Aramaic as a Living Language
4 Tuesday sessions at 7 p.m. ET
Dec. 2 - 23
All classes will be recorded and sent to registrants.
Dive into the history of one the Jewish people's oldest languages — and its modern legacy.
Aramaic is a Semitic language, related to Hebrew and Arabic, that has been used to record significant Jewish texts and prayers for thousands of years. It has also been the first language of some Jewish communities from Kurdistan (parts of today's Turkey, Iran, Syria and Iraq) for that same amount of time.
Join Jewish Language Project contributor and My Jewish Learning teacher Alan Niku in this four-part online course, and explore the ancient origins and modern life of Aramaic. You'll trace its development, use and survival throughout centuries in a region surrounded by Persian, Arabic, Kurdish and Turkish influence.
With access to never-before-seen texts and primary sources, Alan will show us how Aramaic, as ancient as it seems, is an eternally living language.
Have questions? Email [email protected].
There are no refunds for this course.
About Your Teacher
Alan Niku is a filmmaker, writer and scholar of Mizrahi culture from San Luis Obispo, California, based in Los Angeles. A native speaker of Persian, he spends his time learning related Jewish languages, deciphering Judeo-Persian manuscripts and interviewing community members about their stories. He is also a musician and an amateur chef, teaches history and Jewish heritage at various levels, and seeks to educate the world about the underrepresented cultures of the Middle East through his writing and films.
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About My Jewish Learning
My Jewish Learning is the internet's leading pluralistic Jewish education resource. We offer thousands of articles, videos, live classes and other resources to help you navigate all aspects of Judaism and Jewish life — from Jewish ritual and practice to texts to history and culture.
My Jewish Learning is geared toward all backgrounds and levels of knowledge and is a part of 70 Faces Media, the largest Jewish digital media organization in North America.