When Yiddish Classes Are Just Like Family

Over 18 years, Abe Friedman’s weekly Yiddish classes have become less like classes and more like gatherings of a large, good-humored Jewish family.

Semester after semester, Friedman, 75, draws a full enrollment of 40 to his Yiddish conversation class at Emeritus College, Santa Monica College’s program for seniors. Many of the students have been coming for years.

Speaking Yiddish is mandatory, no matter how little the students know. If they falter, they can count on instant, unsolicited and vociferous coaching from the old-timers, with a few wisecracks thrown in.

At a class during the fall semester, for example, a student was asked to give an account of his day. He dutifully told about his morning routine in Yiddish until he got to a point where he had to call for help.

“I took my exercises,” he said in English. “What’s the word in Yiddish for exercises ?” A man’s voice from the back: “Jews don’t take exercises.” Everybody laughed.

Much loved by his students, he was the guest of honor at a Hanukkah party put on by the class on the last session of the fall semester.

The faithful have already registered for the spring semester class, which begins in mid-February.

Some of the students say they think Yiddish is a dying language, but Friedman disagrees. Nostalgia will prolong its life, he says.

He points out that Israelis who not long ago expressed contempt for “the ghetto language” now take a different view.

“They have lots of Yiddish theater in Israel,” he said, “and there are Yiddish clubs all over America.”