National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene' Star-Studded Summer Soirée

The award-winning National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF)—which brought you the acclaimed Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish and the Barry Manilow-Bruce Sussman Broadway-bound hit, Harmony—presented an annual Summer Soirée fundraiser, a star-studded event celebrating the students, educators, and supporters of NYTF’s new Education Initiative aimed at providing young people with an introduction to Yiddish language and culture and to combat antisemitism through the performing arts, on Monday, June 19.

Hundreds attended the Summer Soirée at The Lighthouse at Pier 61, Chelsea Piers, in Manhattan, and hundreds more registered to watch the livestream. Now, NYTF is making the celebration available so audiences can watch the exclusive event—for free, though donations are welcomeand immerse themselves in the captivating moments from the unforgettable gathering.

Audiences can watch the event now through noon on Monday, June 26, at nytf.org/view, and cherish the magic wherever they are.

The elegant evening offered an early, exciting preview of musical moments from NYTF’s upcoming 2023-2024 season, featuring productions of three new shows: the poignant Amid Falling Walls (Tsvishn Falndike Vent), which tells—through Yiddish song—stories of the perseverance of the Jewish spirit during the Holocaust; the thrilling Kids & Yiddish: The Mishegas Continues, a wildly entertaining, family-friendly, Jewish-themed show in the style of Sesame Street meets Saturday Night Live created by Yiddish Diva Joanne Borts along with NYTF Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek and Yiddish Troubadour Menachem Michael Fox; and the educational Hannah Senesh: Youth Edition, an immersive three-part theatrical experience for kids and young adults that tells the true story of Hannah Senesh, the heroic young Jewish woman who escaped from Axis-allied Hungary in 1939 to the safety of British Mandate Palestine.

“Distance should not keep you from experiencing this extraordinary event, where we look both at the resounding success of the last year, the launch of the Education Initiative, and the promising year ahead as we present three dynamic, new productions for audiences of all ages,” said Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek and Executive Director Dominick Balletta.

The evening celebrated the success over the last year of NYTF’s Educational Initiative, which provided transportation and free tickets for teachers and 1,268 students (from third grade through graduate programs) from 26 New York City public schools, private Jewish day schools, public and private universities as well as after school arts enrichment programs to Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish.

Before the students visited the theater, NYTF engaged them with a study guide and a website with resources including interviews with award-winning director Joel Grey and star Steven Skybell, and visited classes to discuss the history of Yiddish and Jewish life in Eastern Europe. And after the shows, students attended talkbacks with the cast and creative team. For most of these students, this was their first contact with Yiddish language and culture.

“The goal of the initiative is simple, to inspire the next generation of talent and audience and to combat rising antisemitism by sharing our stories with our neighbors from other communities,” said NYTF Associate Artistic Director Motl Didner.

With Adam B. Shapiro (Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as Master of Ceremonies, the evening featured performances from artists who have been part of NYTF’s stellar productions, including a special appearance by The Mameles (Abby Goldfarb, Raquel Nobile and Jodi Snyder). The Mameles formed after they met while starring in NYTF’s production of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish. And, the audience was brought to their feet by an inspiring performance by 11-year-old violin virtuoso Yosef Kogan.

Throughout the night, attendees were treated to performances by: Dani Apple, Joanne H. Borts, Aaron Diskin, Brian Glassman, Sophie Knapp, Annette Ezekiel Kogan, Frank London, Avram Mlotek, Jenny Romaine, Rachel Yucht, Avi Fox-Rosen, Ilya Shneyveys, Dmitri Zisl Slepovitch, and Matt Temkin. And the evening also included a band featuring Zalmen Mlotek and Frank London (of The Klezmatics).

The evening included special performances by the Schechter Bergen Children’s Chorus of Bergen County, NJ; Julie Benko, breakout star of Broadway’s Funny Girl; and Danny Kornfeld from Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman's new musical Harmony, which had its New York City premiere at the NYTF and starts performances at Broadway’s Ethel Barrymore Theater October 18.

And, Michael Zegen from the hit show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, delivered powerful remarks lauding NYTF for its educational curriculum.

“The work that the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene is doing is crucial: educating through art, giving young people, regardless of their ethnicity or religion, an opportunity to learn, to connect, and to take action against the racism and bigotry that are ever-present in our society today,” he said. “Engaging in any aspect of this curriculum, whether a student, a performer, a teacher, a donor, what we’re all doing here is sort of a mitzvah.. I’m proud to portray Jewish characters in my work, but representing my real life Jewish identity is just as important to me… Congratulations to the NYTF for an amazing 109 years of preserving and celebrating Jewish culture and of triumphantly persevering in the continuous fight against antisemitism. Here’s to 109 more.”