CityMusic Columbus, the Leo Yassenoff Jewish Community Center, and Women at Play are among the beneficiaries of over $13,000 in Jewish Arts grants recently approved by the Columbus Jewish Foundation’s Jewish Arts Committee. The mission of the Foundation’s Jewish Arts Endowment is to enhance greater public awareness of the Jewish arts in Central Ohio.

“Placing an emphasis on stimulating greater public appreciation for the arts in Jewish life through arts programs of high artistic merit is really at the core of what we do,” noted Jewish Arts Committee Chair Debby Kane. “By promoting and enhancing participation in Jewish art activities and events, and encouraging activities that further the enjoyment and understanding of visual performing and media arts with Jewish content, the committee hopes to energize the community while making Columbus a Midwest center for the Jewish arts.”

CityMusic Columbus and The Melton Center for Jewish Studies at The Ohio State University are teaming up to welcome the world-renowned Klezmatics and their soul stirring Jewish roots music to the Fawcett Center on February 16, 2006. The Leo Yassenoff Jewish Community Center is looking to upgrade their audio/video equipment for the facility to help facilitate productions like Women at Play’s World Premier Production of Francine Prose’s novel (adaptation by Katherine Burkman) Hungry Hearts to the stage in April 2006 March 23-April 2, 2006. Hungry Hearts recounts the tale of a Yiddish theatre group in the 1920s and their tour of South America with a production of Ansky’s The Dybbuk.

“These are exactly the kinds of programs that the Jewish Arts Endowment is looking to support,” remarked  Mrs. Kane.

Supporting the arts with grants is only half of the story as the Foundation is pleased to announce the May 25, 2006 Bella & Harry Wexner Concert featuring Israel’s Ariel Quartet. The concert is being held this year of Yom Yerushalyim.

For more information, or to learn about giving opportunities to the Foundation’s Jewish Arts Endowment, please contact Jackie Jacobs, Executive Director of the Columbus Jewish Foundation at  614-338-2365 or e-mail jjacobs@tcjf.org. 

The Columbus Jewish Foundation is dedicated to building permanent community resources to secure the stability and continuity of Jewish life in Columbus and abroad. To find out more about how you can make a difference in the lives of Jews right here in Columbus and throughout the world, please contact Jackie Jacobs, Executive Director of the Columbus Jewish Foundation at  614-338-2365 or e-mail jjacobs@tcjf.org.