YI Love Jewish hosts virtual ChanukahFest

As Chanukah is a season of miracles for Jews all around the world, the Yiddishkayt Initiative (YILoveJewish.org), is presenting a virtual Chanukah Mini Fest from Nov. 28- Dec. 5 with a lineup of entertainment and educational programming that is nothing short of miraculous.

"Chanukah is a time of miracles," said Avi Hoffman, YI Founder and CEO. "What we are doing is bringing together leading Jewish and Yiddish cultural figures from all over the world for our virtual YI Love ChanukahFest '21 featuring entertainment and activities for all ages. Almost all of the festival's events are free to the public.

This YI Love ChanukahFest '21 will celebrate the one-year anniversary of the debut of the variety-talk show, Shmoozing With Avi. New episodes of this lively series will feature Hoffman with celebrity guests such as Broadway Podcaster David Armstrong and Jewish hip-hop sensation Kosha Dillz.

The festival opens with the Shimmering Lights concert featuring a trio led by world-renowned klezmer expert and violinist Yale Strom, author of The Book Of Klezmer as well as many other publications and award-winning documentary films. Since Strom's first band began in 1982, he has been composing his own New Jewish music, which combines klezmer with Hasidic nigunim, Roma, jazz, classical, Balkan and Sephardic motifs.

One of the events coming back this ChanukahFest is a concert titled, "See the Light," featuring renowned Cantor Shira Ginsburg from the East End Temple in Manhattan in New York City accompanied by music director/pianist Caryl Ginsburg Fantel and drummer/percussionist Roy Fantel.

In their outdoor concert, the trio will present a lively, moving mix of traditional and non-traditional Chanukah and other songs centered around the concept of light and the beautiful instruction that the light of the Chanukiah (the nine-branched candelabrum lit during the holiday of Chanukah) is used solely as a source of joy and inspiration rather than for utility. Drawing from various genres and sources - including musical theater, Yiddish, pop and Jewish liturgy - the program will weave a Chanukah narrative that focuses on the illumination that the Chanukah candles bring, and likewise the light those who view the candles then share with the world.

There will also be the screening of an all new version of "Yiddish Tangos," starring Avi Hoffman and world-renowned Klezmer scholar Maestro Aaron Kula, which was performed and recorded live at the MAR JCC in August 2021.

"Yiddish Tangos" brings passion to Yiddish music and appeals to audiences of all ages and ethnicities by fusing Yiddish melodies with tango rhythms that produce a distinct and sensuous sound embracing two distinct cultures. The first recorded version of the program, which was the inaugural presentation of the Klezmer in Quarantine series, was viewed on Facebook by over 120,000 people.

For the kids, there is a presentation by Yale Strom of his new children's illustrated book entitled, "Shloyml-Bomyl and His Lucky Dreydl."

In the story, the talented Klezmer musician, Shloyml from Buhuși, embarks on a long journey to buy the best Israeli olive oil - the one thing needed for the Buhuși community to once again stand victorious in the yearly Latke contest. Will he manage to bring the oil back home in time or will he be stopped by the devious Nebish brothers? In the end, it all comes down to a thrilling game of dreydel!

Also, by popular demand, YI is bringing back the comedy presentation, "A Chanukiah-Side Chat with YidLife Crisis." As a special Chanukah treat, the terrific Canadian comic duo YidLife Crisis is creating this original production for YI and its audience.

YidLife Crisis is a Yiddish comedy web series and Jewish cultural brand created by two friends, Eli Batalion and Jamie Elman, wanting to pay homage to the Yiddishkayt in their upbringing and the Jewish comedic lens on life with which they were raised. What started as a passion project turned into a viral hit with over 3,000,000 video views and 30,000 subscribers, global press, awards and accolades, appearances and shoots around the world - including the collaboration of major celebrity talent such as Mayim Bialik and Howie Mandel.

The virtual concert titled "Chanukah in Jazz Time" will be a fundraiser for YI Love Jewish.

"Chanukah in Jazz Time" will be a soulful concert of American jazz, blues and spirituals all mixed with old world Klezmer. Joining the Klezmer Company Jazz Orchestra, which was founded in 1997 by Maestro Aaron Kula, in the concert will be Kula's brother, renowned Rabbi Irwin Kula, of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, who will offer wisdom for anyone seeking light in these turbulent times.

All of the day's events can be found here: https://yilovejewish.org/Chanukah-fest-2021.