Outdoor Yiddish Festival Kicks Off in Weimar - Outdoor Yiddish music festival commences in Weimar
The political climate in the region may be challenging for cultural events, but the Yiddish Summer Weimar (YSW) Festival is pressing on with a strong cultural mission to celebrate its 25th anniversary. This year's event, taking place on August 17, 2025, promises a daylong program of workshops, performances, and events that will showcase the richness of Yiddish language, music, dance, and klezmer instrumental music.
The festival, which takes place at the Herderplatz, will feature a unique ensemble of musicians performing a mix of Yiddish, Greek, Turkish, and Sephardic music. The YAM Ensemble, a project developed by the YSW, consists of over 30 young professional musicians from Turkey, Greece, and Germany.
The musical program is set to be as diverse as the ensemble itself. While specific details about the YAM Ensemble's set list are not yet available, the festival as a whole will showcase a vibrant mosaic of Jewish musical traditions. This includes Jiddische (Yiddish) psychedelic rock by the Latvian-German band forshpil, klezmer traditions from Buenos Aires presented by César Lerner and Marcelo Moguilevsky, and a fusion of klezmer with a circus show by Der fliendiker balagan.
The festival's curator, Andreas Schmitges, has confirmed that the open-air concert will take place rain or shine. Despite some cancellations of concerts in Florence and Belgrade due to security concerns, the YSW festival offers over 100 public concerts and other events until August 17.
The Sephardic community, expelled from Spain and Portugal in the Middle Ages, maintains a unique culture and the Ladino language to this day. The festival also offers free trial courses at the Yiddish Summer Weimar festival for those interested in learning more about Yiddish language and music.
The Yiddish Summer Weimar festival is a celebration of Yiddish culture, a colloquial language spoken by many Jews and a blend of Hebrew and German that is also learned and spoken by others. The festival's diverse musical program reflects its commitment to both heritage and contemporary exploration, making it a vital space for celebrating and evolving Yiddish culture through music and community.
- The YAM Ensemble, a project spearheaded by the Yiddish Summer Weimar (YSW), adheres to the festival's employment policy, comprising over 30 young professional musicians from Turkey, Greece, and Germany.
- Attendees can immerse themselves in the vibrant lifestyle of the festival, with a diverse musical program catering to various tastes, ranging from Jiddische (Yiddish) psychedelic rock by forshpil to the fusion of klezmer with a circus show by Der fliendiker balagan, reflecting the festival's commitment to both heritage and contemporary exploration.
