CSUN Jewish Studies Program Gets $14,000

The Jewish Studies program at Cal State Northridge has received two gifts from private donors totaling $14,000.

The money will enable the program to develop new courses and hire instructors for specialized lessons, college officials said.

TV comedy writer Mickey Ross and his wife, Irene, donated $10,000, and an anonymous donor gave $4,000, said Jody Myers, coordinator of the program.

Myers said the donations will help the program grow and develop. “Our expansion would be limited without these funds.”

She said donations like these enable the program to make up for money that has been lost over the years due to state legislative funding cuts.

“We all know that we have to go out and raise funds, even though this is a public university,” Myers said.

These donations show students that there are people outside of the school who care about higher education, she said. “Students are really touched by it and inspired by it.

The money from the Rosses--who have given to the university annually since 1992--will be used to strengthen studies in Yiddish literature.

The donation is primarily used to bring in adjunct professors with expertise in a subject, or to buy films, maps and other materials to be used in classes that might otherwise not be offered in the curriculum.