Jeffrey Wiesenfeld

Further evidence that Yiddish is suddenly hip in 2017 was on flashy display last night at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, as the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene welcomed a diverse and eclectic crowd to celebrate mothers and the mother tongue in grand style. Prominent producer Daryl Roth and nine other women trailblazers in the arts, sciences, business and philanthropy were honored, and a dazzling all-female cast performed one showstopper after another. The evening's mother hen was the fabulous four-time Tony nominee Tovah Feldshuh, who delighted the audience with her funny and peppery mix of wisdom and heartfelt cheerleading for the Jewish mothers attending and for the Jewish mother in all of us.

Bryna Wasserman officially stepped down as executive director of The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) last night at a lavish gala concert and dinner honoring Golden Globe nominee and Tony winner Liev Schreiber.  The 'Golden Gala' at the Museum of Jewish Heritage featured a concert starring a line-up of young performers with dazzling voices, including three stars of the Drama Desk-nominated musical, 'The Golden Bride,' Rachel Policar, Cameron Johnson and Adam B. Shapiro. They were joined by two superlative young singers, Grace Field and Daniel Greenwood.  Folksbiene's artistic director Zalmen Mlotek led a 16-piece orchestra.

'The Thomashefskys' were on stage again last night as Michael Tilson Thomas & the New York Philharmonic presented his acclaimed multi-media concert of the Music and Memories of Boris and Bessie Thomashefsky This years gala honored David and Sylvia Steiner as well as Tilson Thomas. Folksbiene is the sole surviving professional Yiddish Theatre in America and it preserves and adds to the legacy of Yiddish theatre, which flourished on Second Avenue and was domnated by Tilson Thomas's legendary grandparents ‘The Thomashefskys.'