Hebrew and Yiddish

Hebrew and Yiddish are languages whose literatures and histories are intertwined in ways that illuminate some of the most profound questions in modern European and Middle Eastern history. Hebrew is among the oldest continuously written languages in the world, the language of the Hebrew Bible and centuries of religious and philosophical tradition, and at the same time a modern spoken language that has undergone one of the most remarkable revivals in linguistic history, becoming the everyday language of a new state in the twentieth century. Yiddish is the language of Ashkenazi Jewish civilisation in Europe, the medium of a rich literary and theatrical culture that flourished across centuries before being devastated by the Holocaust, and which continues to be spoken and written by communities today.

At University College London, you will study both languages with a seriousness of purpose that reflects UCL's long-standing strength in this area. Over four years of full-time study, you will develop reading and, in the case of Hebrew, speaking proficiency in both languages, whilst also engaging with the literatures, histories, and cultural contexts that give the languages their meaning. You will read texts from the biblical period through to contemporary Israeli prose and poetry, and from the classical Yiddish writers of Eastern Europe to twentieth-century literature produced in the face of catastrophe and its aftermath.

The programme draws on linguistics, literary theory, history, and cultural studies, and you will be trained to think rigorously about language itself, about translation, about memory and representation, and about the complex relationship between language and identity.

Graduates from Hebrew and Yiddish programmes move into careers in academia, where postgraduate study at masters and doctoral level is a common next step, as well as in diplomacy and international relations, particularly in contexts touching on Israel and the Middle East. Translation and interpreting, journalism, publishing, heritage work, and roles in Jewish cultural and community organisations are further options. The combination of rare linguistic expertise, historical depth, and critical training also makes graduates attractive to employers in areas such as law, the civil service, and the media.