Tag Archives: Yiddishkayt Initiative

Avi Hoffman’s YIDDISH FUN01: Academics, Kvetchers, and Laugh Lovers Unite – Yiddish is Back in Session!

18 Thursday Sep 2025

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Academics, Kvetchers, and Laugh-Lovers Unite
Yiddish Is Back In Session!

Avi Hoffman to lead a joyful fun-filled lecture series on the culture, history, and poetry of Yiddish:
Avi Hoffman’s Yiddish Fun01

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

September 18, 2025

DELRAY BEACH, FL — Feeling farklempt about the state of modern language? Longing for a class that is equal parts brainy, bouncy, and a bisl nostalgic? Look no further—Movies of Delray is proud to announce the return of Avi Hoffman’s Yiddish Fun01, a hands-on participatory 3-week series using the original curricula crafted by Columbia University Professor Miriam Hoffman, while her son, the renowned actor and Professor of freylakh, Avi Hoffman, will lead the learning—and the kvelling.

Rooted in the rich academic tradition of Yiddish studies, this course isn’t just about language; it’s about culture, history, music, poetry, and chutzpah. NO prior knowledge of Yiddish required—just an open mind and a curiosity for the mishigas that makes Yiddish tick.

Yiddish may be an ancient language, but around here, it’s always in session—and always a little bit funny. Mazel tov to that!

Participants will:

  • Engage with the same material taught at Columbia University (minus the tuition bill)

  • Experience music, poetry, comedy, art, and plenty of “oy vey” moments

  • Walk away with new words, lots of laughs, and an appreciation of how Yiddish shaped mainstream culture

Whether you are a curious academic or just curious about what your grandparents were muttering when they didn’t want you to understand, this course promises knowledge, nostalgia, and nakhes in equal measure. As one student raved, “Not only is it fun, but the inclusion of history and culture provides a richness that is astounding.” Others just call it “the highlight of my week.”

For more information Avi Hoffman’s Yiddish Fun01, to speak with Avi Hoffman, or to arrange to attend a session, please contact Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

In the attached photo:  Avi & Miriam Hoffman
Photo credit:  Unknown

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Avi Hoffman’s Yiddish Fun01
Based upon material by Miriam Hoffman
Led by Avi Hoffman
Tuesdays: October 21, October 28, November 4
12 – 1 pm
Tickets: $18 per class / $48 for the series
For reservations:  561-638-0020
All classes will be held at
The Movies of Delray
7421 West Atlantic Avenue
Delray Beach, FL 

Avi & Miriam Hoffman

Watch a testimonial video:

CELEBRATING ‘YOSL’: The Legacy of Joe Papp – A Musical Celebration – June 22nd at the West Boca Community Theatre

29 Wednesday May 2024

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YI Love Jewish to Host “Celebrating ‘Yosl’” featuring a live concert event and celebrity video testimonials.

Theater icon Joseph Papp, aka Yosl Papirofsky, creator of the New York Shakespeare Festival and the Public Theater, to be remembered and honored virtually and live on his 103rd birthday.

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Sheri Smith
sheris@yilovejewish.org
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

May 29, 2024
BOCA RATON, FL: He revolutionized theater as we know it today, and now Joseph Papp, born ‘Yosl Papirofsky’, will be the subject of a memorial/tribute concert on June 22ndat 7 pm, on what would have been his 103rd birthday. Celebrating Yosl – The Legacy of Joe Papp – A Musical Celebration will be presented by YI Love Jewish (a division of Yiddishkayt Initiative) at the West Boca Community Theatre in Boca Raton.

Celebrating Yosl will be hosted by YI Founder and CEO, world renowned actor and Jewish cultural activist Avi Hoffman, who was mentored by Papp in the 1980’s. The concert event will feature live, virtual, and pre-recorded celebrity testimonials.

“Joe Papp did more to revolutionize the world of theater than any impresario in the world,” says Hoffman, himself an internationally recognized entertainer and founder of YI, a global provider of Jewish cultural programming. Hoffman and his mother, retired author, journalist and Columbia University Professor Miriam Hoffman, became friends and colleagues of Papp in NYC in the 1980s, when they launched the Joseph Papp Yiddish Theatre. 

Joseph Papp

After Papp’s death, they continued a close association with Joe’s widow, Gail Merrifield-Papp, and his daughter Susan Papp-Lippman, who serves on the YI Board of Directors. 

Papp’s vision led him in 1957 to establish Free Shakespeare in Central Park. Ten years later, he created The Public Theater in the building that was formerly the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), a haven for newly arrived refugees. The building was saved from demolition through Mr. Papp’s efforts after a long negotiation with the City of New York. It became the permanent home of the New York Shakespeare Festival/Joseph Papp Public Theatre (The Public) and is currently designated as a New York City Historical Landmark. 

At the Public, an innovative model was used for creating a new dynamic way of producing plays in a workshop-style manner that had never been tried before. The concept involved bringing writers, directors, designers, and actors together in one place to brainstorm and create the foundations for new and groundbreaking productions. Some of the iconic Broadway shows to evolve from these workshops include the original productions of Hair, A Chorus Line, and Runaways.

One of the signature events of Celebrating Yosl will feature Hoffman’s re-creation of Joe Papp at the Ballroom – a recounting, in Papp’s own words (based on transcripts, quotes, and material from the Papp Archives), of his Brooklyn Yiddish upbringing, his political struggles, and his reconceiving of the creative process. Hoffman will also share his own personal recollections of his relationship with Papp. 

Celebrating Yosl:  The Legacy of Joe Papp – A Musical Celebration will take place at 7 pm on June 22nd, 2024, at the West Boca Community Theatre, 12811 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33498.

Tickets are $36 for the Live event and $72 for VIP/Special Seating and Backstage Access. Click HERE to purchase tickets.

For more information about Celebrating Yosl, please contact Sheri Smith at sheris@yilovejewish.org / 561-254-5494 or Carol Kassie at carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.  Photos and graphics available on request.

To sponsor this event, please contact sheris@yilovejewish.org.

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Celebrating Yosl:  The Legacy of Joe Papp – A Musical Celebration
June 22nd at 7 pm
Tickets: $36/$72 (VIP Special Seating/Backstage Access)
To purchase tickets: https://tinyurl.com/3ze4jw89
West Boca Community Theatre
12811 Glades Road
Boca Raton, FL  33498
https://yilovejewish.org

About YI Love Jewish: YI Love Jewish is a division of Yiddishkayt Initiative (YI), a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization that builds Jewish engagement and forges multi-cultural connections through an immersive and varied range of programming for audiences around the globe. From performing arts, publishing and education to language, philosophy and literature, YI offers a global clearinghouse of Jewish culture and entertainment staffed by experts in subject matter and production. The organization works with a wide range of organizations, including the University of Miami’s Sue and Leonard Miller Center and the George Feldenkreis Program in Contemporary Judaic Studies and Federations, JCCs, synagogues, Hadassah chapters, Hillel chapters, men’s groups, women’s guilds, special interest clubs, youth groups, summer camp programs and educational institutions.

J

YI Love Jewish Purim Mini-Fest To Present Two Exciting Events

28 Wednesday Feb 2024

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Esther in the Spotlight and Gimpel the Fool feature beloved characters from Jewish literature and history.

For Immediate Release
Contact:  info@yilovejewish.org
sheris@yilovejewish.org   
Contact:  Carol Kassie
Carol@CarolKassie.com / 561-445-9244

February 28, 2024

MIAMI DADE and BROWARD COUNTIES, FL: A whirlwind of entertainment and cultural celebration awaits audiences in Miami Dade and Broward counties when YI Love Jewish presents two Purim Holiday Mini-Fest events in March. The festival promises to bring laughter, insight, and inspiration to audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

Esther in the Spotlight, by acclaimed playwright Rich Orloff, is an irreverent and hilarious retelling of the biblical story of Esther (the genesis of the Purim holiday). Described as “Mel Brooks meets The Bible,” this free concert version of Orloff’s comedic masterpiece offers more than just laughs; it delves into themes of identity, destiny, and the pursuit of meaning. With Orloff’s track record of theatrical excellence, including Critic’s Picks and international productions, audiences can expect an unforgettable evening of entertainment.

The ground-breaking one-person play and documentary film celebrating the character of Gimpel the Fool created by Nobel Laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer will star Howard Rypp of Israel’s acclaimed Nephesh Theatre Company.  Featuring music by Ron Wiseman, and Singer’s text translated by Saul Bellow, the film, combined with Rypp’s live performance weaves klezmer music into a surrealistic theatrical presentation. Audiences will be captivated by Gimpel’s unwavering faith and his journey through betrayal and ridicule, inspiring reflection, and belief in human goodness.  A video preview can be found here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3TkVAFHMMA

YI Love Jewish is a division of The Yiddishkayt Initiative, Inc., a not-for-profit public charity dedicated to fighting antisemitism through the arts by preserving and presenting Jewish culture and its far-reaching impact on the world. Through theater, music, lectures, film, TV, and other media, the organization strives to make the world a more accepting place. For more information visit www.yilovejewish.org.

For event registration and tickets visit  YILoveJewish.org/events.  Tickets for Gimpel the Fool range in price from $18-$36-$54.  Tickets for Esther in the Spotlight are free.

For more information, to speak with anyone involved in the festival, more photos and/or graphics, or to attend a performance, please contact Sheri Smith at sheris@yilovejewish.org.

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Purim Mini-Fest Dates, Times and Locations:

Esther in the Spotlight
Tuesday March 19, 2024 – 7:30 PM
Miami Beach JCC
4221 Pine Tree Drive,
Miami Beach, FL 33140

Wednesday March 20, 2024 – 7:30 PM
Alper JCC
11155 SW 112th Avenue
Miami, FL  33176

Thursday March 21, 2024 – 7:30 PM
Soref JCC
6501 West Sunrise Boulevard
Plantation, FL  33313

Gimpel the Fool
Friday, March 22, 2024 – 7:30 PM
The Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center
3100 Ray Ferrero Jr. Boulevard,
Davie, FL 33314

Saturday, March 23, 2024 – 7:30 PM
Coral Springs High School
7201 West Sample Road,
Coral Springs, FL 33065

Sunday, March 24, 2024 – 7:30 PM
Alper JCC
6501 West Sunrise Boulevard
Plantation, FL  33313

Howard Rypp
Rich Orloff
Tara Weidenfeller
Alexa Lasanta
Marah Lieberman
Michael Scott Ross
Zoe Kanter

Broadcaster Arlene Herson To Be Honored at a Silent Auction at Boca Raton’s Gallery 22

08 Wednesday Mar 2023

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Broadcaster Arlene Herson
To Be Honored
at a Silent Auction at
Boca Raton’s Gallery 22

Proceeds to benefit YI Love Jewish’ mission to fight antisemitism through the arts.

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Alessandra Lasanta
Alessandra@yilovejewish.org / 888-945-6835
Contact:  Carol Kassie
carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244

March 8, 2023

BOCA RATON, FL:  Broadcaster/journalist/philanthropist Arlene Herson will be honored at a Silent Auction on March 22nd.  The event, which will take place at Boca Raton’s Gallery 22, will be co-sponsored by the gallery and YI Love Jewish.  The proceeds from the auction will benefit YI Love Jewish’ mission to fight antisemitism through the arts.

The Silent Auction will be hosted by Yaacov and Sue Heller and will feature works by a number of world-renowned artists including Laurence Gartel (Father of Digital Art), Martin Levin (Kristallnacht Series), Frank Stumer, Sir Kelly Fawaz, and Yaacov Heller.

Award-winning performer and YI CEO Avi Hoffman will act as master of ceremonies and pianist Phil Hinton will provide live music during the evening.

Tickets for the Silent Auction are $100 and available online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/557150571357. The ticket price includes entry into the event, the silent auction, live music, and wine and cheese. 

Arlene Herson’s illustrious career includes numerous interviews with famous and distinguished personalities on both radio and television.  She produced The Magic Flute with Victor Borge conducting, and the musical 1776 with members of Congress playing the Founding Fathers. She was appointed by President George W. Bush to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, by Governor Jeb Bush to the Florida Film & Entertainment Advisory Council, and by President George H.W. Bush to the Take Pride in America Advisory Board.  She is one of the few non-lawyers appointed to the Florida Bar Grievance Committee.

YI Love Jewish is a division of the Yiddishkayt Initiative, a not-for-profit organization that celebrates and promotes Jewish history, life, and culture and their positive and far-reaching impact on the world.

For more information about YI Love Jewish and the Silent Auction, visit the organization’s website at www.YILoveJewish.org, email info@yilovejewish.org or contact Alessandra Lasanta –alessandra@yilovejewish.org / 888-945-6835, or Carol Kassie – carol@carolkassie.com / 561-445-9244.

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Fighting Antisemitism Through the Arts
A Silent Auction at Gallery 22 Honoring Arlene Herson
Wednesday, March 23, 2023, at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $100 (There are a limited number of tickets available)
For tickets:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/557150571357
The event will take place at
Gallery 22
320 Esplanade #53, Boca Raton, FL 33432

  • Arlene Herson

Miriam Hoffman Reads From Her Latest Book – A BREED APART: REFLECTIONS OF A YOUNG REFUGEE – January 15 at the PGA Arts Center

02 Tuesday Jan 2018

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Yiddishkayt Initiative
Invites audiences to join
Professor Miriam Hoffman
with her son Avi Hoffman
for a FREE Reading, Q & A, and Book Signing for
A Breed Apart: Reflections of A Young Refugee

For Immediate Release
Contact: Penny Landau
MayaPRNY@gmail.com /917-592-3149
Contact:  Carol Kassie
Carol@CarolKassie.com  / 561-445-9244

January 2, 2018

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL: Miriam Hoffman, author, scholar, journalist, playwright and survivor will read selections from her new book A Breed Apart: Reflections of a Young Refugee, on Monday, January 15, 2018, at 7pm at the PGA Arts Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. She will be joined onstage by her son, Avi, the award-winning actor and performer who is currently appearing in the 20th Anniversary Production of his Too Jewish? at the PGA Arts Center through January 21st. The evening will also include a multimedia presentation, discussion, Q & A and book signing. The event will be FREE and open to the public.

Published by YI Press (a division of Yiddishkayt Initiative, Inc.), A Breed Apart is an engaging non-fiction tale of war and survival, seen through the eyes of a young Miriam Hoffman and her father. Hoffman’s personal tale captures the beauty and importance of keeping the Yiddish language and Jewish culture alive during the twentieth-century, despite countless attempts to destroy it. A Breed Apart follows Miriam Hoffman’s emotional journey as a young refugee girl growing up in a post-war DP (Displaced Person) camp to her new life in the United States.

Miriam Hoffman is an author, scholar, playwright, and survivor of the Russian gulag and the post-World War II DP camps. She has spent her life preserving the Yiddish language and culture that she cherishes so dearly. Her accomplishments in education, arts and literature have impacted both Jews and non-Jews alike. From her time as a child in the post-war DP (Displaced Persons) refugee camp in Ulm, Germany, she brought with her an album of pictures of life in the camp, as well as a journal she kept of over 80 songs in four different languages – Yiddish, Hebrew, Russian and Polish. The Ulm Album has been shared with the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. She has also written over a dozen plays which have won awards and have been produced all over the world. Hoffman recently retired after 25 years as professor of Yiddish Language and Culture at Columbia University. She has published over 2,000 weekly columns in New York’s Yiddish Forward Newspaper as a feature writer. Recently inducted into the Bronx Jewish Hall of Fame, Miriam has written university textbooks and is the founder of the Joseph Papp Yiddish Theatre, with the world-renowned Broadway impresario. www.YiddishkaytInitiative.org

For more information about Miriam Hoffman, A Breed Apart: Reflections of a Young Refugee, or Avi Hoffman, contact Penny Landau (MayaPRNY@gmail.com/917-592-3149) or Carol Kassie (Carol@CarolKassie.com/561-445-9244).

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A Breed Apart: Reflections of a Young Refugee
A FREE Reading, Q & A, and Book Signing
With Miriam Hoffman and Avi Hoffman
Monday, January 15 at 7 pm
To reserve tickets contact Carol Kassie at Carol@CarolKassie.com
PGA Arts Center
4076 PGA Boulevard
Palm Beach Gardens, FL  33410

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