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🎧 Jewish Music Week in Toronto
📅 May 24 – 31, 2026
📍 Multiple venues across the GTA
🅾 Most daytime events FREE
⭐ 14th Annual Festival
Jewish Music Week in Toronto 2026
Every spring, Toronto becomes home to one of North America’s most generous music festivals. Jewish Music Week runs May 24 to 31, 2026, and the 14th edition leans hard into a single, much-needed theme: laughter. The lineup is full of warmth, humour, and a few moments that will absolutely undo you in the best way.
Think Yiddish blues from a Brooklyn-raised viral sensation. Ladino songs reborn for a new generation. The first Toronto performance of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish from the 2018 Joel Grey production. A British storyteller-songwriter direct from London. And, most powerfully, a young Israeli pianist and former Hamas hostage telling his story of survival through music. Eight days. Most of it free.
🎧 Evening concerts
🎤 Lunchtime music
🎓 Morning lectures
🎥 Documentary film
🤜 Workshops
👧 Kids concert
🪨 Klezmer & Yiddish
💡 The morning lectures, lunchtime concerts, and afternoon shows are all free — but they require registration and they fill up. Several past festivals have had sold-out events, so book early for anything that catches your eye.
✨ Why This Festival Is Worth Your Time
JMW is one of those Toronto festivals that punches well above its weight. It started as a way to share the city’s extraordinary local Jewish musical talent with visiting Cantors, and it has grown into a full week of programming that ranges from intimate Yiddish lectures to major theatrical productions and international headliners.
What makes it stand out is generosity. The morning lectures, lunchtime concerts, afternoon tunes, and the Saturday night Melaveh Malka are all free — you just need to register. That accessibility is rare, and it means you can sample a dozen different artists without spending a dollar.
The 2026 festival is dedicated to the memory of Cantor Benjamin Maissner z”l, who was instrumental in the festival’s founding and a beloved fixture for over a decade. That kind of community continuity is part of why JMW feels different from other festivals — it’s genuinely a labour of love.
📅 What’s On: The 2026 Schedule
Eight days. Morning lectures, lunchtime music, afternoon tunes, and one big evening concert nearly every night. Here’s the day-by-day breakdown.
Sun · May 24 — Opening Night
Schmaltz & Pepper Live! — Leah Posluns Theatre — 7:30pm
The festival opens with the band that sold out JMW twice in a row. Schmaltz & Pepper are a klezmer/Yiddish swing supergroup featuring Eric Abramovitz (principal clarinetist of the TSO), Grammy-winner Drew Jurecka, virtuoso violinist Rebekah Wolkstein, JUNO-nominated bassist Michael Herring, and JUNO-winning pianist Jeremy Ledbetter. They’re fresh off their first US tour. Tickets $25 / $40 / $75.
Mon · May 25
Day at the Columbus Centre · Then Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish — Elgin Theatre — 7:30pm
Free daytime at Columbus Centre (901 Lawrence Ave W): 10am – Sheila Dardashti tells her story of releasing her first album at 78. 12pm – Hava N’ranena leads a soulful singalong in Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino & English. 2pm – Shannon Butcher sings the Lorenz Hart songbook (Blue Moon, My Funny Valentine, The Lady is a Tramp).
Evening: The first Toronto performance of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish — the 2018 Joel Grey production starring Steve Skybell as Tevye, with an all-Canadian cast. JMW ticket-holders save 15% with code JMW15.
Tue · May 26
Day at Grace Church on-the-hill · Then Nani Vazana Sings Ladino — Beth Tikvah — 7:30pm
Free daytime at Grace Church (300 Lonsdale Rd): 10am – David Eisenstadt on Jewish Canadian rock musicians under the radar. 12pm – The Light of East Ensemble brings Sephardic, Arabic, Greek, Turkish & Armenian textures to life. 2pm – The ShinShinim perform a high-energy musical about a wedding journey gone delightfully sideways.
Evening: Internationally acclaimed Nani Vazana brings the endangered Ladino language back to life with original Sephardic songs. Her track Una Segunda Piel won the 2024 Liet International — the “Eurovision for Minority Languages.” $36 advance / $45 after May 22.
Wed · May 27 — The Most Powerful Night
Day at Bernard Betel Centre · Then Music of Survival: Alon Ohel — 8:00pm
Free daytime at Betel Centre (1003 Steeles Ave W): 10am – Jewish Jazz Musicians Under the Radar with David Eisenstadt. 12pm – Kobi Hass and Avital Zemer remember the late, beloved Israeli musician Matti Caspi. 2pm – The Lost Music of Auschwitz documentary, an 8-year project to reconstruct music played by the camp’s prisoner orchestras.
Evening: Pianist Alon Ohel was abducted from the Nova Music Festival on October 7 and survived 738 days in Hamas captivity. Released this past October, he comes to Toronto with his brother Ronen on guitar to play, sing, and tell his story of music as survival. The venue location is shared with ticket-holders 24 hours in advance for security. Tickets $54 / $72 / $180; $36 student tickets available.
Thu · May 28
Day at Monarch Tavern & The Rex · Then Riki Rose in Concert — Beth Emeth — 7:30pm
Free daytime: 10am at Monarch Tavern – Michael Posner on the Jewish soul of Leonard Cohen, drawn from his three-volume biography. 12pm at Monarch Tavern – Israeli percussionist Shauli Hedaya leads a Middle Eastern Rhythm Body Workshop (limited space). 2pm at The Rex – Queen Kong premieres Mitsve Tants, blending klezmer with jazz, funk, and rock.
Evening: Riki Rose, raised in Brooklyn’s Satmar community, sings blues, rock, and jazz in authentic Yiddish. Her viral hit Utem Arein Utem Arois turned her into a global sensation. Backed by an all-star Toronto band. Tickets $25 / $54 / $72.
Fri · May 29 — Pre-Shabbat
Day at Heliconian Hall — Three free events before Shabbat
Free at Heliconian Club (35 Hazelton Ave): 10am – Janie Respitz traces the Jewish life cycle through Yiddish song. 12pm – Tenor Arieh Sacke performs 200 years of Jewish vocal music, from Offenbach to Toronto’s own Srul Glick. 2pm – Joshua Washington (JoDavi) brings “symphonic soul” in his Journey to Healing, blending gospel, R&B, reggae, and funk.
Sat · May 30 — Shabbat
🅾 Community Melaveh Malka — Temple Emanu-El — ~10:00pm (after Shabbat)
A beloved JMW tradition. Cantor Jeffrey Weber leads Havdalah, then a double-bill: the Sunday Singers Women’s Choir (a cappella in Hebrew, Yiddish, Ukrainian, Georgian, Spanish, and more) and Kesher Community Project, a fresh band of young Toronto musical talent making their JMW debut. Free, registration required.
Sun · May 31 — Closing Day
Cool Kids Concert · Rhythm Workshop · Then More Gefilte Fish & Chips — 7:30pm
Daytime: 10:30am at Beth Radom – Carl Berger’s family-friendly Cool Kids Concert. 2pm at Darchei Noam – second chance at the Middle Eastern Rhythm Body Workshop with Shauli Hedaya. Both free.
Closing night: British songwriter and storyteller Daniel Cainer brings More Gefilte Fish & Chips to the Columbus Centre. A four-time MAC Award nominee with 20+ years at the Edinburgh Fringe and seven off-Broadway runs. Funny, moving, beautifully sung. Tickets $25 / $54 / $72.
📍 The Essentials
Festival Dates
May 24 – 31, 2026
Eight days across the GTA
Eight days across the GTA
Main Venues
Columbus Centre · Grace Church on-the-hill · Bernard Betel Centre · Monarch Tavern · Heliconian Hall · Beth Tikvah · Beth Emeth · Elgin Theatre · Leah Posluns Theatre · Temple Emanu-El
Tickets
Daytime events free (registration required). Evening concerts ticketed. Book at jewishmusicweek.com or call 416-638-4492
Headliners
Alon Ohel · Schmaltz & Pepper · Nani Vazana · Riki Rose · Daniel Cainer · Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish
Kids & Families
The Cool Kids Concert with Carl Berger on May 31 (10:30am, Beth Radom) is built for families. The Hava N’ranena singalong on May 25 is also kid-friendly.
Best For
Music lovers · Yiddish & Ladino enthusiasts · klezmer fans · the Toronto Jewish community · curious first-timers · anyone who needs a week of laughter
⭐ The Centerpiece: Music of Survival — Wednesday, May 27
Of all the events at JMW 2026, this is the one Artistic Director Aliza Spiro calls “the evening that will change you for the better.” It’s worth pausing on.
Pianist Alon Ohel was 22 when he was abducted from the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023. He was held in Hamas captivity for 738 days, in long periods of underground isolation, and was released this past October. Eli Sharabi devoted an entire chapter of the bestselling memoir Hostage to him.
Now Alon comes to Toronto, direct from Israel, with his brother Ronen on guitar. He’ll play, sing, and share his story of music as survival, music as healing. The evening also features Alon and Ronen in conversation with Avi Benlolo, founding chairman of the Abraham Global Peace Initiative.
For security, the North York venue is shared with ticket-holders 24 hours before the event. Tickets $54 / $72 / $180. Student tickets at $36 (ID required) — book at jewishmusicweek.com →
💡 A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go
🎫 Register for the free events early. Yes, they’re free — but they consistently fill up. Don’t assume you can just walk up.
⏱️ JMW starts on time. The festival is famously punctual. For free ticketed events, ticket-holders need to be seated 15 minutes before showtime — empty seats start going to walk-ins at the 10-minute mark.
🔒 Expect security. Bag checks and ID checks at the door. Build in extra time. The festival has noticeably increased security across all venues this year.
🌍 Day-trip approach works well. Each day clusters around one or two venues — you can do morning lecture + lunchtime concert + afternoon tunes at the same location, then head home or out to dinner before the evening show.
💬 Skip the perfume. JMW asks attendees to go fragrance-free out of consideration for those with allergies and sensitivities.
🎥 Don’t skip the documentary. The Lost Music of Auschwitz on Wednesday afternoon is one of those quiet, devastating things that sneaks up on you. 75 minutes, free, deeply worth your time.
Support the Festival 🧡
Most of JMW’s programming is offered for free, which is only possible thanks to donors and sponsors. The festival also covers significantly higher security costs this year. If you enjoy a free event — or three — please consider giving back.
Donate Now →
❓ Common Questions
Schedule subject to change — always confirm details on the official Jewish Music Week website or by calling 416-638-4492 before heading out.
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