By Forverts Staff March 18, 2020

Read this article in Yiddish

As COVID-19 continues to affect individuals and societies around the world, the YIVO Institute for Jewish research has decided to offer all its online courses free of charge.

“YIVO wants to help keep our spirits lifted and provide content to sustain our minds and souls,” said Jonathan Brent, YIVO’s Executive Director and CEO.

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The courses, part of YIVO’s Shine Online Educational Series, include:

• Discovering Ashkenaz: Jewish Life in Eastern Europe, a survey of the 1,000-year history of Jews in Eastern Europe, taught by Prof. Sam Kassow

• Folksong, Demons and the Evil Eye where you’ll explore the music, folktales, rituals, and superstitions of the Jews in prewar Eastern Europe, taught by Prof. Itzik Gottesman

• A Seat at the Table: A Journey into Jewish food featuring hundreds of never-before-seen archival objects, lectures by leading scholars and video demonstrations of your favorite Jewish recipes by renowned chefs.

• Oh Mama, I’m In Love: The Story Of the Yiddish Stage where you’ll learn about the greatest Yiddish actors, producers, designers, and playwrights, including Molly Picon, Paul Muni and Stella Adler

To register for any of the free Shine online courses click here.

The public is also encouraged to take advantage of YIVO’s other free online resources:

• Watch hundreds of lectures, conferences, book talks and concerts, featuring award-winning scholars, writers and artists

• Explore YIVO’s prewar Vilna online collections

• Access the world’s most comprehensive free online encyclopedia of Ashkenazi civilization

• View its online exhibitions, including treasures from its archival and library collections

• Search the YIVO Digital Asset Guide for access to photos, audio and video recordings, online galleries, Yiddish theater works and books

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