Accordion player Abe Goldstien was destined to play Yiddish music. One of the first music books his parents gave him was a collection of Yiddish songs.  Plus every Sunday morning, his family would gather around the radio to listen to the “Jewish Hour.”

Today, Goldstien keeps the music of his culture alive by sharing the melodies he heard at a young age. In addition to presenting programs like these, Goldstien is also the leader of The Java Jews, Iowa’s only Yiddish-music band.

In this workshop, participants will experience Abe's impressive accordion skills, enjoy foot-tapping rhythms, hear festive tunes they might not recognize and learn the stories behind the music. Those stories are just as entertaining as his performances of them! 

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