More than a hundred years ago the Yiddish writer Sholem Aleichem wrote a series of stories about Tevye and his family. Today Tevye is famous all around the world as the protagonist of Fiddler on the Roof. In our class we will discuss the original text and its various screen adaptations, trying to understand how a sad story of a humble Jewish dairyman from a Ukrainian village at the turn of the twentieth century has become a heart-warming musical hit with a universal appeal. This class is offered in conjunction with the new UMS concert production of Fiddler on the Roof which will be performed at Hill Auditorium on February 19 and 20, 2022. Students will have an opportunity to attend the performance or rehearsals and meet with the participants of the show.

All materials and discussions will be conducted in English, no knowledge of Yiddish or Judaism is required. 

Class Format:

The class will meet once a week on-line via Zoom during the first half of the Winter term. The lecture will be held synchronously. Quizzes will be done outside of class.