Each year, YNY’s popular and super-affordable Kids & Teens programs incorporate music, art and theater as a fun way of introducing young YNYers to the world of Yiddish culture. The programs run during YNY (December 21-25) at the festival venue Hebrew Union College, 1 W 4th Street in Manhattan.
The YNY Kids Program (age 2 and up) is directed by Judy Sweet and features an amazing faculty of experienced Yiddish educators.
Click here for an overview of the YNY Kids Program and the Code of Conduct.
View the 2024 YNY Kids Graphic Novel
The YNY Teens Program is directed by OBIE-Award winning theater professional Jenny Romaine (Great Small Works), ably assisted by Ozzy Gold-Shapiro and Raya Ferholt-Wirz. This year, the YNY Teen theater project explores “what time is it on the clock of the world?/ וואָס מאָל איז עס אויף די זייגער פון דער וועלט?” How, as youth storytellers, can we use tradition and the stuff only we know to lift the spirits of our community (style, good outfits, jokes, music, dance moves, your favorite thing here). We’ll create an incredible theater show, with an original script, sets, and DrAmA ( only the good kind! ) How can our Yiddish languages, books, poems, songs, ancestral stories and importantly * New York City itself * help us make sense of the moment we are in? The program culminates in The Always Amazing YNY Teen Performance at 1PM on Thursday, December 25, at the beginning of The Always Great YNY Student Concert.
Message for YNY Teens: Dear NYC friends who have school to attend on Monday and Tuesday of YNY week. We need you! We’ll bring you in strongly on Sunday, “Day 1,” then share updates and get your input on Monday and Tuesday over phone etc. We’ll merge you in Wednesday and Thursday for the 1 pm show. Our sessions continue in the afternoon til 530! Come back after school if you can– we’ll make it work!
️ ( Shazaaam!!)
Reminder of daily schedule for your planning:
9:30-10:45
11:15-12:30
2:30-3:45
4:15 – 5:30 (4th period – choose between family band or helping us make sets, costumes and other things we need)
READY FOR MORE? CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE YNY KIDS AND TEENS PROGRAMS IN SCHED!