Events for April 5, 2025 - November 5, 2023

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‘KhapLop’: Children’s Stories in Yiddish – Dr. Seuss and More Featuring Avi Hoffman

Online

Stories by the iconic authors Rudyard Kipling and Dr. Seuss are given surprising new spins in Yiddish (with a Bisl English) translations by Avi’s Yiddishe Mameh, Columbia University Professor Miriam Hoffman read by her son, renowned actor Avi Hoffman. This multimedia presentation will include music and illustrations from the original publications. The Yiddish interpretations of these timeless classics will put a shmeykhel (smile) on the faces of children of all ages. The event can be viewed on Facebook, YouTube and the YI Love Jewish website: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YiddishkaytInitiative Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5Sn79YK2gnyrZiNJgWPuWw Website: https://yilovejewish.org/ Click for more information

Free

The Megillah Cycle of Itzik Manger Featuring Mike Burstyn and a star studded cast in association with Congress for Jewish Culture (NY)

Online

The Megillah Cycle is a reading of the entire original Megillah of Itzik Manger, which was the inspiration for the 1960’s Broadway Musical sensation which starred a young Mike Burstyn and his parents, the Yiddish Theatre icons Pesach Burstein and Lilian Lux. This virtual celebration will be directed by, and will feature Mike Burstyn and an international celebrity studded cast including Daniel Kahn (Germany), Jamie Elman and Eli Battalion (Yidlife Crisis, Canada), and US Jewish Eleanor Reissa, Shane Baker, Yelena Shmuelenson, Allen Lewis Rickman, Suzanne Toren and Avi Hoffman as Evil Haman. Congress for Jewish Culture (CJC) is a home [...]

Free

YI Love Play Readings: Senior Moments

Online

Two Jewish families whose respective matriarchs are giving them a hard time about where they want to live out their golden years. A snapshot of two Jewish families whose respective matriarchs are giving them a hard time about where they want to live out their golden years. The plays being shown are "A Mensch for Mom" by Joan Liman and "Finding Evelyn" by Kathy Kafer. This will be a double bill with both plays shows on the same evening. The event can be viewed on Facebook, YouTube and the YI Love Jewish website: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YiddishkaytInitiative Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5Sn79YK2gnyrZiNJgWPuWw Website: https://yilovejewish.org/ More [...]

Free

REBROADCAST: Shmoozing with Avi, our interview program, will feature Phillip Namanworth!

Online

Shmoozing with Avi, our interview program, will feature Phillip Namanworth whose music career has been highlighted by his funky signature vocals, bluesy piano playing and his world class band, Always Somethin', backing him up. Phillip has intertwined 25 years of studies and teaching of Jewish mysticism and Chassidus as a long time Talmud of R. Simon Jacobson student, imbuing the wisdom of the sages with the rockin' rhythm and blues of the soul, bringing the material and the spiritual worlds together in a fusion of spirit and song. Phillip began his music career singing with an a capella doo wop [...]

Free

Shmoozing with Avi featuring Neal Hoffman creator of “Mensch on a Bench”

Online

This week Shmoozing with Avi features Neal Hoffman, creator of Mensch on a Bench.  Born and raised in Marblehead, Massachusetts,  he stood out as a “model” student in his Hebrew school. With an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and MBA from University of Virginia, Neal landed his dream job making toys at Hasbro where he worked on GI Joe, Tonka, and Transformers. In 2011, Neal and his wife Erin moved to Cincinnati with their son, Jacob Maccabee Hoffman, and welcomed their second son, Alexander Goldwin Hoffman. Drawing from his creative background in toys, Neal was inspired when Jake [...]

Free

Yiddish Fun-02

Zoom

The class meets every Sunday starting March 14, 2021 from 2pm to 3pm on Zoom for 6 weeks. A 6 week course in a BISL advanced conversational Yiddish with an entertaining and fun twist. This ‘slightly’ intermediate 60 minute fully interactive class entitled Yiddish Fun02 utilizes the curricula and materials developed by Columbia University Professor Miriam Hoffman and under the guidance and direction of her son, renowned actor and course professor Avi Hoffman, connecting the academic roots of the Yiddish language with its incredible contributions to mainstream modern culture. (Prior Knowledge of Yiddish or participation in YiddishFun01 is not necessary) [...]

$60

Shmoozing with Avi – Guest: Artist Shoshannah Brombacher

Online

Shoshannah Brombacher (Amsterdam, Holland 1959) holds a PhD in Jewish Studies, taught, researched and studied in Leyden, Amsterdam, Berlin and Jerusalem. She is an author, illustrator, visual artist , and maggidah (storyteller/spiritual guide). Her main interest is Chassidism, but includes the Golem of Prague, the Breslover Tikkun, Talmudic, Midrashic and Biblical stories,Biblical women, the weekly Torah-portion, the Twelve Tribes, Goethe’s Faust, poetry (Yiddish,Sephardic, several European languages), the Haggadah, the Hebrew Aleph-Beth, Spinoza, classical composers, cities, The Dybbuk, and politically inspired poetry/events (Nazim Hikmet Ran, Occupy-Wallstreet). Brombacher creates custom art (ketubot, verses of a name, tikkunim,home-blessings Psalms, bar/bat mitzvah, etc. Calligraphy, [...]

Free

Shmoozing with Avi – Guest: Shari Wallack, author of “From Hell to Challah”

Online

In from hell to challah, Shari Wallack shares her inspiring, funny, and uplifting story through despair, survival, and mental emancipation during the chaos of 2020. Her journey begins inside a mental hospital and continues on a trip to eighteen destinations throughout the United States during the Covid-19 pandemic. She details her innermost thoughts, hopes, and fears while illustrating how she went from crippling depression to joy over a three-month period.  Along with a multitude of colorful characters, Shari navigates an exciting and unusual voyage of self-discovery and healing. Among the useful lessons she learns along the way, she discovers that [...]

Free

Passover: An Interfaith Perspective

Online

A panel discussion on the Social, Historic and Interfaith aspects of the iconic Jewish Holiday! About this Event Moderated by: Avi Hoffman Current Panelists: Professor Mark Luttio (Lynn University) Professor Robert Watson (Lynn University) Dr. Ted Brownstein (Abrahamic Reunion) Dr. Debbie Almontaser (Bridging Cultures Group ) Musical Performances by: Frank London (Grammy Award Winning Jazz Musician) Cantor Shira Ginsburg (USA) Daniel Kahn (Germany)   The event can be viewed on Facebook, YouTube and the YI Love Jewish website: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YiddishkaytInitiative Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5Sn79YK2gnyrZiNJgWPuWw Website: https://yilovejewish.org/

Free

Yiddish Fun-01

Online

The class meets every Sunday starting January 31, 2021 from 2pm to 3pm on Zoom for 6 weeks. "This is one of the highlights of my week." - C. Fritz A 6-week conversational Yiddish online course utilizing the curricula and materials developed by Columbia University Professor Miriam Hoffman and under the guidance and direction of her son, renowned actor and course professor Avi Hoffman, connecting the academic roots of the Yiddish language with its incredible contributions to mainstream modern culture. This hands-on course emphasizes the humor and depth of the Yiddish Culture and encourages the course participants to personally engage [...]

$60

Ocean Drive Promenade Music Series – Zisl Slepovitch Plays Klezmer

Ocean Drive Association Ocean Dr between 14th st and 14th place in Lummus Park, Miami, NY, United States

This Sunday features composer, ethnomusicologist, educator, and multi-instrumentalist Zisl Slepovitch. In honor of Jewish Heritage Month, Zisl will be performing a program of traditional Klezmer music. Yiddishkayt Initiative (YI) is a non-for-profit organization that celebrates and promotes Jewish history, life, and culture and their positive and far-reaching impact on the world. From performing arts, publishing, and education to language, philosophy, and literature, YI offers a global clearinghouse of Jewish culture and entertainment. The Ocean Drive Association presents a resident-centric and family-friendly concert series, bringing music outside of the concert hall and into the community. These events are free and open to [...]

Imported Bridegroom

14th Street Y Theater 344 E. 14th St, New York, NY, United States

A ROMANTIC MUSICAL COMEDY SPOTLIGHTING THE CONFLICTS AND AFFECTIONS OF JEWISH IMMIGRANTS TO AMERICA AND THEIR AMERICAN BORN CHILDREN. Based on a story by Abraham Cahan Book and Lyrics by Pamela BergerMusic by Hankus NetskyAdditional music by:Joanne Baker & Pamela Berger Director: Avi HoffmanArtistic Director: Pamela BergerChoreographer: Oren KorenblumMusic Director: Mark YorkLighting Designer: Josh Martinez-DavisSet Designer: Qingan ZhangCostume Designer: Quinn BurgessProducer/General Manager: Gabriel Szjanert Cast:Avi Hoffman as AsrielMia Mclain as FloraYochai Greenfeld as ShayaMary Feinsinger as Mrs. Birnbaum Ensemble:Daniel BarrettElmore JamesDaniella Rabbani Sirkin  In the tradition of the rollicking old-fashioned American musical comedy, here comes “Imported Bridegroom: The Musical.” Set in Olde New York circa [...]

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