Yiddish Book Center’s "Stories of Exile" Reading Groups for Public Libraries Program

Deadline: August 19, 2022

The Yiddish Book Center’s “Stories of Exile” Reading Groups for Public Libraries is a reading and discussion program to engage teens and adults in thinking about experiences of displacement, migration, and diaspora. Up to 30 libraries will be selected to organize a reading group for adults, teens ages 16 to 19, or a combined group to discuss three books of Yiddish literature in translation, as well as one book related to a community served by their library. To learn more, read the Frequently Asked Questions page.

All program participants receive:

• 15 copies of each of these three books: Survivors: Seven Short Stories, by Chava Rosenfarb; On the Landing: Stories by Yenta Mash; and The Glatstein Chronicles by Jacob Glatstein, as well as one copy for the facilitator and another for the library’s collection
• 15 copies of one additional book, selected by the library, which is related to the experiences of the community served by the library
• Travel, accommodation, and meal expenses paid for participation in a workshop on January 23-25, 2023, at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, MA, to orient library staff on engaging reading groups and discussion of Yiddish literature in translation
• Online access to downloadable discussion guides and programming resources for future use
• Advice and assistance in identifying potential guest speakers, as well as training and support for engaging guest speakers at public events

Applicants will be notified of decisions by September 30, 2022. The programming period runs from February 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. "Stories of Exile" Reading Groups for Public Libraries is made possible by a gift from Sharon Karmazin. For more information and to apply, visit the website: https://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/language-literature-culture/reading-groups-public-libraries