YIVO Press Releases

The response to the many new online initiatives that YIVO has launched since mid-March has truly been humbling and inspiring.

The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is delighted to announce that its Director of Public Programs, Alex Weiser, has been named a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in Music for his song cycle, and all the days were purple.

The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a $29,992 Recordings at Risk Grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). This grant will enable YIVO to preserve the YIVO Folksong Project: East European Jewish Folksong in its Social Context (YFP).

Given the extraordinary circumstances of the current moment and to ensure the safety of our students and faculty YIVO will conduct the Uriel Weinreich Summer Program in Yiddish Language, Literature, and Culture online for summer 2020 (June 29-August 7). In light of this change, the deadline for submitting applications and financial aid requests has been extended to May 29, 2020.

YIVO announces a new initiative to collect first-hand accounts of the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Jewish life.

On Friday, May 1, 2020, YIVO will launch the fourth class in the Shine Online Educational Series, A Seat at the Table: A Journey into Jewish Food.

YIVO is pleased to announce Fantastic Journeys, a free new online course taught by Executive Director Jonathan Brent, starting April 20, 2020.

All of YIVO’s online courses are free effective today. As restrictions continue to be imposed to help mitigate the spread of COVID19, “YIVO wants to help keep our spirits lifted and provide content to sustain our minds and soul.”

On Tuesday, March 10, 2020 at 7:00pm. YIVO will host Why the Far Right Kills, a discussion between researcher Chip Berlet and journalist Talia Lavin, exploring why the far right political faction, compared to others, is so violent—and what drives them to kill again and again?

More than 150 people attended YIVO’s gala honoring award-winning documentary filmmaker Roberta Grossman and leading Holocaust and Jewish history scholar Dr. Samuel Kassow.