About the Yiddish Arts and Culture Initiative for Jewish Communities

Are you looking to enrich cultural programming in your community? Partner with the Yiddish Book Center to curate a series of programs that will deepen and enrich your community’s creative and intellectual engagement with Yiddish literature, music, film, art, theater, history, and politics. Giving your community opportunities to explore the diversity and depth of Yiddish culture enriches Jewish experience, enhances connection to Jewish identity, and presents opportunities to engage younger generations. That's why we've initiated a program offering resources for communities seeking to enrich their arts and cultural offerings.

This twelve-month program aims to support your community to host a series of events exploring Yiddish culture, fostering a deeper understanding of its relevance to Jewish identity.

We invite applications from Jewish communities (synagogues, community centers, libraries, communal residences, community organizations, etc.) who have existing or developing plans for ongoing cultural and educational programming. Any US nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or Canadian nonprofit is eligible. We encourage applications from organizations that serve members of the LGBTQI+ community and/or Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.

Selected communities will: 

  • Receive a $1500 seed grant to curate two to three events spotlighting modern Yiddish culture, spanning literature, music, film, visual arts, and theater.  
  • Attend a three-day cultural workshop at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts (July 21-23, 2024), with covered travel, food, and lodging expenses for up to two representatives per organization. 
  • Receive mentorship to conceptualize and execute their community events. 
  • Participate in monthly online learning and professional development sessions led by Yiddish Book Center staff and scholars to share progress on your programming and participate in additional workshops  aimed to deepen understanding of Yiddish literature, language, and cultural history.  
  • Arrange for your community to attend two or more online programs run by Yiddish Book Center staff on topics including the fascinating history of Yiddish and a virtual field trip to the Yiddish Book Center. Communities may also receive assistance in planning an in-person trip for community members to the Yiddish Book Center. 
Apply by May 5

This program was made possible by Debbie Mitzner and Wayne Miller in memory of Iris Mitzner