kraków, Poland)
Dates: July 1–5, 2026
Description: The 35th Jewish Culture Festival: Sha’ar/Gate is dedicated to the symbolism of the unity between people of diverse religions and nations. More details about this year’s festival are forthcoming.
KlezCummington (Cummington, MA)
Further details about KlezCummington 2026 have yet to be published. Find last year’s schedule here. To receive the latest updates for this year’s festival, sign up for the email list.
Safed Klezmer Festival (Jerusalem, Israel)
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: This year’s festival is set to take place in mid-August, but further details have not yet been published.
Details: Eight open-air stages in the Old City’s Jewish Quarter and Artists Quarter comprises the Safed Klezmer Festival, where festival-goers can enjoy the city’s history, heritage, and culture to the tune of Jewish Klezmer music.
Housing: Housing is not provided by the festival.
Additional offerings: A list of additional August events in Israel is available here.
Ashkenaz Festival — Summer Jam (Toronto, CA)
Information about Ashkenaz Festival 2026 has yet to be published.
Yidstock: The Festival of New Yiddish Music (Amherst, MA)
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: Yidstock 2026 will run from July 9–12, 2026. Further details about ticket sales and concert line-up are not yet published.
Description: A four-day festival celebrating the artists at the forefront of today’s Yiddish music scene, the festival program includes seven concerts, four workshops, nine talks, and two special tours.
Levels: Yidstock is appropriate and encouraged for all levels, beginner and mastery alike.
Housing: See here for dining and accommodation options.
For additional Yiddish festivals happening year round, contributor Sarah Biskowitz can help build Yiddish learning and immersion into your calendars. Find the piece here.
Camps
Kadimah & Melbourne Klezmer School — Term 2 (Victoria, Australia)
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: This year’s spring-summer dates have yet to be published. For an overview of the winter session, see here.
Description: Learn the techniques and the repertoire of Klezmer music through once-per-week class sessions.
Levels: Instrumental enthusiasts at the intermediate to professional level are encouraged to register. Participants must be 12 and older.
Housing: This program is intended for local participants who can commute to Kadimah in Melbourne, Australia.
The Workers Circle — Trip to Yiddishland (Dutchess County, NY)
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: Runs from August 17–23, 2026. Registration will open in March. Rates range from $600-1,820, depending on room selections. Find registration and rates policy in full on their website.
Description: A seven day, six night retreat includes five levels of Yiddish classes, dance and klezmer, theater and music workshops, converse, and children’s programming.
Levels: All are welcome, non-speakers and fluent speakers alike.
Housing: The retreat will take place at the Circle Lodge on Lake Sylvan in Hopewell Junction, New York.
Additional Offerings: Click here to explore both summer and year-round event options.
Yiddish Café Trust — Yiddish Sof-Vokh UK (Birmingham, UK)
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: Held from June 26–28, 2026. Registration fee includes accommodation, all meals, and all activities. Bursaries are available on a case-by-case basis; visit their website for more information. Tickets will be available soon here.
Description: Yiddish Sof-Vokh is celebrating its 5th anniversary in 2026. Join 60 attendees from across the United Kingdom for a weekend of workshops, talks, discussions and activities. For returning attendees, Sof-Vokh allows the reunion of old friends, and for first-timers, Shabbos dinner and dancing kindles new relationships. A highlight of Sof-Vokh is its open-mic sessions, where participants can participate (or contribute their applause). If you’re interested in learning more about Sof-Vokh UK, read this article to hear from the program’s organizers.
Levels: Unspecified, but all from “keen learners to native speakers” are welcome. Participants experience Yiddish immersion.
Housing: The program will be hosted at the Hillscourt in Birmingham, where accommodation is included in the ticket price.
Additional Offerings: The Yiddish Café Trust’s monthly open-mic night is on its 80th monthly open-mic night and counting.
Yidish-vokh (Copake, NY)
Dates, Rates, and Deadlines: Yidish-Vokh 2026 will run from August 14–20, 2026. Participants can attend for as long or as short of a time as they’d like. Yidish-vokh offers pay-what-you-can scholarships and a 15% room discount for first-time attendees (the scholarship deadline is June 13, 2026). Rates vary depending on room type and can be found here. In addition, registrants must be members of Yugntruf, and memberships can be purchased on the registration page for Yidish-vokh.
Description: The only annual week-long language-immersion retreat in the U.S., 50-year old retreat attracts around 170 participants each year. Made up of a community of Yiddish enthusiasts, this retreat is led by its participants, creating a unique and tight-knit environment. Participants range in age from children to seniors. A complete schedule will be published in early August. For any unanswered questions, visit this in-depth FAQ page.
Levels: Participants must be able to speak Yiddish. Reading and writing skills are not required, but helpful.
Housing: The retreat will take place at the Berkshire Hills Eisenberg Camp in Copake, New York, where participants will stay. Participants may also commute if they are local.
