The Magic of Theodore Bikel at Stephen Wise Free Synagogue

Join Stephen Wise Free Synagogue for a delightful evening with Aimee Ginsburg Bikel, widow of the legendary actor, singer, and activist Theodore Bikel z”l — an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony nominee — best known for playing Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof,” co-founding the Newport Folk Festival with Pete Seeger, leading unions and protest movements, and keeping Yiddish music alive.

Although gone for nearly 10 years now, Theodore Bikel’s remarkable contributions to music, drama, yiddishkeit and tikkun olam continue to inspire…

Join us as Aimee shares stories, lessons and exclusive video footage from the life and legacy of this giant of Jewish culture, with a special performance by Cantor Dan Singer.

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This event is made possible thanks to Theodore Bikel – Legacy Project.

Stephen Wise Free Synagogue’s 2025–26 Music Programming is generously sponsored by Jamie and Haim Handwerker and Sara Star.

Aimee Ginsburg Bikel is the founding director of the Theodore Bikel Legacy Project and is an award-winning journalist, author, poet, public speaker and social justice organizer. She has lived in Israel, India, and the United States, and served as the senior Israeli-India correspondent and as a radio editor and host. She is currently on tour with her book, “The City Of Light,” and her first volume of poetry, “Take Me With You,” will be published in 2026.

An Oscar-nominated actor and Emmy Award winner, Theodore Bikel was best known for playing Tevye (over 2,000 times) and for creating the role of Captain von Trapp in “The Sound of Music” (the song “Edelweiss” was written for him). Co-founder of the Newport Folk Festival, he recorded 37 albums, sang with Pete Seeger and the Weavers, and, as one of the founding fathers of American folk music, brought Yiddish and Israeli songs into vogue with American listeners. Beyond the stage, Theo Bikel was a tireless activist for civil rights, Jewish causes, justice and peace, serving as president of Actors’ Equity, senior vice president of the American Jewish Congress, a board member of Amnesty International, and a member of the National Council on the Arts.