Midwest Yiddishfest
- Event Type
- Festival/Celebration
- Sponsor
- The Program in Jewish Culture and Society
- Location
- Champaign-Urbana (various locations)
- Date
- Nov 14, 2025 - Nov 16, 2025 All Day
- Speaker
- none
- Cost
- Free and open to the public - TICKET REQUIRED
- Registration
- Registration
- Contact
- Rachelle Grossman
- rtgrossm@illinois.edu
- Views
- 8
- Originating Calendar
- Jewish Studies Calendar
The Program in Jewish Culture and Society is pleased to share that on November 14-16 we will be hosting the Midwest Yiddishfest, a three-day Yiddish arts and culture festival here in Champaign-Urbana. The program is an initiative of the Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation and the UIUC Program in Jewish Culture & Society, with support from the Yiddish Book Center, Hillel, and our local synagogue, Sinai Temple.
Programming throughout the weekend will feature workshops, concerts, and lectures, including a printmaking program at our letterpress studio on campus (with authentic Yiddish type!). Anthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell will be presenting on Jewish texts and Yiddish song. On Saturday night, the Golden Thread Ensemble will perform “Yiddish Songs of Social Change,” featuring noted Yiddish vocalists Lorin Sklamberg and Sasha Lurje, plus five leading string players from the klezmer scene, Craig Judelman, Abigale Reisman, Lysander Jaffe, Raffi Boden, and Kirsten Lamb.We hope this festival will be the start of an annual tradition that demonstrates the energy and enthusiasm for Yiddish that we have here in the Midwest.Our flyer is attached.Please join us, and share with your students, colleagues, and wider networks.