

The Covenant Grants
The Jewish Cultural Fellows Program
Organization: National Yiddish Book Center, Amherst, MA
Grant Year: 2008
Project Director: Hankus Netsky
Type of Grant: Ignition
Grant Amount: $20,000 (1.5 years)
Website: http://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/
National Yiddish Book Center developed and implemented a fellowship program for college students that brought Jewish cultural programming to college campuses across the country.Ignition Grantee Reflections: Impacts and Learnings
“Where are we now, what did we accomplish, and what have we learned?”
“On many campuses, Israel and religious activities dominate what’s available. This program adds a whole other element to Jewish programming. It opens the door for deeper exploration of Jewish culture and identity to Jewish students and broadens the audience on campus to those Jewish students who don’t respond to religious or Israel-based programming. Those already engaged have an opportunity to learn something new. It also places the resources we provide in a broader context. Many non-Jews attended because of the emphasis on co-sponsorship and outreach to subsets of the college community.”
—Amy Leos-Urbel, Project Director
“The program has given us a chance to continue a relationship with individual students. They act as ambassadors, as liaisons to organizations on their campus, extending our reach from one geographical place.”
—Christa Whitney, Campus Coordinator for the Fellows Program