Category Archives: Avi Hoffman

YI Love Jewish to Present GOD & THE HOLOCAUST Commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day

30 Monday Mar 2026

Posted by in Avi Hoffman, Clients, YI Love Jewish, Yiddishkayt Initiative

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YI Love Jewish to Present
God & The Holocaust
Commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day

A multi-media concert event honoring memory, courage, and resilience at the
Aventura Arts & Cultural Center on April 13th

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

March 31, 2026

AVENTURA, FL:  On April 13th, 2026 in commemoration of International Holocaust Day, YI Love Jewish founder and CEO Avi Hoffman along with Maestro Aaron Kula and his Klezmer Company Jazz Orchestra will present God & The Holocaust, a stunning multi-media musical concert at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center.

This stirring performance will delve into the profound and complex bond between Jews and their God, as depicted through the haunting music and literature born of the Holocaust.  Drawing deeply from the words and melodies of legendary Jewish and Yiddish playwrights, poets, and authors, the concert will feature songs and stories that echo with heartbreak, resilience, and hope.

YI Love Jewish and the Yiddishkayt Initiative, founded by Hoffman and his mother, Professor Miriam Hoffman is a not-for-profit organization that utilizes the performing arts, education, language, literature, and publishing to challenge antisemitism, and to celebrate and promote Jewish history, life, and culture and their far-reaching impact on the world.

Carbonell Award-winning actor Avi Hoffman has been awarded Congressional recognition, was invited to the Vatican to meet Pope Francis, and was inducted into the Bronx Jewish Hall of Fame for his lifetime work advancing Jewish culture, Yiddishkayt, and Holocaust awareness through the organization he founded – Yiddishkayt Initiative, Inc. (YILoveJewish.org). As an actor, he was nominated for a NY Drama Desk Award for his Yiddish language portrayal of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. He is well known for his Too Jewish Trilogy: Award winning one man shows Too Jewish, Too Jewish, Too! (PBS, Performer of the Year ’95 – NY Press Magazine; L.A. OVATION award – Best Actor in a Musical 2001; NY Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle award nominations) and Still Jewish After All These Years. On TV, he was featured as Sid Raskin in the Starz TV series Magic City, as well as on Netflix’ Bloodline, A&E’s The Glades and on the NBC series Law and Order. Avi has performed all over the world, has numerous acting and directing credits and has received multiple awards and nominations.

Aaron Kula is a nationally recognized conductor, educator, composer, accordionist, and producer.  He is a Fulbright Music Specialist; in 2018 he was awarded a grant to lecture in Israel, with appearances at the U.S. Embassy, Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, and music conservatories in the Negev and Western Galilee.  Maestro Kula’s interdisciplinary career in classical, jazz, and folk music led him to form the award-winning genre bending Klezmer Company Jazz Orchestra in 1997.  He is an innovator of concert programming, and has conducted concert performances of multiple Broadway musicals, including My Fair Lady, Funny Girl, Fiddler on the Roof, and South Pacific.  He is currently Artist in Residence at the Levis Jewish Community Center in Boca Raton, and Artist Liaison for Community Engagement for the Elevar Foundation.

God & The Holocaust will take place at 8 pm on Monday, April 13th at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at https://tinyurl.com/ms2xd5xw.  Tickets range in price from $23 – $89. 

For more information about God & The Holocaust, to speak with anyone involved in the event, or to attend the performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

(Click on each image to enlarge it, then right click on the enlarged image and ‘save image as’ or ‘copy image’)

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God & The Holocaust
Monday, April 13 at 8 pm
Tickets:  $23-$89
Direct ticketing link:  https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0D00636A9488640B?brand=aventuraacc&camefrom=cfc_aventura_web&webview=1
The performance will take place at the
Aventura Arts & Cultural Center
3385 NE 188th Street
Aventura, FL  33180

Avi Hoffman
Aaron Kula
Aaron Kula
Avi Hoffman

RISING STARS Ignites Boca Raton: National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene Debuts the Next Generation of Talent!

11 Wednesday Mar 2026

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Rising Stars Ignites Boca Raton:
National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene Debuts
The Next Generation of Talent
at B’nai Torah Congregation!

Yiddish theater’s rising stars shine brighter than ever!

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

March 11, 2026

BOCA RATON, FL:  The legendary National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) will join forces with B’nai Torah Congregation to unveil the Boca Raton premiere of Rising Stars – a thrilling showcase celebrating the vibrant future of Yiddish culture featuring a group of breathtakingly talented young performers.

The performance, which will take place at B’nai Torah Congregation on Sunday, March 22nd at 2 pm, will feature internationally acclaimed conductor/composer/pianist Zalmen Mlotek, Artistic Director of NYTF, along with special guest star Cantor Magda Fishman, who will serve as the musical director and featured vocalist for the event, bringing her powerful, soulful voice to the B’nai Torah stage.

However, at the heart of the event are the true “rising stars” themselves: Yair Keydar, Margot Weintraub, Riki Rose, and Mia Twill, a remarkable group of young performers proudly rooted in their Jewish heritage and already headed toward Broadway, concert halls, and other major stages. Their energy, talent, and emotional connection to their material promises an afternoon of joy, nostalgia, and inspiration for audiences of all ages.

Yair Keydar is a 12-year-old musical theater prodigy who gained national attention as a standout contestant in the Music Juniors category of Netflix’s reboot of “Star Search,” where his powerful voice and charismatic stage presence repeatedly impressed the celebrity judges and audiences. The son of cantor Magda Fishman, he has performed with his mother since early childhood in synagogues and at concerts, experiences that helped shape his Star Search success and emerging New York stage career.” 

Margot Weintraub is an up and coming actress appearing in Off-Broadway productions and television, known for her talent, stage presence, and growing work in theater and on screen; Riki Rose is a Yiddish singer and entertainer from the Satmar community in Williamsburg, known for her powerful voice and viral hit “Utem Arein Utem Arois” (“Breathe In, Breathe Out”’; and Mia Twill is a budding violinist with heart.

“Rising Stars is more than a performance – it’s a beacon for Yiddishkayt’s enduring legacy,” says Avi Hoffman, award-winning actor and founder of Yiddishkayt Initiative. “Partnering with B’nai Torah and NYTF, we’re empowering youth to carry the torch of our rich cultural heritage forward.”​

Rising Stars will take place on Sunday, March 22nd at 2 pm at B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton.  The synagogue is located at 6261 SW 18th Street, Boca Raton, FL 33433.
Tickets to the event range in price from $36 to $54 and are available online at https://www.btcboca.org/rising-stars.

For more information about Rising Stars, to speak with anyone involved in the event, or to attend the performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

About National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene

NYTF, America’s longest-running Yiddish theater company, champions Jewish culture through innovative performances, concerts, and educational programs that reach audiences around the globe.

About B’nai Torah Congregation

B’nai Torah is a vibrant hub for Jewish life in Boca Raton, fostering spirituality, learning, music, and community through dynamic services, events, and renowned concert series.

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Rising Stars – Presenting the Next Generation of Yiddish Voices
Presented by  National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene & B’nai Torah Congregation
Sunday, March 22nd at 2 pm
Tickets:  $54 (Premium Seating) / $36 (General Admission) / $40 (Virtual)
For tickets:  https://www.btcboca.org/rising-stars
Or Call:  561-392-8566
The performance will take place at
B’nai Torah Congregation
6261 SW 18th Street
Boca Raton, FL  33433



YILoveJewish.Org to present GATE B23: CARRY-ON BAGGAGE January 24 & 25

08 Thursday Jan 2026

Posted by in Avi Hoffman, Clients, YI Love Jewish, Yiddishkayt Initiative

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YILoveJewish.Org to present
Gate B23:  Carry-On Baggage
January 24th & 25th

A poignant and hilarious journey of stranded travelers comes to
Boca Raton and Delray Beach

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

January 8, 2026

BOCA RATON & DELRAY BEACH, FL: YILoveJewish.org will present readings of award-winning playwright Debbie Slevin’s critically acclaimed play Gate B23: Carry-On Baggage. The readings will take place at Sol Theatre in Boca Raton on January 24th at 7:30 pm and at Movies of Delray on January 25th at 1 pm.

This ‘dramedy’, directed by Avi Hoffman, is a witty and compelling exploration of human connection amid uproarious chaos. It follows a diverse cast of travelers, each wrestling with personal challenges, as they are stranded at Gate B23 at Palm Beach International Airport whilst enduring an increasingly prolonged flight delay.  The play promises to deliver a unique theatrical experience that blends humor, tension, and profound human insights.

The reading of Gate B23: Carry-On Baggage will feature some of South Florida’s most prominent actors, including Barbara Bradshaw, Brandon Campbell, Abbie Fricke, Sara Grant, Barbara Sloan, Seth Trucks, and Dave Corey who will take on the role of the progressively disturbed Gate Attendant.

Debbie Slevin, an award-winning essayist and author is a writer, producer/director, and teacher. She conceived and co-produced The Apron Strings Project in Riverhead, NY, produced and directed The Last Five Years at Guild Hall in East Hampton, and the first NYC revival of Songs for a New World. Her play Gate B23: Carry-On Baggage was a best-selling selection of NYC International Fringe Festival and Manhattan Repertory Theater’s Winterfest. Now a well-read blogger for Huffpo50, Debbie’s writing has also appeared in Essence Magazine, Woman’s World, and Reform Judaism. She was also a staff writer for the Jewish Standard.

Tickets are available at both venues the day of the performance on a first come/first served basis.  Tickets are free, but donations, accepted at the door of each venue, are suggested.

For more information about Gate B23: Carry-On Baggage, to speak with anyone involved in the reading, or to arrange to see the performance, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

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Gate B23: Carry-On Baggage
By Debbie Slevin
Directed by Avi Hoffman
January 24th at 7:30 pm
Sol Theatre
3333 N. Federal Highway
Boca Raton, FL  33433
January 25th at 1:00 pm
Movies of Delray
7421 West Atlantic Avenue
Delray Beach, FL  33446

AVI HOFFMAN Joins The Workers Circle & Leaders of Faith and Conscience at Weekly Vigils Outside ‘Alligator Alcatraz’

08 Thursday Jan 2026

Posted by in Avi Hoffman, Clients, YI Love Jewish, Yiddishkayt Initiative

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Avi Hoffman Joins The Workers Circle and leaders of faith and conscience at
Weekly Vigils Outside“Alligator Alcatraz” (2 Dozen weeks +)
and Launches HumansFirst.World – A Movement for Global Human Rights

“Join us in standing on the side of justice – because when we honor the dignity of every human, we honor the best in ourselves.” ~ Avi Hoffman

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

January 8, 2026

OCHOPEE, FL — Prominent Jewish cultural leader, child of Holocaust Survivors, renowned actor, and human rights advocate Avi Hoffman will join The Workers Circle (www.circle.org), Betty Osceola of the Miccosukee Tribe, many leaders of faith and conscience from across Florida and the nation, and families of detainees for his 23rd weekly Vigil outside the cruelly-named Alligator Alcatraz detention center. Anyone can join Avi at the vigils which take place every Sunday at 4:00 PM at 54575 Tamiami Trail E (Rt. 41), Ochopee, Florida, in an ongoing call to end the inhumane and unconstitutional treatment of detainees.

The ongoing vigils amplify voices of conscience across Florida – echoing the Workers Circle’s century-long fight for the rights of immigrants, workers, and all marginalized people – and now draw on the singular force of Hoffman’s lifelong dedication to both heritage and humanity. Together, they call on public officials and all people of conscience to unite in declaring: Humans Must Come First.

Founded in 1900 by Eastern European Jewish immigrants, the Workers Circle has a proud legacy as a champion of social justice, labor movement activism, mutual aid, and rich Yiddish cultural programming. Throughout history, the organization has fought for a fairer world: from the founding of influential garment workers’ unions, to providing free medical care, to becoming an early voice against fascism and for civil rights in America.

Hoffman in alliance with the Workers Circle, one of America’s preeminent Jewish social justice organizations – is officially announcing his new Humans First movement (www.HumansFirst.World), dedicated to fundamental global human rights. The movement’s vision is rooted in the belief that every human being deserves dignity, compassion, and the freedom to pursue a better life.

Standing at the crossroads of cultural renewal and social justice, Hoffman’s Humans First initiative is dedicated to promoting and upholding fundamental human rights worldwide. In his words: “Where every human being can pursue their greatest dreams and fulfill their highest potential destiny. Tzuzamen – Together, we can create a world where the pursuit of due process, fairness, justice and humanity for all comes before all else.”

Avi Hoffman, a member of The Bronx Jewish Hall of Fame, a child of Holocaust survivors, founder (with his mother Journalist and acclaimed Columbia University Professor Miriam Hoffman) of the Yiddishkayt Initiative (YILoveJewish.org), and Congressional honoree, has long been recognized for his work advancing Yiddish theatre and language, Jewish culture, and Holocaust awareness. Through decades of performance in theater, television, and advocacy, Hoffman’s mission has been to advocate for Human Pride, build cultural bridges across communities and create a world where human stories lead to understanding and respect.

Vigil Details:
Weekly Interfaith Vigil – prayer and testimony against injustice. All are welcome, including clergy (who are encouraged to wear vestments as appropriate) and community members.  Dress for mosquito protection—Park on the roadside near the detention center.

When:  Sundays at 4:00 PM
Where:  Outside Alligator Alcatraz, 54575 Tamiami Trail E (Rt. 41), Ochopee, FL
Please RSVP to help the organizers at https://bit.ly/RSVP-FLVigils.

For interviews, further information on the Vigils or for other media inquiries, please contact: Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.  For more information on HumansFirst visit HumansFirst.world.  For more information about Workers Circle contact: Noelle Damico  NDamico@circle.orgplease contact:

HumansFirst.World
Social Media: Instagram     Facebook
:
Avi Hoffman
Photo credit:  Bachi Frost

Alligator Alcatraz
Photo credit:  Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Avi Hoffman