Across the Country, Jewish Culture Festivals Are Providing Community and Color

by Zalman Goldblatt – chabad.org

In towns and cities across the United States this summer, Jewish culture is stepping out onto main streets, grassy greens and in front of historic buildings with food, music and community spirit, drawing thousands to celebrate their Judaism at local festivals.

In St. Charles, Missouri, Rabbi Chaim Landa, director of the Chabad-Lubavitch Jewish Center of St. Charles, is preparing for the fifth annual St. Charles Jewish Festival, a monumental effort that transforms the heart of the city into a vibrant, immersive Jewish experience. Set to take place on Aug. 10, the event brings together a community that not long ago many assumed barely existed.

“The festival really pumps people up with a strong sense of Jewish pride. It was just five years ago that people were saying, ‘There are no Jews in St. Charles,’” said Landa. Now, an estimated 6,000 Jews call the county home, and the festival has become its largest annual Jewish event, this year expecting between 4,000 and 5,000 attendees.

“St. Charles is a hub for all types of festivals and outdoor events. It was only natural that we have one,” he said. “I think the low-barrier-to-entry nature of it really eliminates any fear or intimidation for people, which is really, really important to us.”

But the festival doesn’t just appear overnight; it’s the result of nearly a year’s worth of planning and deep communal investment.

“We have been working on this for 10 months, and our community lives it almost the entire year. We have 100 volunteers; everyone gets involved. The first year we had six volunteers. Now, thank G‑d, it’s gotten much larger,” said Landa. “From registration to grilling to crafts—it’s a huge production, with lots of committees, meetings and planning.”

This year’s headliner, singer-songwriter Aryeh Kunstler, will be joined by celebrated local musicians, bringing dynamic, soulful performances to the outdoor stage. Alongside the music, the festival’s popular Israeli-style shuk—reminiscent of Jerusalem’s bustling open-air markets—will return bigger than ever, offering authentic goods and spices, from za’atar and sumac to hand-crafted Judaica and fresh baked goods.

Attendees will also enjoy gourmet kosher fare prepared by Zelda’s Catering of Chicago, with shawarma, brisket, falafel and schnitzel on the menu. Family-friendly attractions such as a giant bubble party, petting zoo, inflatables and cultural crafts round out an event that has quickly become a cornerstone of Jewish life in the region.

It’s a model that drew inspiration from another event: the Shoreline Jewish Festival in Guilford, Conn., led by Rabbi Yossi Yaffe, director of Chabad of the Shoreline.

“Rabbi Yaffe is the trailblazer behind many of the festivals Chabad emissaries are creating, and really deserves a great deal of credit for the model he has created,” said Landa. “I’m very thankful that there was a model for this. Rabbi Yaffe had the vision.”

That event, now in its 19th year, has become the longest-running Jewish culture festival arranged by Chabad in the country, hosting around 1,500 attendees annually. While other Jewish festivals launched earlier—including the beloved Jewish Renaissance Fair in Morristown, N.J.—the Shoreline Jewish Festival has run for the longest consecutive time, and takes place right in the heart of Guilford, on the town green.

“The idea here was to put Judaism in the public square in a way consistent with the culture of the town,” Yaffe explained. “There are all kinds of festivals here, and our thinking when we started out was to use this place to make something which shows proud, public Jewish expression.”

His goal was not only visibility but normalization, helping people feel at home expressing their faith in the public sphere.

“Events like these really help attendees find their Jewish pride. It’s a place where people are given the opportunity to wrap tefillin, make blessings on kosher food and take home Shabbat candles, while surrounded by thousands of their fellow Jews.”

The musical line-up at Shoreline is intentionally meaningful, and they feature artists that use their art to express meaning in their Judaism. Among this year’s featured performers are Later Prophets, the avant-garde jazz project led by saxophonist and ordained rabbi Greg Wall, also known as “The Jazz Rabbi,” and the ever-energetic Klezmerfest! Each act is selected not only for talent but because “the musicians themselves are part of the message, not just the music.”

‘Break Bread’ With Friends

Farther east, Rabbi Tzvi Alperowitz, director of Chabad in Martha’s Vineyard, is preparing for his community’s third festival, an event that captures the eclectic and thoughtful energy of the island itself.

“People here are interested in exploring all aspects of Jewish identity—religious, cultural, personal. All elements of the Jewish experience,” he said. “The festival is where our community comes together. An event with a speaker or a class will only draw people who are attracted to that particular interest. This is something for everybody.”

The festival blends comedy, music, art, kosher food and educational engagement. The festival has been growing each year, last year hosting around 800 attendees and even surprising town officials with its rapid momentum.

In Pennsylvania., Rabbi Benny Rapoport, director of Chabad’s Jewish Discovery Center in Clarks Summit, recently wrapped up the 12th season of his Jewish Food Festival with four full days of flavor, festivity and togetherness at Nay Aug Park. Unique among Jewish culture festivals for its strong culinary focus and extended schedule, the event continues to grow as a regional attraction.

“Not only do we have an amazing selection of Jewish ethnic favorites from the Middle East and Eastern Europe, but also many engaging activities,” said Rapoport.

The festival was filled with knishes, schnitzel, brisket, babka and a wide spread of cultural offerings, including braiding tents and live music. But for Rapoport, food is just the beginning.

“It brings people together—from all walks of life, from all financial backgrounds, from all religions, even visitors from New York City and Canada. It’s really exciting for people to come together. Food is that wonderful uniter. Break bread; we become friends.”

In addition to these events, Jewish culture festivals in Pittsburgh, Pa.; Park City, Utah; Jacksonville, Fla.; and other cities across the country are scheduled for later this summer. Each promises its own unique flavor of celebration, local pride and Jewish joy.

And in Carmel, Ind., Rabbi Dovid Grossbaum, director of Chabad Carmel, is preparing for his community’s first Jewish Culture Festival, scheduled for Aug. 24.

“Throughout the year, there are no kosher-food options or Jewish entertainment,” said Grossbaum. “The festival will have several kosher-food trucks and caterers, alongside live music, including a performance by the Rogers Park Band,” a folk-rock duo known for their energetic fusion of Chassidic teaching with contemporary folk rock. “We have an anticipated attendance of 500 to 1,000 in Carmel City Hall.”

Though it’s his first time organizing such an event, he’s found support from others who’ve done it before. “My colleagues and peers have been deeply encouraging, and they say it’s a highlight of the year,” said Grossbaum. “I’m confident ours will be the same.”

Throughout the country, in areas where the public celebration of Judaism is routine and in those where it isn’t yet, these festivals are inviting Jews from across the United States to connect and be proud of their heritage together. Whether it is a child learning to braid challah or an adult discovering kosher food for the first time, these festivals are creating moments in places where Jewish life once felt invisible. Now, it’s impossible to ignore.