Jewish Identity through Music
Episode description
Featuring: Tkiya with Carla Friend, Founder and Executive Director
“The music really transformed me in a number of ways. I felt an instant and deep connection to my father and also to my Jewish heritage in general,” reflects Carla Friend about attending Shabbat Services.
Tkiya’s mission is to use participatory music experiences to help people of all ages find their unique connection with Jewish culture and to reinvigorate diverse Jewish communities.
Imagine an experience where people of all ages come together to experience the feeling of Jewish community. Where a celebration of culture brings together people of diverse backgrounds, and where the unengaged feel welcome and inspired. Tkiya recognizes that families are becoming less engaged in Judaism due to a lack of convenient, accessible experiences and seek a sense of belonging and connection. We create participatory music experiences that meet participants where they are – physically, psychologically, and spiritually – to find their unique connection to Jewish culture and community. In this new age of physical distancing, Tkiya was one of the first organizations able to pivot our programming model to continue to provide meaningful connection in a time when it is so deeply needed.
Tkiya partners with more than 50 other organizations, offering dozens of experiences each week. In addition to offering free Jewish community music experiences, Tkiya also facilitates classroom music for preschools, enrichment classes, musical theatre experiences, private lessons, and several secular weekly Parent & Me singalongs.
Definitions and Clarifications
Ashkenazi - a Jewish person of central or eastern European descent.
Mizrahi -a Jews person of Middle East or North Africa descent.
Sephardi - a Jewish person of who descends from the Iberian peninsula (Spain and Portugal).
“I discovered my Jewish identity through music. Now, my mission is to use music to help others connect and to strengthen the bonds of our diverse Jewish community.” -Carla Friend
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