Yidstock: The Festival of New Yiddish Music

Join us July 11–14 at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Yidstock 2024 logo with goat and clarinet

Yidstock: The Festival of New Yiddish Music is back! Now in its twelfth year, Yidstock brings the best in klezmer and new Yiddish music to the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts. From July 11 to 14, this four-day festival will include musicians and performers at the forefront of the Yiddish music scene. In addition to seven concerts, the lineup also includes four workshops, ten talks, and one special film screening, all in celebration of Yiddish music, language, and culture.

The best way to experience Yidstock is with a Concert Pass, which allows admission to all concerts and the two dance workshops. 

Yidstock festival goers can also build your own itinerary by purchasing individual tickets to concerts, talks, workshops, and the film screening.

YIDSTOCK CONCERT SCHEDULE


Thursday, July 11

The Klezmatics | Concert
7:30–9:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $54
GENERAL ADMISSION: $60

Friday, July 12

Judy Bressler and Hankus Netsky | Concert
2:00–3:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $40
GENERAL ADMISSION: $44
*Helen and Irving Sunshine Memorial Concert


Levyosn | Concert
5:00–6:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $40
GENERAL ADMISSION: $44

Saturday, July 13

*Socalled’s Gephilte | Concert
8:00–9:30 p.m.
MEMBERS: $60
GENERAL ADMISSION: $68
*The Joan A. Backman Memorial Concert

Sunday, July 14

*Daniel Kahn & Jake Shulman-Ment featuring Richie Barshay | Concert
12:00–1:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $40
GENERAL ADMISSION: $44
*The Lorraine “Libby” Buch Memorial Concert

Basya Shechter and Avi Fox-Rosen (Present Itsik Manger’s Khumesh Lider) | Concert
3:00–4:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $40
GENERAL ADMISSION: $44
*The Bernard and Reva Broder Memorial Concert

*Frank London’s Klezmer Brass Allstars, with Eleanor Reissa | Concert
7:30–8:45 p.m.
MEMBERS: $54
GENERAL ADMISSION: $60
*The Sarah Rose Lazarus Family Concert

BONUS:
Purchase of a Concert Pass includes access to two dance workshops, "Sher the Joy: Yiddish Social Dances with Asya Vaisman Schulman and Brian Bender" and "Kumt Un Tantst Tsuzamen! (Come and Dance Together!), with Judy Bressler and Brian Bender"

FULL YIDSTOCK LINEUP

Thursday, July 11
Friday, July 12
Saturday, July 13
Sunday, July 14

Thursday, July 11

FILM | Yidish in ale lender: Yiddish Around the World in Stories, with Christa Whitney
12:00 p.m.
Free, RSVP required
RSVP for "Yidish in ale lender"


TALK | The Essential Klezmer, with Seth Rogovoy
2:00–3:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $12
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
Purchase tickets to "The Essential Klezmer"


TALK | What Yiddish Music Tells Us about the Yiddish Home, with Hankus Netsky
4:00–5:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $12
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
Purchase tickets to "What Yiddish Music Tells Us about the Yiddish Home"
*This program is made possible by the Stanley R. Epstein Memorial Fund at the Yiddish Book Center


CONCERT | The Klezmatics
7:30–9:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $54
GENERAL ADMISSION: $60
Purchase tickets to "The Klezmatics"


Friday, July 12

TALK | The Writers behind the Great Yiddish Songs, with Hankus Netsky
10:00 a.m.
MEMBERS: $12
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
Purchase tickets to "The Writers behind the Great Yiddish Songs, with Hankus Netsky"

DANCE WORKSHOP | Sher the Joy: Yiddish Social Dances with Asya Vaisman Schulman and Brian Bender
10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $8
GENERAL ADMISSION: $10
Purchase tickets to "Sher the Joy: Yiddish Social Dances with Asya Vaisman Schulman and Brian Bender"

CONVERSATION | A Conversation with Adah Hetko and Kaia Berman Peters of Levyosn
1:00–1:45 p.m.
MEMBERS: $12
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
Purchase tickets to "A Conversation with Adah Hetko and Kaia Berman Peters of Levyosn"

CONCERT | Judy Bressler and Hankus Netsky
2:00–3:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $40
GENERAL ADMISSION: $44
Purchase tickets to "Judy Bressler and Hankus Netsky"
*Helen and Irving Sunshine Memorial Concert


CONVERSATION | A Conversation with Frank London
3:30 p.m.
MEMBERS: $12
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
Purchase tickets to "A Conversation with Frank London"

CONCERT | Levyosn
5:00–6:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $40
GENERAL ADMISSION: $44
Purchase tickets to "Levyosn"


Saturday, July 13

Please note: Individual tickets for Saturday's concerts, talks, and workshops are advanced sales only. Please purchase a ticket to guarantee admission. Admission will be free of charge at the door in recognition of Shabbos, but space is not guaranteed.


WORKSHOP | Kumt Un Tantst Tsuzamen! (Come and Dance Together!), with Judy Bressler and Brian Bender
10:30–12:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $8
GENERAL ADMISSION: $10
Purchase tickets to "Kumt Un Tantst Tsuzamen!"

TALK | Curating Yiddish Culture, with David Mazower
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Free, RSVP required
RSVP for "Curating Yiddish Culture, with David Mazower"

WORKSHOP | Instrumental Klezmer, with Brian Bender
1:00–3:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $12
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
Purchase tickets to "Instrumental Klezmer, with Brian Bender"


CONVERSATION | A Conversation with Basya Schechter and Avi Fox-Rosen
1:00–1:45 p.m.
MEMBERS: $12
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
Purchase tickets to "A Conversation with Basya Schechter and Avi Fox-Rosen"


CONVERSATION | A Conversation with Daniel Kahn
3:00–3:45 p.m.
MEMBERS: $12
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
Purchase tickets to "A Conversation with Daniel Kahn"


*CONCERT | Socalled's Gephilte
8:00–9:30 p.m.
MEMBERS: $60
GENERAL ADMISSION: $68
Purchase tickets to "Socalled’s Gephilte"
*The Joan A. Backman Memorial Concert


Sunday, July 14

WORKSHOP | Lomir Zingen! Yiddish Song Workshop, with Asya Vaisman Schulman
10:30–11:30 a.m.
MEMBERS: $12
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
Purchase tickets to "Lomir Zingen! Yiddish Song Workshop, with Asya Vaisman Schulman"


*CONCERT | Daniel Kahn & Jake Shulman-Ment featuring Richie Barshay
12:00–1:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $40
GENERAL ADMISSION: $44
Purchase tickets to "Daniel Kahn & Jake Shulman-Ment featuring Richie Barshay"
*The Lorraine “Libby” Buch Memorial Concert


TALK | A Conversation with Judy Bressler
1:30–2:15 p.m.
MEMBERS: $12
GENERAL ADMISSION: $15
Purchase tickets to "A Conversation with Judy Bressler"

*CONCERT | Basya Shechter and Avi Fox-Rosen (Present Itsik Manger’s Khumesh Lider)
3:00–4:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $40
GENERAL ADMISSION: $44
Purchase tickets to "Basya Shechter and Avi Fox-Rosen (Present Itsik Manger’s Khumesh Lider)"
*The Bernard and Reva Broder Memorial Concert


TALK | A Conversation with Aaron Lansky and Susan Bronson
4:30–5:30 p.m.
Free, RSVP required
RSVP for "A Conversation with Aaron Lansky and Susan Bronson"

*CONCERT | Frank London’s Klezmer Brass Allstars, with Eleanor Reissa
7:30–8:45 p.m.
MEMBERS: $54
GENERAL ADMISSION: $60
Purchase tickets to "Frank London’s Klezmer Brass Allstars, with Eleanor Reissa"
*The Sarah Rose Lazarus Family Concert

Logistics:

If you’re joining us from out of town, you can book a hotel room at the Howard Johnson Inn for a discounted rate. Call 413-586-0114 and mention “Yidstock Festival Attendees” by June 3 to receive the discounted rate. For more information about accommodations, download the PDF at the bottom of the page.

Additional resources for dining and accommodations in Hampshire County can be found at: visithampshirecounty.com

At the present time, the Yiddish Book Center expects that mask wearing will be optional for Yidstock. Subject to change. Please review our COVID policies here

YIDSTOCK 2024 is made possible in part by the following endowed funds at the Yiddish Book Center:

  • Joan A. Backman Memorial Concert Fund, established in memory of their daughter by Irving and Charlotte Backman
  • Bernard and Reva Broder Memorial Fund for Yiddish Music Projects and Programs
  • Lorraine “Libby” Buch Memorial Fund for Yiddish Music Projects and Programs
  • Sarah Rose Lazarus Fund for Family Concerts, established by Jeremy and Debbie Lazarus
  • Helen and Irving Sunshine Memorial Concert
  • Stanley R. Epstein Memorial Fund for Programs