NEW YORK (JTA) — The University of Maryland has managed to raise enough money to keep its Yiddish program going at least through 2013.
The university offers several courses in Yiddish through its Meyerhoff Center for Jewish Studies, but last year announced that it may have to cancel the classes following this spring’s semester due to a lack of funding, according to the University of Maryland Diamondback daily newspaper.
Maryland supporters and alumni responded with a flood of letters, and the center was able to gain permission to seek money from outside donors. After raising some $120,000, the university now will be able to offer Yiddish classes through the next two years and could actually grow the program.
Work is now under way to secure long-term funding for the program and to find a professor to take over the classes next year, after the professor now teaching Yiddish retires.
