The 10th Annual Greek Jewish Festival Drew Crowds in NYC

NEW YORK – Under sunny skies, Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue and Museum (KKJ) in New York City presented the 10th Annual Greek Jewish Festival, celebrating the Greek Jewish community.

The Festival included authentic kosher Greek foods and homemade Greek pastries, traditional dance performances with live Greek and Sephardic music, an outdoor marketplace full of vendors, arts and educational activities for kids, and Sephardic cooking demonstrations.

Great crowds of attendees enjoyed the event and the thrilling music and dance performances by Elias Ladino Ensemble, Hellenic Dancers of New Jersey, Noga Group featuring Avram Pengas, Orelia Dance Performance, ‘Ta Pedia Tis Polis’, and Baklava Express.

In a statement after the Festival, KKJ said: “Thank you to everyone who came to our 10th annual Greek Jewish Festival! It was such an incredible day with amazing musical performances, nonstop dancing, delicious food, kids activities, community partners, and so much more. Our festival is a communal and family reunion, and it means so much to share this celebration together with our families, friends, neighbors, and the greater Greek and Jewish communities. We were also honored to welcome the Consuls General of Israel and Greece! Thank you to all our sponsors, volunteers, and community partners who made the festival possible and made it so special.”

KKJ also participated in the Israel Day Parade on May 18 and released the following statement: “Thank you to everyone who joined us this past Sunday for our incredible march in the Israel Day Parade of Fifth Avenue! We proudly marched on our very own community float representing our Romaniote and Sephardic community’s support for Israel, and even danced to live Greek and Israeli music! Special thanks to all our partner organizations. Am Yisrael Hai!”

Among the upcoming events at KKJ, on Tuesday, May 27, 7:30 PM, the monthly evening program Torah & Taverna Night which each month features guest Jewish educators and musicians and offers an engaging evening of insights, live music, delicious Greek food, and more. “This month we are honored to welcome Rabbi Joey Faur, Rabbi of Congregation Magen David of Manhattan, for an inspiring Shavuot class exploring how our eternal covenant with Hashem has shaped the Jewish people – and what it means for us today,” KKJ said. “Afterwards we will enjoy riveting music from the amazing ensemble Sounds of Cyprus.”

RSVP via email: Amarcus@kkjsm.org.

On Saturday, May 31, a special Shabbat class in preparation for Shavuot led by KKJ Community Engagement Fellow Theo Canter will be held. Theo will share insights on the fascinating agricultural, societal, and spiritual history of the holiday from a variety of sources across continents and millennia. Shabbat morning services start at 9:30 AM, followed by lunch at 12:30 PM, and the class at 1 PM.

Please RSVP to Amarcus@kkjsm.org.

On June 2 and 3, KKJ celebrates Shavuot in the Romaniote tradition. At the same location on the Lower East Side for the past 98 years, KKJ is the last remaining Romaniote synagogue in the Western Hemisphere conducting services in the Judeo-Greek Romaniote Minhag (tradition). View the full schedule online: https://shorturl.at/UWRWK.

Please RSVP to Amarcus@kkjsm.org.