Yidstock: The Festival of New Yiddish Music July 13–16, 2023 at the Yiddish Book Center

Please check back here in spring of 2024 for the Yidstock 2024 lineup and ticket links. 

Yidstock: The Festival of New Yiddish Music is back! Now in its eleventh year, Yidstock brings the best in klezmer and new Yiddish music to the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts. From July 13 to 16, 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, eleven talks, and one special film screening, all in celebration of Yiddish music, language, and culture.

Build your own itinerary by purchasing tickets to concerts, individual talks, workshops, and the film screening.

Can't join us in-person? For the first time ever, Yidstock is going online! Purchase a Livestream Concert Pass and watch all seven concerts from the comfort of your own home. 

YIDSTOCK CONCERT SCHEDULE

Thursday, July 13

*SOLD OUT | The Klezmatics | Concert
8:00–9:30 p.m.
MEMBERS: $50
GENERAL ADMISSION: $54

*Made possible in part with support from Wayne and Deborah Zuckerman

Friday, July 14

Sam Sadigursky Duo | Concert
2:00–3:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $36
GENERAL ADMISSION: $40

Saturday, July 15

*David Krakauer’s Mazel Tov Cocktail Party | Concert
8:00–9:30 p.m.
MEMBERS: $54
GENERAL ADMISSION: $64

*The Lorraine “Libby” Buch Memorial Concert

Sunday, July 16

*Midwood | Concert
12:00–1:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $36
GENERAL ADMISSION: $40

*Joan A. Backman Memorial Concert Fund, established in memory of their daughter by Irving and Charlotte Backman

FULL YIDSTOCK LINEUP

Thursday, July 13
Friday, July 14
Saturday, July 15
Sunday, July 16

Thursday, July 13

What’s the Matter with the Klezmer? Perspectives from the Center’s Wexler Oral History Project, with Christa Whitney | Film
1:00–1:45 p.m.
MEMBERS: $8
GENERAL ADMISSION: $10
Purchase tickets to "What’s the Matter with the Klezmer?"

The Essential Klezmer, with Seth Rogovoy | Talk
2:00–3:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $10
GENERAL ADMISSION: $12
Purchase tickets to "The Essential Klezmer"

Itzhak Perlman’s Jewish Violin, with Hankus Netsky | Talk
4:00–5:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $10
GENERAL ADMISSION: $12
Purchase tickets to "Itzhak Perlman’s Jewish Violin"

SOLD OUT | *The Klezmatics | Concert
8:00–9:30 p.m.
MEMBERS: $50
GENERAL ADMISSION: $54
Purchase tickets to 'The Klezmatics"

Friday, July 14

*Bronia, Leon, Sid, Pete, Ruth, Chane, and Theo, with Hankus Netsky | Talk
10:00–10:45 a.m.
MEMBERS: $10
GENERAL ADMISSION: $12
Purchase tickets to "Bronia, Leon, Sid, Pete, Ruth, Chane, and Theo, with Hankus Netsky"

*Made possible by the Stanley R. Epstein Fund at the Yiddish Book Center

Go Figure, with Steve Weintraub and Lauren Brody | Workshop
10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $10
GENERAL ADMISSION: $12
Purchase tickets to "Go Figure, with Steve Weintraub and Lauren Brody"

A Conversation with Socalled | Talk
1:00–1:45 p.m.
MEMBERS: $10
GENERAL ADMISSION: $12
Purchase tickets to "A Conversation with Socalled"

Sam Sadigursky Duo | Concert
2:00–3:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $36
GENERAL ADMISSION: $40
Purchase tickets to the Sam Sadigursky Duo

A Conversation with Sam Sadigursky and Marisa Scheinfeld | Talk
3:30–4:15 p.m.
MEMBERS: $10
GENERAL ADMISSION: $12
Purchase tickets to " A Conversation with Sam Sadigursky"

Nigunim Trio, with special guest Merlin Shepherd | Concert
5:00–6:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $36
GENERAL ADMISSION: $40
Purchase tickets to the Nigunim Trio, with special guest Merlin Shepherd

Saturday, July 15

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.

*Yiddish: A Global Culture, with David Mazower | Talk
10:30–11:30 a.m.
Free, RSVP required
RSVP to Yiddish: A Global Culture

*Made possible by Carole Kessler Roth and Larry Roth in loving memory of Carole’s father, Leo Kessler, a graduate of the Jewish Teachers’ Seminary in NY, who we lost too soon.

And Around We Go, with Steve Weintraub and Lauren Brody | Workshop
10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $10
GENERAL ADMISSION: $12
Purchase tickets to "And Around We Go, with Steve Weintraub and Lauren Brody"

A Conversation with Lorin Sklamberg | Talk
1:00–1:45 p.m.
MEMBERS: $10
GENERAL ADMISSION: $12
Purchase tickets to "A Conversation with Lorin Sklamberg"

Instrumental Klezmer, with Brian Bender | Workshop
1:00–3:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $10
GENERAL ADMISSION: $12
Purchase tickets to "Instrumental Klezmer, with Brian Bender"

A Conversation with Aaron Lansky and Susan Bronson | Talk
2:00–3:00 p.m.
Free, RSVP required
RSVP to "A Conversation with Aaron Lansky and Susan Bronson"

A Conversation with Merlin Shepherd | Talk
3:30–4:15 p.m.
MEMBERS: $10
GENERAL ADMISSION: $12
Purchase tickets to "A Conversation with Merlin Shepherd"

*David Krakauer’s Mazel Tov Cocktail Party | Concert
8:00–9:30 p.m.
MEMBERS: $54
GENERAL ADMISSION: $64
Purchase tickets to David Krakauer’s Mazel Tov Cocktail Party

*The Lorraine “Libby” Buch Memorial Concert

Sunday, July 16

Eleanor Reissa in Conversation with Lisa Newman, host of The Shmooze | Talk
10:30–11:15 a.m.
MEMBERS: $10
GENERAL ADMISSION: $12
Purchase tickets to "Eleanor Reissa in Conversation with Lisa Newman"

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

*Midwood | Concert
12:00–1:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $36
GENERAL ADMISSION: $40
Purchase tickets to Midwood

*Joan A. Backman Memorial Concert Fund, established in memory of their daughter by Irving and Charlotte Backman

Connecting Klezmer to the Jewish Wedding and Dancing, with Steve Weintraub | Talk
1:30–2:15 p.m.
MEMBERS: $10
GENERAL ADMISSION: $12
Purchase tickets to "Connecting Klezmer to the Jewish Wedding and Dancing"

*Forshpil | Concert
3:00–4:00 p.m.
MEMBERS: $36
GENERAL ADMISSION: $40
Purchase tickets to Forshpil

*The Helen and Irving Sunshine Memorial Concert

SOLD OUT | *Yidstock All-Stars: Yiddish Around the World | Concert
7:00–8:30 p.m.
MEMBERS: $50
GENERAL ADMISSION: $54
Purchase tickets to Yidstock All-Stars: Yiddish Around the World

*The Bernard and Reva Broder Memorial 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 12 to receive the discounted rate. For more information about accommodations, download the PDF at the bottom of the page.

Holyoke Hummus will be at the Center on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday with their popular food truck. Enjoy a meal at one of our picnic tables, nestled in the middle of our apple orchard.

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

We hope you’ll join us for what we know will be four days of great concerts, talks, workshops, and more.

YIDSTOCK 2023 is co-sponsored by WAMC Northeast Public Radio and 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
• Helen and Irving Sunshine Memorial Fund for Programs
• Stanley R. Epstein Fund at the Yiddish Book Center

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.