Yiddish Book Center Awarded Lilly Endowment Grant to Expand Public Libraries Program
(Amherst, MA) December 5, 2024 — The Yiddish Book Center is proud to announce it has been awarded a $2,488,152 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative. This grant will support the expansion of the Center’s Public Libraries Program (launched in 2020), which seeks to deepen understanding of Jewish history, religion, and identity through Yiddish literature.
In the expanded program, titled Between Two Worlds: Exploring Jewish Culture and Religion through Yiddish Literature, the Yiddish Book Center will partner with public libraries across the United States, equipping librarians with the tools to introduce Yiddish culture to their local communities and foster interfaith and intercultural dialogue. Participating libraries will receive curated sets of Yiddish literature in translation, accompanied by reading guides and in-depth training on Yiddish literature and strategies for community engagement. These resources will support reading groups and community discussions. Additionally, the program will feature a traveling exhibition and virtual programming to further enhance engagement and accessibility.
“This generous support from Lilly Endowment enables us to broaden the reach of our Public Libraries Program and strengthen its impact,” said Susan Bronson, executive director of the Yiddish Book Center. “By exploring the intersections of religion, culture, and identity through literature, we hope to create meaningful connections across diverse communities, sparking dialogue and understanding at a time when such efforts are more important than ever.”
“The Yiddish Book Center is continuing its tradition of innovation through its partnership with public libraries across the country,” said Peter Manseau, curator of American religious history at the National Museum of American History. “At this fraught time of rising antisemitism nationally and around the world, the stories told in the books rescued and made available by the Yiddish Book Center are vital to building bridges across religious and cultural divides.”
The Yiddish Book Center is one of thirty-three organizations across the United States receiving grants through the latest round of the Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative. The initiative’s aim is to support museums and other cultural organizations as they strengthen their capacity to provide fair, accurate, and balanced portrayals of the role religion has played and continues to play in the United States and around the world. Through the initiative, Lilly Endowment aims to foster public understanding of religion and highlight the contributions of diverse faith communities to civic life. The grants support efforts that encourage dialogue and promote mutual respect among people of various religious traditions.
“The United States is widely considered one of the most religiously diverse nations today,” said Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion. “Many individuals and families trust museums and cultural institutions as places to learn about their communities and the world. We are excited to support organizations like the Yiddish Book Center as they embark on projects that foster understanding of diverse religious traditions.”
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. Although the Endowment maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana, it also funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion.
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