About Us

The New York Klezmer Series is well respected within the klezmer and Yiddish culture communities, both locally and internationally.

We Present World-Class Artists: The series consistently features leading international and local performers.
We Celebrate and Educate: We are dedicated to celebrating and educating both musicians and the public on Yiddish culture. The series includes concerts, workshops, dance parties, jam sessions, a Community Klezmer Band and Kids Klezmer NYC (a youth klezmer band).
Fostering Community: We’re creating a central gathering place for klezmer musicians and individuals interested in Yiddish culture, considered “an indispensable part of the New York Jewish music scene”.
Strong Artistic Leadership: Founded and curated by respected klezmer and jazz drummer Aaron Alexander.
We’re Building a Legacy: Since its inception, the series has produced over 250 evenings of high-quality Klezmer music and Yiddish dance (check out our past conecerts page).
Community Recognition: Organization has garnered support and partnerships with other important arts organizations like Workmen’s Circle, Yiddish New York, Living Traditions, and the Center for Traditional Music and Dance and is funded in part by the NY State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).

The New York Klezmer Series is valued for its commitment to showcasing top talent, fostering education, building community, and respectfully presenting the rich traditions of klezmer music and Yiddish culture.

(a little AI help with the wording – thanks Google)

The NY Klezmer Series (NYKS) has presented music and dance in New York City weekly in a fall and spring season from Sept. 2010 until the pandemic in Mar. 2020. In 2023 we began offering a scaled down schedule of events, roughly once or twice a month. NYKS presented Concerts, Workshops, Jam Sessions, Tantshoyz – (Yiddish Dance Party with live klezmer music). We have a wonderful and growing Community Klezmer Band, and have presented Kids Klezmer NYC, a sort of “All-City” youth klezmer band. The series has been based in several places over the years – First at the invitation of Rabbi Greg Wall at the 6th St. Synagogue in the East Village, then at Stephen Wise on the UWS, at Jalopy in Brooklyn, at the Town & Village Synagogue on E.14th St, and now at the beautiful and historic Hudson Yards Synagogue on West 34th St. between 8th & 9th Ave.

The series has featured leading international and local performers in an intimate setting while celebrating, and educating musicians and the public on, vital (and often neglected) traditional and contemporary expressions of Yiddish culture.

The series is run by Aaron Alexander with a lot of help from the worldwide Klezmer Music and Yiddish Culture Community, especially Pete Rushefsky and CTMD, NYSCA, Mike Ritz, President of the Hudson Yards Synagogue, Jordan Hirsch, Greg Wall (co-founder), Suzanne Schwimmer, Michael Winograd, Sarah Myerson, Chelsea Simon, and all the artists who contribute playing, teaching, dancing.

The New York Klezmer Series is well respected within the klezmer and Yiddish culture communities, both locally and internationally.

We Present World-Class Artists: The series consistently features leading international and local performers.

We Celebrate and Educate: We are dedicated to celebrating and educating both musicians and the public on Yiddish culture. The series includes concerts, workshops, dance parties, jam sessions, a Community Klezmer Band and Kids Klezmer NYC (a youth klezmer band).

Fostering Community: We’re creating a central gathering place for klezmer musicians and individuals interested in Yiddish culture, considered “an indispensable part of the New York Jewish music scene”.

Strong Artistic Leadership: Founded and curated by respected klezmer and jazz drummer Aaron Alexander.

We’re Building a Legacy: Since its inception, the series has produced over 250 evenings of high-quality Klezmer music and Yiddish dance (check out our past conecerts page).

Community Recognition: Organization has garnered support and partnerships with other important arts organizations like Workmen’s Circle, Yiddish New York, Living Traditions, and the Center for Traditional Music and Dance and is funded in part by the NY State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).

The New York Klezmer Series is valued for its commitment to showcasing top talent, fostering education, building community, and respectfully presenting the rich traditions of klezmer music and Yiddish culture.

The series has featured leading international and local performers in an intimate setting while celebrating, and educating musicians and the public on, vital (and often neglected) traditional and contemporary expressions of Yiddish culture.