Lviv continues to surprise Ukraine and the world with its extraordinary projects!

International Festival of Jewish music, song and dance “LvivKlezFest” with participation of musical and choreographic groups from Ukraine, Poland, the USA, Russia and Moldova will take place in Lviv on October 16–18, 2009.  

The Festival is initiated and organized by All-Ukrainian Jewish Charitable Foundation “Hesed-Arieh” (Lviv), American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee “Joint” (Kiev), Jewish Humanitarian Foundation (Holland), Company “Holding of emotions. Fest!” (Lviv) and Galician Jewish restaurant “Under Golden Rose” (Lviv).

Klezmer music is a music of Jewish ensembles, which participants did not know the notes but precisely felt and exposed the soul of Jewish people. You could hear this music in small Jewish towns….

Our Festival is an attempt to restore the lost Jewish culture. We devote this Festival to Lviv’s musicians who were killed in Janowska concentration camp and Lviv ghetto during WW II.

But first of all, Klezmer music is music of joy and happiness, dancing music during Jewish, Ukrainian, Gypsy, Moldavian and Rumanian weddings… That is why, this Festival should not be sad!

During three days Lvivers will have a chance to become acquainted with Klezmer music, dances and songs and to communicate with participants – well-known ensembles, family groups and single performers.

Final open-air concert which will take place in the very heart of the city – Jewish quarter of Old Town Place -will present not only Jewish but also Ukrainian, Russian, Moldavian and Hungarian songs and dances.

We sincerely believe that this Festival will bring you closer to Jewish culture and will contribute to the development of Ukrainian Galician multicultural capital - the city of Lviv. We hope that it will become popular and traditional and will attract to our beautiful city more tourists and guests.

WELCOME TO OUR FESTIVAL!

Press-conference will take place on October 13, 2009 at 13.00 p.m. in Galician Jewish restaurant “Under Golden Rose” (Staroyevreyska Str. 37)

19.10.09, Lviv, (Boris Dorfman) –  International Festival of Jewish music, song and dance which lasted for three days has come to its end.

Among its participants were performers from Ukraine, Moldova, Russia and the USA. Performances took place in former Jewish theater (today Ukrainian Youth theater), on the stage of Organ hall and in open air in Staroyevreyska Street on the site of former Municipal Orthodox  Synagogue destroyed by the Nazis.

The Festival was devoted to well-known Lviv’s musicians, composers and performers, who perished in the ghetto and Janowska concentration camp.  

Hundreds of Lvivers and guests of the city enjoyed Jewish songs and dances. Jewish ensemble “Dona-Dona” from Moscow was a favorite.