This weekend, “Yiddish Las Vegas: A Music and Culture Festival” presents a taste of Eastern European language and culture. It’s the second year of the festival, which is a presentation of the Jewish Community Center of Southern Nevada and Temple Sinai – and takes place at Temple Sinai.
Heather Klein is the Cantorial Soloist at Temple Sinai – and she's the organizer of the event.
Klein told KNPR's State of Nevada that this year's festival will include people from several other synagogues around the valley, musicians from around Southern Nevada and a comedian who is part of a new renaissance of Yiddish culture found around the world, Jamie Elman.
With the rise in anti-Semitic threats and vandalism, Klein said it is important to celebrate the Jewish culture.
“I think the main point is that we need to keep celebrating and being proud of who we are as people, being Jews and celebrating this culture that is not typically celebrated,” Klein said.
Keeping the Yiddish language alive and well is part of the focus of the festival. The language is dying out in many places.
“We need to make it new for the next generation,” Klein said.
Part of the festival will focus on activities for kids, including a painting project, music lessons, a bake off and more.
Temple Sinai and the Jewish Community Center of Southern Nevada present :
"Yiddish Las Vegas: A Music & Culture Festival"
Saturday, March 18, and Sunday, March 19
Location: Temple Sinai
9001 Hillpointe Road
Las Vegas, NV 89134
Heather Klein, Cantorial Soloist, Temple Sinai Las Vegas
