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Dear Friends,
As some of you know, COVID-19 changed many aspects of the Yiddish world, often in unexpected ways. Instead of having one event a month and one class a week, we now have up to 3 events a day… and our audiences still have an appetite for more. Our almost 4-year-old Yiddish Arts and Academics Association of North America (YAAANA) used to be a small local organization with a mission to yiddishize San Diego County. In the midst of COVID-19 lockdowns, it has grown into an international enterprise. As a result, we need to expand our team and intend to hire more educators, artists, and collaboration partners from all over the world to contribute to our programming.
Since March 2020, we offered a variety of classes and events, including Yiddish language classes for beginner and intermediate speakers, lectures on Yiddish music, alternative theater experiences, Yiddish yoga, and interviews with Yiddish celebrities. In 2021, we would like to expand our programming, especially our Yiddish classes for kids of all ages and fluency. Moreover, we strive to create new paid positions for Yiddish educators, including those who can teach Yiddish in different languages such as Spanish, Russian, Polish, or Hebrew. In 2021, we are hoping to start building our International House of Yiddish which will be based in San Diego county.
YAAANA distinguishes itself by embracing academic Yiddish as well as all dialects of Yiddish we encounter on our way. That tradition would continue with our Yiddish winter and summer programs.
Currently, our primary goal is to build the International House of Yiddish – first as a virtual house and later as a physical one. The mageyfe (plague) experience has taught us that we need both, and we need them ASAP!
Please consider making a donation to YAAANA. We would appreciate it if you could share this campaign with your friends, acquaintances, and mishpokhe.
Unfortunately, due to delays in the processing of our application for non-profit status, at this time, donations would likely not be eligible for tax deductions. We will keep you updated on changes to our status.
We are truly grateful for your generosity and support thus far and for donations of any amount that we receive for Giving Tuesday. Thank you for thinking of YAAANA!
A groysn dank! (Many thanks!)
The YAAANA team
