Spokane Public Library nets Yiddish Book Center grant to educate on culture, language, literature

Spokane Public Library has been selected as one of 40 libraries in the nation to receive a grant from the Yiddish Book Center. The grant is part of the center’s public libraries program to promote education of Jewish culture through Yiddish literature.

The grant included funds to send Spokane Public Librarian Becky Mace to a three-day workshop to the center’s campus in Amherst, Massachusetts, to learn more about the Yiddish language’s cultural background and importance, as well as ongoing revitalization efforts following its near decimation during the genocide of European Jews during the Second World War.

“I learned a lot. The staff were just so knowledgeable and really passionate about their mission, and I feel like it rubbed off on us,” Mace said.

“The grant is about – it’s called ‘Between Two Worlds’ – and it’s learning about each other’s cultures and their commonalities, and there’s also differences, and celebrating that and really spending that time getting to know each other.”

The grant also goes toward providing more than 50 Yiddish-translated materials to the library’s catalog, as well as funding a yearlong event series to host discussions about the materials as well as Yiddish cultural events.

One highlight of the event series, happening on April 26, includes a live performance from local band Meshugga Daddies, followed by a screening of the documentary film, “Welcome to Yiddishland” which highlights artists around the world that use their work to promote the education and survival of the Yiddish language, as well as spark nuanced discussion about modern Jewish identity.

Meshugga Daddies primarily performs klezmer music, which is a traditional instrumental music genre developed by Ashkenazi Jews and was often heard at weddings and other community events. The instrumentation varies, but typically features a lead and second violin, accompanied by other string, woodwind and brass instruments, one of the most common being the clarinet. Like the Yiddish language, much of the klezmer musical heritage was lost during the Holocaust, but it regained popularity in the 1970s thanks to a new generation of musicians rediscovering pre-war recordings.

The film screening following the performance will be hosted by Neal Schindler, director of Spokane Area Jewish Family Services.

“Yiddish, like any language, gives voice to specific ideas that no other language quite captures. Every language is unique, and Yiddish tells some stories that really resonate today. This film is a fun, accessible way for folks who know little to nothing about Yiddish to learn about it, but it also has plenty to offer folks who are familiar with the language and culture,” Schindler said in an email.

Directed by Ros Horin and released in 2024, the film began with the mission to challenge stereotypes about Jewish people and help create more accurate representation of all the diversity within Jewish identity. The concept behind the term “Yiddishland” expresses the fact that Jewish identity is not bound to geographical borders, and showcases the way art and language continue to provide critical connection to diverse Jewish communities around the world.

“I expect the Meshugga Daddies concert and ‘Yiddishland’ screening to open a lot of folks’ eyes to the beauty, humor, and uniqueness of Yiddish, as well as Jewish culture writ large,” Schindler said.

To learn more about the events, visit spokanelibrary.org/between-two-worlds. You can also learn more about the film at welcometoyiddishland.com.

“I hope that people come curious and with an open mind wanting to learn about another culture, and how other people think, and their experiences,” Mace said.