COMMON MAPS
Map version new-york activity top-down
Main site Contact
Menu
↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier

CONGRESS FOR JEWISH CULTURE INC

NEW YORK, NY · EIN 131677406 · Form 990EZ · FY2023 · NTEE A230 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · congressforjewishculture.org
revenue
$185K
expenses
$179K
net assets
$47K
employees
mission · from form 990

PROMOTE YIDDISH LANGUAGE & CULTURE

profile · synthesized from sources

Congress for Jewish Culture promotes Yiddish language and culture through theatrical productions, literary events, and performances. It produces and presents works like "Bashevis's Demons," an off-Broadway staging of Isaac Bashevis Singer's stories performed in Yiddish with English supertitles. The organization supports the revitalization of Yiddish theatre and literature for contemporary audiences.

named programs · 2 · from sources

What they call their work

Bashevis’s Demons
Off-Broadway theatrical production featuring three short stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer performed in Yiddish with English supertitles, exploring themes of mysticism, loss, and cultural survival.
Red Rooster Theatre
New Yiddish-language theater initiative presenting literary adaptations such as stories by Abraham Socher, fostering intimate performances that connect contemporary audiences with Yiddish literature.
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Traditional & Cultural Performing Arts 2 activities
    • Host Yiddish cultural and theatrical events
      Organizes and presents Yiddish-language theatrical productions and cultural events, often with English supertitles or translations, in cities including New York and Los Angeles. Events include performances such as 'Bashevis's Demons' and 'NIGHT STORIES by Avrom Sutzkever,' and are promoted through the organization's website with ticketing information.
    • Organize and promote a calendar of Yiddish events
      Maintains and organizes a year-round calendar of Yiddish cultural events, including theater, commemorations, and seders, to promote engagement with Yiddish language and heritage.
  • Jewish Textual and Educational Publishing 2 activities
    • Preserve and publish Yiddish literary and historical reference works
      Researches, compiles, and publishes scholarly and reference works on Yiddish literature and history, including multi-volume biographical dictionaries, anthologies, and historical studies. These include the Leksikon project, a two-volume anthology of Yiddish literature in America (1870–2000), and works by Simon Dubnow.
    • Produce and distribute Yiddish-language publications
      Produces and distributes a range of Yiddish-language literary and educational materials, including Haggadahs (in Yiddish and transliterated forms), poetry collections, novellas, and anthologies. These are made available for purchase or access through organizational channels.
  • Jewish Holiday and Shabbat Community Events 1 activity
    • Host Yiddish Passover seders
      Hosts annual Yiddish-language 3rd seder events, such as the one held at the Park Slope Jewish Center on April 5, which was sold out. These events are supported by specially produced Haggadahs in Yiddish and transliterated forms.
  • Holocaust and Genocide Remembrance Education 1 activity
    • Host annual commemorative events
      Organizes and hosts annual public memorial events to commemorate the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the Night of the Murdered Poets, including live programs and YouTube recordings for remote access. These events have been held on April 19 and August 12 in multiple years.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$185K
Contributions & grants$162K88%
Program service revenue$23K12%
Investment income$40%
Other revenue
expenses
Total expenses$179K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits$15K
Grants paid out
balance sheet
Total assets$48K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$47K
2 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue +80.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
SHANE BAKER EXECUTIVE DI 20 $14K
board members · 1
  • CORY BREIER — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 23

Who they work with

  • Amerikaner Partner — Contributed poetry, rhymed humorous sketches, and articles to the publication
  • Bashevis’s Demons Partner — Produced or presented an off-broadway staging of three Isaac Bashevis Singer short stories as part of its cultural programming.
  • COJECO Partner — Sponsored the event commemorating the Night of the Murdered Poets.
  • California Institute for Yiddish Culture and Language Partner — Collaborated on the presentation of "BASHEVIS’S DEMONS" in Los Angeles.
  • Der Groyser Kundes Partner — Contributed poetry, rhymed humorous sketches, and articles to the publication
  • Di naye varhayt Partner — Contributed poetry, rhymed humorous sketches, and articles to the publication
  • Fraye Arbeter Shtime Partner — Contributed poetry, rhymed humorous sketches, and articles to the publication
  • Friends of the Bund Partner — Cosponsors the annual Warsaw Ghetto Uprising memorial event.
  • Jewish Labor Committee Partner — Cosponsors the annual Warsaw Ghetto Uprising memorial event.
  • Jewish Labor Committee Partner — Sponsored the event commemorating the Night of the Murdered Poets.
  • Jim Randolph Partner — Provided press passes for attendance at performances.
  • Oyfsnay Partner — Contributed poetry, rhymed humorous sketches, and articles to the publication
  • Park Slope Jewish Center Partner — Hosted the Yiddish 3rd seder event in collaboration with the Congress for Jewish Culture.
  • Park Slope Jewish Center Partner — Hosted the Yiddish 3rd seder event.
  • Roter Koter Partner — Co-sponsored the premiere of a new Yiddish theater production.
  • Stripe Partner — Processes payment donations for the organization.
  • The New Yiddish Rep Partner — Collaborated on Yiddish-language theatrical productions including "Waiting for Godot" and "Death of a Salesman"
  • Tog Partner — Contributed poetry, rhymed humorous sketches, and articles to the publication
  • Tog-Morgn-Zhurnal Partner — Edited the "Elern un kinder" section and contributed articles
  • Wilshire Boulevard Temple Partner — Co-presented the theatrical production "BASHEVIS’S DEMONS" in Los Angeles.
  • Workers Circle Partner — Cosponsors the annual Warsaw Ghetto Uprising memorial event.
  • YIVO Partner — Cosponsors the annual Warsaw Ghetto Uprising memorial event.
  • wild project Partner — Venue partner hosting the production of "NIGHT STORIES by Avrom Sutzkever".
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Cultural Memory Through Participatory Performance
    methodology: cultural_memory_through_performance
    By staging Yiddish-language theater with accessible features like English supertitles and minimal staging, we transmit Holocaust memory and suppressed cultural history, because participatory, emotionally resonant performance enables audiences to imaginatively engage with historical trauma and cultural continuity.
  • Language-Based Cultural Preservation
    methodology: language-based cultural preservation
    By using Yiddish as the primary medium in cultural, religious, and theatrical programming, we sustain Jewish cultural identity and enable intergenerational transmission, because linguistic immersion fosters deeper connection to heritage and authentic participation.
  • Scholarly and Institutional Stewardship of Yiddish Culture
    methodology: scholarly_preservation
    By curating anthologies, supporting scholarly editing, and forming institutional partnerships, we ensure the long-term preservation and revitalization of Yiddish culture, because academic rigor and collaborative infrastructure create sustainable pathways for cultural transmission beyond live performance.
  • Survivor-Led Commemoration as Living Memory
    methodology: survivor-led_commoration
    By centering annual commemorations in survivor-led traditions, we preserve authentic historical memory and foster intergenerational continuity, because lived testimony grounds cultural remembrance in personal experience, making it more resilient and morally compelling.