No End to Yiddishland!

Help us stay in the Village for another year! It is hard to believe, but Yiddishland California has been in La Jolla Village for a little over a year. With your support, we can turn our pop-up Yiddishland into a permanent cultural center, art gallery, store, and much more. Our goal is to raise $20,000, covering six months of our basic expenses (rent, insurance, utilities).

The Yiddish Arts and Academics Association of North America is classified as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization by the standards of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Our EIN is 85-2064877, and all donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by the law. Yiddishland California, YAAANA's cultural center, was created to educate the public about and dispel misconceptions surrounding Jewish culture and its Yiddish component. Yiddishland brings a sense of home to visitors by creating events and environments, including familiar Yiddish foods, housewares, music, literature and art. Not only does Yiddishland highlight heritage for those wanting to engage in their own Yiddish culture, it also provides an authentic and quality experience for the affectionately referenced shiksas and goim (non-Jewish people), so we can build all-inclusive mishpokhe (family). Much of Yiddish culture is already part of our everyday lives. It seeps into the fabric of American culture. Common words like schlepping, nosh, and schmooze are a few examples of everyday “slang.” Bagels, lox, and a smoked brisket sandwich have become a staple dish at many restaurants and homes, with fewer connoisseurs considering the history and origins of their favorite “quick bite” and some of their vocabulary. We understand how important it is to educate people about the beautiful culture they all originated from.

In 2021 alone, we hosted over 150 events and courses, engaged with 1,042 participants and served 650 new students from 36 states. We have been fortunate to work with students from all over the world, with the majority coming from California, New York, Illinois, and Texas. Our reach does not stop there. Internationally, our audiences include people from South Africa, Israel, Canada, and the UK.

We are excited to add children activities to our existing in-person and online monthly events and regular classes during the academic year (October 1 to May 30), as well as to soon be able to offer regular hours, instead of being open just by appointment. Additionally, we are continuously growing our collection of art, museum objects, and rare books to properly exhibit them and make them available to the public in 2023. Lastly, we are working with a team of architects and real estate advisors to pave the way for the creation of grand Yiddishland. Read more about our long-term plans here.

We hope you can join us on our journey! Here are some ways to contribute:

We look forward to continuing yiddishizing the public to ensure no end to Yiddishland!

The team of YAAANA and Yiddishland California

www.yiddishlandcalifornia.org

[email redacted]