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New York’s first-ever Mishpachah Festival: A Celebration of Genealogy, Heritage, and Immigration, will take place on Sunday, May 21, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.
Mishpacha, which means “family” in Hebrew, will celebrate Jewish culture via genealogy lectures, Jewish heritage panels, cooking demonstrations, live music, and more family-friendly activities. And speaking of family, folks in attendance may connect with some new relatives, thanks to genealogy experts on hand to help with family history research.
“We are proud to present the inaugural Mishpachah Festival, where we will celebrate and explore Jewish genealogy, heritage, and immigration along with our partners,” said Jack Kliger, CEO and President of the Museum of Jewish Heritage. “There will be insightful lectures and activities for people of all ages, as we open the Museum to welcome our ‘family’ and together discover more about heritage and community.”
The festival will kick off with a concert featuring Grammy-Award-winning musician Joanie Leeds, plus Jeff Litman on guitar and Andi Rae Healy on ukulele and percussion. Throughout the festival, JewishGen will lead a series of genealogy discussions, and YIVO, HIAS, and The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation will lead other talks. National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek will hold a sing-along and Associate Artistic Director Motl Didner will lead a talk about Yiddish. David Teyf, owner of the Museum’s LOX Café, will lead Jewish cooking demonstrations and organizers will present family-friendly storytelling workshops.
The museum's exhibits will also be open to explore as is the Museum’s Lox Café, which features kosher Jewish and Russian fare for dine-in and takeout. Coat check and cubbies are available, and all visitors to the museum must pass through a security check.
Programming will run from 10am to 5pm, with an $18 suggested donation. Some virtual activities will be available as well for remote attendees.