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Rent our auditorium or meeting room for your next event, party, wedding, meeting, or life cycle event. Hall rental for weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, banquets, fundraisers, dances, reunions, anniversary and birthday celebrations, concerts and plays. Room rental for meetings, conferences, workshops and classes. Peretz Centre Venue Rentals Rent our hall or meeting room for your next program, concert, conference, meeting, or life cycle event. Conveniently located near Oakridge Mall in Vancouver, one block west of the Canada Line (half way between the 41st and 49th Avenue stations), our variety of spaces can accommodate all of your rental needs. Submit an Inquiry Available Rental Spaces in Vancouver We prioritize renting to community organizations at affordable rates. If you are looking for a long-term rental partnership, please contact us. The Peretz Centre and our rental rooms are wheelchair accessible, with underground parking and an elevator. Our rooms are available for one-time or long-term rental. *Please note that the lower floor (Seniors Lounge) is currently rented by the Vancouver Public Library and will not be available until 2027. Gallia & Ben Chud Auditorium Gallia & Ben Chud Auditorium (interior) Gallia & Ben Chud Auditorium (stage) Gallia & Ben Chud Auditorium (stage) Gallia & Ben Chud Auditorium (interior) 1/5 3,000+ sqft Capacity: 200-300 people Our dividable auditorium can accommodate up to 200 seated guests (banquets, weddings) or 300 people for cocktail receptions, concerts, theatre performances, film screenings, and more. Features a maple wood floor, spacious foyer, stage, portable stage, green room (off-stage prep room), and full catering kitchen. Lighting system, sound system, and wi-fi available. Kitchen Peretz Centre Kitchen Peretz Centre Kitchen Peretz Centre Kitchen 1/2 550 sqft Capacity: 20 people The kitchen, located right next to the Ben Chud Auditorium on the second floor, is fully equipped for a wide range of needs, from commercial catering to community cooking classes. (Included in full rate auditorium rentals.) Dishes, cutlery, glassware, and more are also available for food service and coffee/tea service. Kirman Library Kirman Library Kirman Library Kirman Library 1/2 345 sqft Capacity: 12 people In addition to holding a fascinating library of Yiddish and Jewish texts, the Kirman Library, is a conveniently sized meeting room equipped for in-person and hybrid/virtual events. Includes access to wi-fi and a full video conference system with a 65" TV. Schoolroom Schoolroom (Forget Me Not) Schoolroom Schoolroom Schoolroom (Forget Me Not) 1/3 1500 sqft Capacity: 30 people Thoughtfully designed to cater to the needs of both adults and kids, this cozy space is bright and welcoming and includes a small kitchen and washrooms. Perfect for dance practices, play rehearsals, classroom on the weekends (not available during the week). Additional Rental Amenities Round or rectangular tables, comfortable banquet chairs included. Also available by arrangement: dishes, coffee/tea service, tablecloths, whiteboards, underground parking, microphones, built-in sound system, and stage lighting. Rental inquiries for the foyer on the second-floor (capacity: 30) are also welcome for social events, displays, luncheons, and more. Submit a Rental Inquiry Please provide as much information as possible in order to help us assess your booking needs. Contact name* Contact family name* Who do you represent?* Registered charity Registered non-profit society Private organization or business Individual/group Booking priority may be given to registered charities and/or non-profit societies. Organization name Website Email* Phone I am interested in renting:* Gallia & Ben Chud Auditorium Kitchen Kirman Library Schoolroom Lounge (upstairs) Please provide a brief description of your event or program* What kind of event/program are you planning to host?* Private (invite-only) Open to the public Other Estimated number of attendees* Do you plan to have food and/or drinks?* Yes, there will be food and/or non-alcoholic beverages Yes, there will be food and alcoholic beverages No food or drinks Not sure yet Please indicate if your event/rental will include any of the following. Live music/performance Recorded music (including background music) Dancing Select one or more amenities (optional): Sound equipment and/or set up Projector and screen Underground parking access Other Preferred event date* Start time* Time : Hours Minutes AM End time* Time : Hours Minutes AM Additional information (optional) I want to book more than one day in a row I want to book a recurring day and time (weekly, monthly, etc.) Do you currently have insurance coverage for your planned activities? Proof of insurance will be required to confirm rentals.* Yes Not yet How did you hear about the Peretz Centre?* Submit

Make a charitable donation to the Peretz Centre and support our secular Jewish educational programs, cultural and community initiatives, events, and more! Support Our Work The Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture is a registered Canadian charity dedicated to providing a progressive, modern Jewish cultural education to students of all ages. Charitable number: 108167602 RR 0001 Donate Ways to Give Donate to the Peretz Centre Your tax-deductible contribution sustains a home for progressive Jewish culture. Donate Online: Donors from Canada and around the world can make a one-time, monthly, or annual gift online via Zeffy , or through CanadaHelps . Gifts are eligible for a Canadian tax receipt. Donate Securities: Donations of securities, including stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, are gratefully accepted via CanadaHelps . Donate by Cheque: To make a donation by mail, send a cheque to the following address (Canada only): Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture 6184 Ash St. Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9 Canada Ways to Give Make a Gift All donations, large and small, help sustain a home for progressive Jewish learning and culture. Donations are eligible for a charitable tax receipt (registered charity 108167602 RR 0001). Donate Become a Member Members are the foundation of our community. Become a member and renew your membership annually to support our programs year-round, and take an active role in building our future. Register Legacy Giving Continue an 80-year legacy of Jewish learning and culture in BC by including the Peretz Centre in your estate planning. Bequests and other forms of legacy giving leave a lasting impact and help us grow. Contact Us Get in touch Speak with us to learn more about giving opportunities and other ways to get involved! Send an email to execdirector@peretz-centre.org or call and leave a message at +1 (604) 325-1812 .

The Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture in Vancouver, Canada, is one of dozens of schools, cultural centres, libraries, organizations, streets, and plazas, from Buenos Aires to Birobidzhan, named in honour of I. L. Peretz.​ Read Al Stein's short biography of Peretz. Who was I. L. Peretz? by Al Stein The Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture in Vancouver, Canada, is one of dozens of schools, cultural centres, libraries, organizations, streets, and plazas, from Buenos Aires to Birobidzhan, named in honour of I. L. Peretz. Peretz: A Modern Yiddish Writer See 1905 map from Topographic Maps of Eastern Europe: An Atlas of the Shtetl Yitzkhok Leybush Peretz was born in 1852 in Zamość , a small city in the southeast of Poland, to a prominent Orthodox family and by six years of age had already begun to study the Talmud. Recognized as a prodigy, he was expected to become a revered Rabbi or a great Jewish scholar, but as a young teenager was given the key to a private library of masterworks of secular European literature and the social and physical sciences. He painstakingly learned Russian, German, French and some English and was forever transformed by this learning. In keeping with Orthodox Jewish custom, his parents arranged a teenage marriage for him that did not last, but did produce a son, Lucian, who Peretz took charge of. He soon remarried and that marriage, childless, endured for his lifetime. He was accepted as a law student and by age twenty-five was granted a license by the Czarist authority to practice private law, but not before the Russian court, and soon developed a respected reputation in and around Zamość. At 37 years old, he was suddenly disbarred without explanation, but presumably for his socialist sympathies. He moved to Warsaw and was offered the position of a functionary for the Jewish Community Council, in charge of burial records for the Jewish cemetery. Peretz's income was modest but he now had time to devote to writing. He had previously written a small number of works in Polish and Hebrew but now decided to write in Yiddish, the everyday language of the Jewish people. In 1888, Peretz’s first Yiddish work, “Monish”, a mock-epic verse ballad, was published in Sholem Aleichem’s journal, “Yiddish Folks-Bibliotek”. Nothing so modern in style and content had ever before been written in Yiddish. Sholem Aleichem was seven years younger than Peretz, but had started to write in Yiddish earlier; his humorous sketches and gentle satires of the ways that ordinary Jews in the Ukraine coped with everyday hardships and the many changes that were happening, had made him very popular. Peretz made it very clear in an accompanying letter that he had no intention of trying to copy Sholem Aleichem’s style and goal which he said was to amuse and comfort his readers. Peretz said he intended to appeal more to intellectuals, his goal being to enlighten his readers. Their relationship continued to be cooperative, if somewhat prickly. Read Monish in Yiddish online at the Internet Archive “Peretz was committed to one premise above all others: that it was possible, through literature, to fuse Jewish tradition with Western ideas of humanism, reason, and social justice and to show that those ideas were, in fact, implicit in Jewish tradition all along." -- Aaron Lansky, Introduction to Pakn Treger No. 72 , Peretz: Redux (Fall 2015) Peretz’s literary genius was multi-faceted and his writing styles very varied, reflecting his diverse experience and the psychological and neo-Romantic impulses found in contemporary European literature. He was always concerned about the practical questions of Jewish national and cultural identity during a period of great social and political unrest. He served as a guide and mentor to the next generation of Yiddish writers who would regularly gather at his modest home. The relevance of Peretz’s writings to issues facing Jews today is readily apparent. Examining traditional and khasidic Jewish culture through his secular intellect, he wrote stories, poems, essays and plays where earthly goodness frequently had a higher value than traditional piety and where he often scourged religious hypocrisy and exploitation of women. Although sympathetic to most socialist ideals, Peretz in his last years expressed growing anxiety and uncanny foresight about simplistic class politics that he feared would stifle individual liberty and intellectual and literary expression. He never ceased to champion Yiddish as a unifying force that would strengthen and give voice to the cultural values of the Jewish people. Peretz was active in Jewish communal affairs in Warsaw; he organized a Jewish library, a choral society and was instrumental in the founding of an orphanage for Jewish children. During the early period of World War I, thousands of Russian Jews were scapegoated for potential disloyalty and forced out by the anti-Semitic Czar, Nicholas II. They flocked to Warsaw where Peretz, among others, made every effort to provide them with food, shelter and medical attention. This huge task and the sight of all the suffering undermined his already frail heart. He died on April 3, 1915. It is said that 100 thousand mourning Jews followed the coffin of the greatest Yiddish literary artist to the cemetery. Today, he is hardly recognized by most Jews in North America. Portrait by Władysław Wajntraub, undated ( via Wikimedia Commons ) Further Reading Note: This is an informal and most definitely non-exhaustive list of the many resources available about Peretz's life, work, and impact. Ruth R. Wisse, " Peretz, Yitskhok Leybush ," in the YIVO Encycolpedia of Jews in Eastern Europe. David Mazower, "Inside the Peretz Salon: The Engine Room of Modern Yiddish Culture, with David Mazower ," lecture at the Yiddish Book Center (Feb. 8 2024). Adi Mahalel, The Radical Isaac: I. L. Peretz and the Rise of Jewish Socialism (SUNY Press, 2023) David G. Roskies, " The Small Talk of I. L. Peretz ," In Geveb: A Journal of Yiddish Studies (May 22, 2016). David Mazower, " Peretz’s Worlds: Separating the Man from the Myth ," Pakn Treger No. 72 (Fall 2015/5776). Join Our Mailing List Subscribe Become a Member Register Support Our Work Donate

The Paulina and Shaya Kirman Library is the largest Yiddish language library in Western Canada. Open to the public, it contains 4000 books, journals, and other print media in Yiddish and English. Browse Visit Borrow About The Kirman Library With a diverse and fascinating collection of Jewish books, the Kirman Library contains the largest collection of Yiddish language texts in Western Canada. Open to everyone! Become a Supporter Yiddish does not offer the path to the past as much as to a collective future which is linked with the past: a better future, but better because of human endeavour. The library at the Vancouver Peretz Institute is one such endeavour. -- Faith Jones, The Vancouver Peretz Institute Yiddish Library , p. 140 Our Collections in Yiddish & English Browse & Search the Catalogue The Kirman Library at the Peretz Centre is a unique library with a treasure trove of Jewish literature, history, music, art, theatre, humour and scholarly works in Yiddish and English. The library’s Yiddish collection is the largest in Western Canada. Our library catalogue is available to browse online via Library World. Search the Catalogue Browse our catalogue Visit the Kirman Library The library is open to all. While we work to establish regular hours, access to the library is by appointment only. For more information about library policy, including overdue or lost items, or to obtain a library card, contact the Peretz Centre office at 604-325-1812, or e-mail admin@peretz-centre.org . Make an Appointment Visit the library Borrowing from the Library Members of the Peretz Centre may borrow four items at a time, for a period of four weeks, which may be renewed if no hold has been placed on the items. Bring books you are borrowing or returning to the office so they can be checked out or in. Become a Member Borrowing Kirman Library History Paulina Kirman at her home (photographed by Celia Brauer, 1986) Paulina Kirman photographs sub-series, 94.01.0058. Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, Survivors Today project fonds. © Celia Brauer. Paulina Kirman at the UBC Library Processing Centre (photographed by Celia Brauer, 1986) Paulina Kirman photographs sub-series, 94.01.0058. Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, Survivors Today project fonds. © Celia Brauer. Paulina Kirman at the UBC Library Processing Centre (photographed by Celia Brauer, 1986) Paulina Kirman photographs sub-series, 94.01.0058. Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, Survivors Today project fonds. © Celia Brauer. Paulina Kirman at her home (photographed by Celia Brauer, 1986) Paulina Kirman photographs sub-series, 94.01.0058. Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, Survivors Today project fonds. © Celia Brauer. 1/3 "Paulina Kirman 's dedication to the project of creating an ordered library from a room full of books is the single greatest reason for the library's existence. She believed strongly in the goals of librarianship, particularly equal access to information and dissemination of culture." -- Faith Jones, The Vancouver Peretz Institute Yiddish Library , p. 130 Paulina (Neuman) Kirman (1919-1999) emigrated to Vancouver from Poland in 1958. She and her husband Shaya (1903-1982) were devoted readers and Yiddishists. A polyglot who knew Yiddish, Hebrew, Polish, Russian, German, Latin, and several other Slavic languages, Paulina was hired to catalogue books for the University of British Columbia's Slavic department in 1962, where she worked for 22 years. Paulina and Shaya started a Yiddish reading group at the Peretz Institute in 1972. In 1976, the couple started organizing the Peretz School's book collection into a working lending library, with Paulina cataloguing and classifying the texts and Shaya assisting her. The library officially opened on January 21, 1979 with a visit from the Yiddish writer Itche Goldberg. Securing donated reference texts and literature from UBC, Paulina actively participated in the Yiddish literary world and the library became a member of the League for Yiddish, YIVO and the National Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts, USA. Over the decades, the library amassed a collection of Yiddish books, literary journals, magazines, and more. Most of the books in the library were donated by Peretz members like Archie and Anne Wyne, and Sid Sarkin, with many families donating personal collections of loved ones after their deaths. Paulina retired from UBC not long after Shaya's death in 1982 and devoted more of her time to the Peretz library until her health began to decline. At this point, the library's collection of English language books also began to grow to support the Peretz School's programs, including a large number of children's books and Holocaust books. In the 1990s, Faith Jones began volunteering at the library and started work restoring the library with David Kaetz. Many other organizations that closed (like Calgary's Peretz School) or downsized their collections (like UJPO's Toronto branch or the Winnipeg Jewish Library) sent their books to the Vancouver Peretz School, and the collection continued to grow with large donations from the late Dr. Gersh Winrob and the late poet Miriam Waddington, among others. Paulina Kirman at her home (photographed by Celia Brauer, 1986). Paulina Kirman photographs sub-series, 94.01.0058. Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, Survivors Today project fonds. © Celia Brauer. Paulina Kirman at her home with portrait of late husband Shaya (photographed by Celia Brauer, 1986). Paulina Kirman photographs sub-series, 94.01.0058. Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, Survivors Today project fonds. © Celia Brauer. Paulina Kirman in her flower garden (photographed by Celia Brauer, 1986). Paulina Kirman (photographed by Celia Brauer, 1986). Paulina Kirman photographs sub-series, 94.01.0058. Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, Survivors Today project fonds. © Celia Brauer. The maintenance of a Yiddish language library in Vancouver, against all odds, can only be ascribed to a certain stubbornness of spirit on the part of a few individuals. The Peretz community continues to insist on the importance of a Jewish past which most Jews -- including its own members -- cannot access directly. That this past will inevitably be filtered and condensed due to translation, and that it will need constant re-examination in order to keep it a living and sustaining component of Jewish identity, does not reduce its power. Unlike those who declare Yiddish already dead, the Peretz School's members do not appear to need closure on this question. -- Faith Jones, The Vancouver Peretz Institute Yiddish Library , pp. 138-139 In 2001, when the Peretz Institute re-opened its new building under the new name of the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, the library was a central feature of the plan and was named after Paulina and Shaya. In its new space, more volunteers stepped in to care for the diverse collection of texts, which was disorganized and dispersed in boxes. Al Stein led the effort to restore the library over the next two decades and more. With a grant from the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Vancouver, the Peretz Centre was able to hire a library technician to digitize the library catalogue. This was an enormous undertaking, especially for a library tech unfamiliar with Yiddish, and the project relied on the support of Al and other volunteers to meticulously transliterate book and journal titles. Containing a treasure trove of 4000 books and journals in Yiddish and English, the Kirman Library is under the care of Al and Carl Rosenberg (former editor of Outlook magazine). We are working to reopen the library with regular hours and more funding to honour the work of Peretz members and all of the history and memory contained in its pages. Become a Supporter Old Peretz Institute building at 6184 Ash Street Grand opening of the new Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 2001 Paulina & Shaya Kirman Library at the Peretz Centre References & Further Reading Faith Jones, "The Vancouver Peretz Institute Yiddish Library: The Social History of a Jewish Community Library ," UBC Thesis (Master's of Library and Information Studies), 1999. Faith Jones, "A Chimney on the Canadian Prairies: Yiddish-Language Libraries in Western Canada, 1900 to the Present ," Judaica Librarianship , vol. 12, 2006. " Kirman Library spans the arts ," Jewish Independent, February 26, 2001. Al Stein's Oral History , Yiddish Book Centre's Wexler Oral History Project (interviewed by Christa Whitney, 2023). Paulina Kirman testimony , Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre (interviewed by Sandra Hayden, 1985). Paulina Kirman Collection at the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. Become a Library Supporter Make a Contribution Your tax-deductible donation helps us preserve valuable texts, make the library more accessible to the general public, and expand our collection to include the wealth of contemporary Yiddish studies and Jewish studies scholarship. Donate Donate Books Donations of books in Yiddish and English are welcome. We won’t be able to use all items offered for donation, but we would love to see what you have. Charitable tax receipts may be available for large donations. Contact Us Volunteer The Kirman Library is volunteer-run. If you are interested contributing your time to the library, please get in touch. More opportunities to volunteer will be available soon. Contact Us

Learn about educational programs at the Peretz School and explore community-run, Jewish cultural programs, open to all! The Peretz School and Programs The Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture was founded in 1945 to establish and conduct a school that provides students of all ages with a progressive and modern Jewish cultural education. Our doors are open to people of diverse cultures, beliefs, genders and sexual orientation. Explore and register for current programs below! Register Now Donate Programs at the Peretz School Educational programs for students of all ages Yiddish Language Courses Open up the world of Yiddish language, culture, and history with beginner and intermediate classes. Learn More Zhargon: Histories of Yiddishkayt Explore the rich and fascinating history, art and culture of Yiddishkayt — the culture of Jews in Eastern Europe. Learn More Cultural Pnei Mitzvah Program A pluralistic, non-dogmatic educational program for students 10-13 to reinterpret the bar mitzvah rite of passage. Learn More Peretz Zumershule (Summer Program) A two-week summer program for youth ages 8-15 to explore Jewish cultural heritage and practice creative expression. Learn More Community Cultural Programs Jewish cultural programs run by Peretz members and open to all Exploring Jewish Writers Each week the group reads aloud and discusses an English-language text by a Jewish writer. Learn More The Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir Learn and sing the traditional and contemporary songs of the Jewish people in Yiddish, Hebrew, Ladino and English. Learn More Yiddish Reading Groups Practice and expand your Yiddish with the intermediate or advanced reading groups, which meet online every week! Get in Touch Register Now for Current Programs Open Closed Pnei Mitzvah 2026-28 Cohort (Year 1) 2-year program for students (10-13) on Jewish culture and history from a pluralist, progressive lens Starts Oct 18 Loading availability... Loading availability... More Info Pnei Mitzvah 2025-27 Cohort (Year 2) The second-year cohort for the Peretz Centre's Pnei Mitzvah program (2025-27) Starts Oct 18 Loading availability... Loading availability... More Info Exploring Jewish Writers A weekly, intergenerational reading circle (online) More Info Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir 2025-26 Spend Tuesday evenings learning and singing traditional and contemporary songs of the Jewish people More Info Past Programs Do you want to hear about it if these programs start up again? Sign up for our newsletter Pnei Mitzvah 2024-26 Cohort (Year 2) The second-year cohort for the Peretz Centre's Pnei Mitzvah program (2024-26) Ended View Course Reading Group: The Jewelers of the Ummah In person group meets monthly to read Ariella Aïsha Azoulay's 2024 book Ended View Course Shmues: Practicing Yiddish Conversation Build your confidence in the art of shmusen in Yiddish in four friendly, multi-level classes Ended View Course Continuing Yiddish 2026 / ייִדיש װײַטער Deepen your understanding of the Yiddish language with intermediate classes Ended View Course Zayt Bagrist 2026 (Welcome to Yiddish!) Open up the world of Yiddish language, culture, and history this fall! Ended View Course Doikayt: Histories of Jews Going West What do we know—and not know—about the place where we live and how local history shapes our present? Ended View Course Pnei Mitzvah 2025-27 Cohort (Year 1) 2-year program for students (10-13) on Jewish culture and history from a pluralist, progressive lens Ended View Course Zhargon: Histories of Yiddishkayt (2025) Explore the rich and fascinating history, art and culture of Jews in Eastern Europe Ended View Course Zayt Bagrist 2025 (Welcome to Yiddish) Open up the world of Yiddish language, culture, and history this fall! Ended View Course Continuing Yiddish / ייִדיש װײַטער Deepen your understanding of the Yiddish language with intermediate classes Ended View Course Zumershule: Youth Summer Program 2025 A two week program for youth ages 8-15 to learn and explore Jewish forms of artistic expression Ended View Course Yiddish in Motion: Language & Dance Explore the worldviews of Yiddishkayt through language and movement in four summer classes Ended View Course Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir (2024-2025) Spend Tuesday evenings learning and singing traditional and contemporary songs of the Jewish people Ended View Course Pnei Mitzvah (2024-2026 Cohort) | Year 1 2-year program for students (10-13) on Jewish culture and history from a pluralist, progressive lens Ended View Course Yiddish Language Lab 2025 Enhance your reading (leyenen) & writing (shraybn) skills in Yiddish and traditional Hebrew letters Ended View Course Pnei Mitzvah 2023-2025 Cohort | Year 2 The second year cohort for the Peretz Centre's Pnei Mitzvah program (2023-2025) Ended View Course Intermediate Yiddish (Spring 2025) Deepen your understanding of the Yiddish language with intermediate classes Ended View Course Beginners' Yiddish (Spring 2025) Open up the world of Yiddish language, culture, and history! Ended View Course Zhargon: Histories of Yiddishkayt (2024) Explore the rich and fascinating history, art and culture of Jews in Eastern Europe Ended View Course Yiddish Dance Workshop (All Classes) 6-session Yiddish folk dance workshop for all levels and all bodies Ended View Course Load More Join Our Mailing List Given name* Surname Email* I consent to receive the Peretz Centre community update * Subscribe

Join our 80th anniversary celebrations at the peretz Centre! Write a message for our 80th anniversary booklet and be a part of our history in print. Share your congratulations, a shout out, or memory of Peretz for generations to come. | Deadline: Sunday, April 26th, 2026 Celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the Peretz Centre As we mark 80 years at the Peretz Centre, we honour our community's past and present, and work towards a sheynere un besere velt far ale -- a better and more beautiful world for all. Donate Order Our Commemorative Booklet Since 1952, the Peretz Centre has produced commemorative booklets that beautifully capture moments of our history and community. Our 80th anniversary continues the tradition of featuring messages from members and community partners. Booklets, as well as 80th anniversary pins and stickers, are available for purchase online, and pick up at the Peretz Centre. Order Booklet 1952 Download PDF 1986 Download PDF 1996 Download PDF 2006 Download PDF Our 80th Anniversary Gala Sold out! Peretz’s 80th Anniversary: A Wedding Between Peretz and the Past, Present, and Future Sat, May 23 Mark 80 years of the Peretz Centre's illustrious history, support our youth programs, and experience an artsy and camp interpretation of shtetl wedding rituals, featuring live music from KlezWest's KlezJam, the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir, and much more Details Our 80th Anniversary Campaign for Youth Programs The Peretz Centre is in the midst of an unprecedented revival, and thanks to our youth programs, we are thrilled that more and more young people in the Peretz community love being here! They participate in holiday events, play hide-and-seek in the auditorium, make beautiful creations, devise clever ways to lodge paper airplanes in the ceiling, bake challah, compose songs...all with endless creativity and spirit. Our goal is to keep these connections going and growing, building bridges between generations and ensuring the future of thriving, diverse, and progressive Jewish life in the place where we live. That's why our 80th Anniversary fundraising campaign is targeted towards supporting existing youth programs, new successes, and a new youth group that is just getting started. Your support helps us keep these programs exciting, accessible, and affordable for everyone! *Donations are eligible for a charitable tax receipt via Zeffy Cultural Pnei Mitzvah A two-year, bi-weekly program, whose breadth and richness is not matched anywhere else in Vancouver, for students aged 10-13 to reinterpret the traditional bar mitzvah right of passage and gain a comprehensive understanding of Jewish cultures and histories. Learn more Zumershule Art Camp For 10 wild summer days, youth ages 8-13 explore Jewish cultural heritage and practice creative expression historically associated with Jewish culture with local artists and practitioners. This intergenerational program culminates in a youth-led cultural shabbes dinner. Learn more Kindervelt Storytime Open up a world of Jewish cultural stories for children! All kids age 6 and under are invited to join us for an hour of stories, songs, and a craft. Our newest children's program is led by librarian Aurel Matte and takes place monthly on Sunday mornings. Learn more A New Youth Club! Peretz members are organizing a new youth group program for Pnei Mitzvah graduates to continue their learning and help them stay active, connected members of the community. These amazing kids will start meeting bi-weekly in fall 2026. (More details to come!) Get in touch The P'nei Mitzvah program is the only place that makes learning about history interesting. Also, the instructor is OK with us taking over the world with giant vegan marshmallows, so you can't go wrong! The snacks are pretty good too. You should join us >:) -- Ray, Pnei Mitzvah Student (2026) Join Our Mailing List Subscribe Become a Member Register Support Our Work Donate

The Peretz Centre's Pnei Mitzvah program offers students aged 10-13 a pluralistic approach to Jewish education and culture that emphasizes the humanist, progressive, and universalist aspects of our heritage. Over two years of bi-weekly sessions, Pnei Mitzvah cohorts focus on literature, language, ethics, music, art, and dance to connect with and reinterpret traditions in new ways. Intro & Overview Core Themes Curriculum & Pedagogy The Peretz Centre Pnei Mitzvah Program A two-year, bi-weekly program, whose breadth and richness is not matched anywhere else in Vancouver, for students aged 10-13 to gain a comprehensive understanding of Jewish cultures and histories. Register The P'nei Mitzvah program is the only place that makes learning about history interesting. Also, the instructor is OK with us taking over the world with giant vegan marshmallows, so you can't go wrong! The snacks are pretty good too. You should join us >:) -- Ray, Pnei Mitzvah Student (2026) Introduction & Overview In 1965, Avrum Osipov made history by celebrating the first secular bar mitzvah in Vancouver right here at the Peretz School, and in 1990, Soli Jackson started what has evolved into one of the Peretz Centre's core educational programs, helping over 200 students find new meaning in reinterpreting the traditional bar mitzvah rite of passage. The Pnei Mitzvah program offers a pluralistic, non-dogmatic approach to Jewish education for children aged 10-13 that emphasizes the humanist, progressive, and universalist aspects of our heritage. Over two years of bi-weekly sessions, Pnei Mitzvah cohorts study Jewish history, literature, language, ethics, music, art, and dance to forge their own connection with their cultural heritage. Although students learn about Jewish spirituality and religious history, Peretz does not seek to promote particular religious commitments or doctrines. Peretz is an LGBTQ+ safe environment, and while we are rooted in the Ashkenazi humanist, yiddishist culture that gave birth to Peretz, Jews of all backgrounds are welcome, and the diversity of global Judaism is explored in our Pnei Mitzvah curriculum. The name "Pnei Mitzvah" uses the gender-neutral "pnei " (faces of) instead of "b'nei " (sons of) There are lots of reasons why the Peretz Pnei Mitzvah program may be what you're looking for... You are looking for an inclusive, non-dogmatic approach to Jewish culture. Your family practices more than one faith or is not religious. You are interested in the principle which Peretz’ founders embraced: do’ikeit or “hereness”, the idea that a Jewish life is lived here in the country where one lives, and one’s principal responsibility begins with local struggles for justice, equality, and mutual liberation. Your child is not interested in Synagogue life. You are looking for your child to learn in an environment which is truly open-minded and welcomes all points of view. You are looking for a intellectually rich education that doesn’t just focus on Hebrew, Holidays and Bible stories, but teaches Jewish history, ethics, literature, culture, music, and art. Torah, prayer and Israel are not the primary way your child. connects to Judaism, or your child has no connection to Judaism and you want them to find their own way into Jewish tradition and history, not have that way chosen for them. Language Introduction to both to the Hebrew and Yiddish languages. Students will also learn Yiddish words, phrases and songs and can choose to delve deeper into the mameloshn (Ashkenazi “mother-tongue”) if they choose. Literature Grounding in Jewish literature, starting with Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), Mishna, Talmud and Rabbinic thought, with a focus on the Jewish ethical tradition. As they progress they will then study Jewish novelists, poets, and philosophers of the classical and modern eras. Music, Art & Dance Exploration of the ways that Jews have used art to create beauty or make the world a better place. Students will be exposed to major Jewish artists in a variety of mediums and learn about Jewish contributions to modern music, from Bob Dylan to Gene Simmons (ok, maybe not Gene Simmons). Ethics Foundations of values and virtues in Jewish traditions, from studying tikkun olam (repair of the world) and how to care for the stranger, to Jewish contributions to ethical and political theory in the modern era. Curriculum & Pedagogy YEAR 1 In the first year, Pnei Mitzvah students learn pre-modern Jewish history and culture , studying the major narratives of the Hebrew Bible and being introduced to the Mishna, the Talmud, Rabbinic thought and Kabbalah. All subjects are taught as literature and their meaning and significance are examined and debated by the students, who are given space to find their own relationship to the texts. No question or thought is out of bounds. Students also study Jewish history from the time of the closing of the Biblical canon up to the modern era and are introduced to topics like Judaism, Christianity and Islam, great Rabbis, Jewish women in history, the development of Jewish thought and religious practice, and how the Jews went from being a nomadic people to a global presence. Year One Project Students are asked to create a midrash — a creative expansion or reinterpretation of a narrative from the Tanakh — in any medium they choose. These imaginative projects have included a retelling of the story of Adam and Eve from the point of view of a worm in the apple, to writing and recording a song about King David using the Minecraft soundtrack. YEAR 2 In the second year, Pnei Mitzvah students explore Judaism in the modern world . Beginning with the Jewish enlightenment (haskalah ) and the fall of the ghetto walls, we examine the thought of great modern Jewish thinkers, revolutionaries, artists and scientists. The students are introduced to Jewish film, music, art and literature of the modern period, and study modern Jewish history including Jewish political movements, the Holocaust, and the creation of the state of Israel. The second year encourages students to go deeper with an individual Pnei Mitzvah project that they share at the Pnei Mitzvah ceremony to close the program. Year Two Project At the graduation celebration, students will present an aspect of Jewish culture that they connected with and wished to research and explore in whatever medium they choose. In past years, projects have taken many forms, from book reports, art projects, dances, or videos, to learning to chant the traditional haftorah. The emphasis is always on their intellectual curiosity, and learning the art and practice of learning itself. Collective Pnei Mitzvah Ceremony The program ends with a collective Pnei Mitzvah ceremony that honours each individual student while focusing on community. Each cohort plans their own version of the ceremony to showcase the students and celebrate their learning, which has become a highlight of the Peretz events calendar as we welcome new generations of Peretzniks. The Pnei Mitzvah graduation ceremony is planned and organized cooperatively by the parents, with support from the Peretz Centre. Program & Community Participation Pnei Mitzvah students meet approximately every other Sunday for a two hour class with their teacher, including a snack break. Classes take place at the Peretz Centre in the Kirman Yiddish Library. Since the cultural program formally began in 1990 (though the first secular Bar Mitzvah took place in 1965 ), participants have been encouraged to take an active role in the Peretz community. The program includes service and Tikkun Olam components. Families are also encouraged to be part of community cultural and educational life at Peretz. We welcome Pnei Mitzvah families and friends to our cultural (secular) Jewish holiday events, like our combined/condensed Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur, Hanukkah celebrations, Purimshpiln (Purim plays), Passover Community Seyder, and our monthly Fraytik tsu Nakht cultural shabbes potluck dinners. See upcoming and past events here Join the Next Pnei Mitzvah Cohort Pnei Mitzvah 2026-28 Cohort (Year 1) Starts Oct 18 Loading availability... Loading availability... Book Now Curriculum Creator Matthew Gindin has been teaching Jewish history, philosophy, and contemplative traditions in a wide variety of settings since 2004. Formerly Peretz Education Director and Master Teacher at Or Shalom, we welcomed Matthew back to the Peretz Centre in 2024. He also works as a freelance writer and editor, professional lecturer, and independent journalist. (matthewgindin.com )

The Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture was founded in 1945 to establish and conduct a school that provides students of all ages with a progressive and modern Jewish cultural education. Who We Are What We Do Our Values The Peretz Centre The Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture was founded in 1945 to establish and conduct a school that provides students of all ages with a progressive and modern Jewish cultural education. Located in Vancouver, BC on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples, we hold classes, lectures, exhibitions, concerts, holiday celebrations and similar gatherings in order to teach and advance the cause of progressive and modern Jewish learning, culture, and education and the Yiddish language. Our doors are open to people of diverse cultures, beliefs, genders, and sexual orientation. Join Our Mailing List Office & Location Who We Are The Vancouver Peretz Institute, also known as the Vancouver Peretz Shule, was founded in 1945 in response to the threat to Jewish culture and Yiddish language posed by the Holocaust and WWII. The founding families felt an urgent need to establish a school to ensure the continuity of Jewish secular humanistic culture and thought. And they opened the doors to all — Jews and non-Jews — who felt a connection to Jewish culture, history, and experience. The Peretz Institute was renamed the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture in 2001. From the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir to our Pnei Mitzvah program for children 10-14, we sustain a unique space in Vancouver’s Jewish community for multicultural, interfaith, gender-inclusive, and LGBTQ+-friendly cultural education that honours and upholds a broad, inclusive understanding of Jewish culture. Created for the Peretz Centre by artist Rob Friedman in 2002, the stained glass windows with their Yiddish calligraphy and secular content are unique in the world. The four panels make up a vertical window 22 ft by 18 1/4 inches wide and are designed to flow into each other. Each panel on average contains over 2000 cuts and each piece was beveled to fit into the very thin detailed leadwork. "A people's memory is history; a people without a history can grow neither wiser nor better." -- Isaac Leyb Peretz (1852-1915) With a long history of peace activism and respect for the humanity of all peoples, we strive to provide an accessible space to a wide range of progressive Jewish people, organizations, and cultural and social allies, who struggle to find a home within the confines of mainstream Jewish institutions. Learn More History View Bylaws Join Our Mailing List Subscribe Become a Member Register Support Our Work Donate What We Do The Peretz School & Programs Education is the core of the Peretz mission. Through the Peretz School programs and community-run workshops, reading groups, and more, we offer students of all ages opportunities to enrich our understanding of Jewish cultural expression, history, and diversity. Explore Programs Peretz School Jewish Cultural Events The Peretz Centre offers a vibrant space for celebrations, lectures, performances, film screenings, and cultural events open to all. From our combined/condensed High Holidays to Hanukkah, Purim, Passover, and more, we host Jewish holidays and shabbes dinners based in secular humanist principles, honouring our heritage, upholding the value of peace and diversity, and welcoming interfaith, inter-cultural, and LGBTQ+ members and families. See Upcoming Events Events The Kirman Yiddish Library The Paulina and Shaya Kirman Library is the largest Yiddish language library in Western Canada. The library contains over 4000 Yiddish and English books, journals, and other print media (open to the public by appointment). Learn More Our Values Secular Jewish Humanism Secular humanism emphasizes human endeavour rather than supernatural intervention. We believe that people have a kinship with all living things and that people working together creatively, adhering to ethical and democratic principles, can make the world a better place. The first secular Jewish organizations arose in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in both Europe and the Western Hemisphere. Those organizations defined the Jews as a people whose history, traditions, values and cultures could be researched and understood rationally, using the methods and insights of modern thought and science. The encompassing term was Yiddishkayt — Jewishness. At the Peretz Centre, we believe that Jewish continuity is best assured in a pluralistic, inclusive society where mutual dignity and respect, justice, freedom, and peace prevail. This is the lesson of Jewish history and this is why secular humanist Yiddishkayt is at the core of Peretz Centre educational and cultural programs. Learn more about humanistic and secular Judaism: The Society for Humanistic Judaism (SJH) The Cultural and Secular Jewish Organization (CSJO) Secular Jewish Holidays From our combined/condensed High Holidays to Hanukkah, Purim, Passover, and more, we gather to celebrate together. See Events Monthly Shabbes for Cultural Jews Our monthly Secular Humanist Shabbes observance and potluck dinner (Fraytik tsu Nakht) is open to all. See Events Cultural Pnei Mitzvah Program A pluralistic, non-dogmatic educational program for students 10-13 to reinterpret the bar mitzvah rite of passage. Learn More Exploring Jewish Writers Each week the group reads aloud and discusses an English-language text by a Jewish writer. Learn More Yiddishkayt & Doikayt Yiddishkayt is the Jewish culture that blossomed in Europe from the late 1700s. Yiddish, the daily language of most Jews, began to be used by writers who were often rebels against the old religious establishment and who championed new ideas of social justice and human dignity. A rich literature of poetry, prose, drama, and song thrived until curtailed by antisemitic massacres in the 1930s and 40s. As an educational centre dedicated to Yiddish language and culture, secular humanistic values, and progressive and social justice-related causes, we value Doikayt (“here-ness”), a concept that stems from Ashkenazi Jewish progressive movements and states the importance of connection and commitment to local social struggles for justice, equality, and mutual liberation. Yiddish Language Courses Open up the world of Yiddish language, culture, and history with beginner and intermediate classes. Explore Zhargon: Histories of Yiddishkayt Explore the rich and fascinating history, art and culture of Yiddishkayt — the culture of Jews in Eastern Europe. Explore The Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir Learn and sing the traditional and contemporary songs of the Jewish people in Yiddish, Hebrew, Ladino and English. Learn More The Kirman Yiddish Library A diverse and fascinating collection of Jewish books in Yiddish and English. Open to everyone! Learn More Join Our Mailing List Given name* Surname Email* I consent to receive the Peretz Centre community update * Subscribe

Take part in the inaugural year of Peretz's arts-based, community-focused Zumer (summer) camp! The two-week program for youth aged 8 to 13 will focus on: Creative expression and learning; Supportive, youth-centred initiatives; Intergenerational cultural exchange. Learn more and register at our website. Image: Lufṭ zun ṿaser by Julian Liebermann, ca. 1926 (New York Public Library ) Overview Structure & Pedagogy Community Peretz Zumershule A two-week summer program for youth ages 8-13 to explore Jewish cultural heritage and practice creative expression. Register Now Creative Practice & Artistic Exploration Friendship & Radical Inclusivity Intergenerational Cultural Learning Youth Summer Program for Jewish Arts & Culture The Peretz Zumershule is a two week summer (zumer ) program for youth ages 8-13 to explore forms of artistic expression historically associated with Jewish culture. From folk theatre and film, klezmer music, comedy and satire, to visual arts, creative writing, cooking, and literature, this program brings together youth with artists, scholars, creators, and elders in the Peretz community to share cultural heritage and skills with a special emphasis on intergenerational learning and understanding. For ten wild days, Zumershule camp participants engage in independent creative inquiry, structured activities of all kinds, and outdoor play in nearby Tisdale Park, culminating in a youth-led, Secular Humanist shabbes community dinner. We welcome participants of all backgrounds and abilities. Bring your talents, curiosity, interests, and unique selves! Neurodiverse, BIPOC, and queer/trans/two-spirit youth will be enthusiastically welcomed. 10 Days of Arts-Based Learning & Creativity Zines & Comics Mikveh Tkhine zine by Sunny Nestler Learn more Paper Arts Papirshnit (papercut) art by Elijah Holstein Learn more Songwriting & Poetry Excerpt from Leonard Cohen's notebooks See more Food Arts Zumershule kids making challah About Jewish Food Language & Text Book of Jonah (1897) by Moses Elijah Goldstein. Learn more Music & Dance Ira Khonen Temple on accordion See more Painting & Drawing Painting from the Resisterrrz series by Hinda Avery See more Folk Theatre & Film Molly Picon in Mamele (1938) Learn more Plants & Earth Zumershule TEA-kun olam ingredients Jewish Seeds Textile Arts Stop the Occupation , fabric art by Sima Elizabeth Shefrin See more Learn & Practice Jewish Folk Arts Jewish cultural traditions offer a huge range of traditional and dynamic art forms. If you know the Peretz community, you know that we have a diverse membership who practice and study many of these arts. The Peretz Zumershule invites these Peretzniks to share their knowledge and skills with younger generations. Half of each day will be dedicated to arts-based learning workshops guided by volunteer community members and supervised by experienced counsellors. Over the course of two weeks, the Zumershule offers youth the chance to learn about Jewish cultural heritage and practice creative expression within a supportive environment, deepening their connection with community and place. Freely Explore Curiosity & Imagination The other half of the day will be open for participants to explore their own interests, individually or in groups. With assistance from supportive counsellors, youth will have the opportunity to pursue their questions, return to previous activities, work on projects, collaborate with others, and engage in creative play at the level of their choosing. The Peretz Zumershule is not a typical summer school! The words “school” and “shule” both trace back to the Greek scholé , which also meant “free time” – the kind of freedom you need to truly learn. The Yiddish shule , furthermore, refers more generally to a home for study; in socialist Yiddish circles, the word was used to signify homes for the renewal of Jewish life and culture. This program goes beyond regular modern schools to recover other traditional forms of education that foster authentic connections and interests, and value the perspectives and agency of young people to be active participants in their own education. By providing unstructured free time, the Peretz Zumershule offers students precious time and space for digesting new experiences, chasing their imagination, and studying/playing at their own pace. We love learning from Zumershule participants and witnessing their vibrant creativity! Learn and Practice Jewish Folk Arts Jewish cultural traditions offer a huge range of traditional and dynamic art forms, including but not limited to: Youth-Led Shabbes Finale Take Part in Community-Building The program will culminate in a youth-led cultural shabbes dinner at the Peretz Centre, where participants will share their learning and take an active leadership role in community life to foster a sense of belonging and responsibility. When it comes to education, there is no substitute for doing something yourself. The Peretz community’s monthly Fraytik tsu Nakht (Friday night) potluck dinners are central part of our 80 year history. We begin with our secular humanist shabbes/shabbat service of readings and songs in English, Yiddish, and Hebrew that emphasize and celebrate gratitude, solidarity, and peace. After a potluck meal, we engage together in an after-dinner communal learning, whether with guest speakers, performances, film screenings, and more. At these events, dedicated Peretznik and early childhood educator Gyda Chud often shares her mother Gallia’s understanding of word “secular”: at Peretz, we believe that it is human beings who are the thinkers of thoughts and the doers of deeds. By supporting young people to initiate and participate in our community events, we uphold educational values that reflect that belief and make space for youth to realize what these practices mean to them. Leading up to the community shabbes dinner, participants will have the chance to learn and experience: The meanings and histories of shabbes practices and symbols, which they will be invited to share with the community throughout the evening; Songs from Jewish culture and progressive political traditions; The processes of shabbes preparation (such as making challah) and community service, taking part in food prep, set up, and clean up according to age and ability; Leading the after-dinner educational activity, contributing to our collective understanding of community and culture. Register for the Peretz Zumershule Zumershule: Youth Summer Program 2026 Starts Aug 17 Loading availability... Loading availability... Register Want to hear about future programs? Sign up for our newsletter

The Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir is a multicultural, queer-friendly, and progressive community choir, open to all! We learn and sing traditional and contemporary Jewish folk songs in Yiddish, Hebrew, Ladino, and English. About Us Our Repertoire Performances How to Join The Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir Spend Tuesday evenings learning and singing traditional and contemporary songs of the Jewish people in Yiddish, Hebrew, Ladino and English. We strive for a queer-friendly, progressive environment. All singers welcome! Join the Choir Learn We learn songs and arrangements (in transliteration) together with our conductor and provide recordings to help new members learn at their own pace. Rehearse The Choir meets for weekly rehearsals (snacks usually included) in the Peretz Centre auditorium. What better way to spend a Tuesday evening? Perform In addition to our annual spring concert, the choir performs for holiday celebrations and special events at the Peretz Centre and in the Jewish and mainstream communities. Enjoy! Our snacky schmooze before rehearsal helps us (mostly) not derail rehearsal with snappy banter. We support each other as singers at every skill level. About the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir Conductor: David Millard (since 1996) The Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir was founded at the Peretz Institute (now the Peretz Centre) in 1980 by Searle Friedman. We are an eclectic and friendly choir of about 25 members. Our ages range from 20s to late 70s, and we have Jewish and non-Jewish members. The choir has a long history of overlapping with the LGBTQ+ community, and has many queer/trans members. We also aim to be a neurodivergent friendly and anti-ableist space. We stand with the long revolutionary Yiddish history of advocating for peace. We are committed to three core missions: Providing an open, welcoming place to sing for all levels of ability; Maintaining Yiddish and other Jewish languages; Contributing to a progressive vision of what Jewish culture can be. Today, the Choir sings mostly Yiddish pieces ranging from traditional folk and Yiddish theatre songs to newly-composed and arranged pieces of greater complexity, plus Hanukkah and Pesach repertoires in Yiddish, Hebrew, Ladino and English. We have performed at numerous venues in the Vancouver area, including the Peretz Centre, South Granville Lodge, Louis Brier home, Cityfest Vancouver, Vancouver Public Library, VanDusen Gardens, Cavell Gardens, Orpheum Theatre’s Parade of Choirs, the Vancouver Planetarium, Victoria’s Emanu-El synagogue, the Israeli Street Festival, and more. You can read more about the history of the Choir, and its predecessors, here (written by Victor Neuman). The Peretz Centre and the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir are grateful for the support of our partners, supporters, and individual donors. Mir Zingen : The Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir Turns 40 In 2019, The Vancouver Jewish Museum and Archives created an online exhibit for the Choir's 40th anniversary, dedicated to the memory of Sylvia Friedman, whose contributions to the choir and to progressive Jewish life in Vancouver were endless. View exhibit Our Repertoire of Jewish Folk Music Many of our songs are in Yiddish, and some are in other Jewish languages (English, Ladino, Hebrew, etc.). We often get to sing music arranged or composed specifically for the choir, and most of our music is in beautiful minor keys. All text is in transliteration, so no knowledge of Yiddish is required. Major works in our repertoire from recent years include Rozhinkes mit mandlen, Yomervokhets (Jabberwocky), In Amerike, Benyomin der driter, Ikh bin a Yid, Oyb nit nokh hekher , and excerpts from Di yam gazlonim (Pirates of Penzance, translated into Yiddish by Al Grand). In 2013, the choir performed a piece written by one of it's members, Victor Neuman, The Family Naiman , which told in narration, song and video, of his family's journey to freedom during the World War II years. Join the Choir Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir Play Video Play Video 05:54 Giter brider nit gekhapt as performed by the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir The Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir performs "Giter brider nit gekhapt" from the opera Malke Shvo, as sung by legendary drag king Pepi Littman, at the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture (March 14, 2026). גוטער ברודער ניט געכאַפט Music by Joseph Brody Lyrics by Anshel Shor Arranged by Daniel Carkner The performance was part of a Purim variety show ("Brief Utopias in the Time of Monsters"), organized by the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture and the local collective Gliklekh in Goles in Vancouer, BC, Canada. The Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir was established in 1980 by Searle Friedman with the aim of keeping Jewish music alive and educating both Jewish and non-Jewish audiences about this rich cultural tradition. The choir’s diverse repertoire retrieves folk music and other cultural materials that would otherwise be lost or made inaccessible, from a diversity of Jewish languages and cultural backgrounds, including Yiddish, Hebrew, and Ladino. In addition to performing traditional folk songs, the Choir creates new arrangements to bring those cultural treasures back to the community and into contemporary contexts for all generations. The choir brings together people from different cultural and faith backgrounds from their 20s to late 70s to enjoy and learn about Jewish music and languages, and build bridges with other folk music traditions. Learn more here: https://www.peretz-centre.org/vancouver-jewish-folk-choir Play Video Play Video 03:39 Hey Dzhankoye VJFC June 3 2018 Play Video Play Video 05:08 Mayn Shvester Khaye - Claire Klein Osipov Claire Osipov performing at Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, Vancouver, BC Canada. Play Video Play Video 50:01 Portion of the 25th Anniversary Concert by the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir This is the middle portion of the 25th Anniversary Concert given by the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir in 2003. It includes the Feature work on the program, Fond Memories of Ivye, by Thomas Garber. This composition is a medley of three traditional Yiddish folksongs: Bin Ikh Mir a Khosidl, Wos Farshteys Du Filozof, and Arum dem Fayer. #yiddish #choir #ivye # ivje #iwie # iwje #music #Jewish Play Video Play Video 01:43 Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir - Das lid fun broyt Play Video Play Video 01:58 Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir - Akhtsik er un zibetsik zi Play Video Play Video 03:45 Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir - Oyfin pripetshik Play Video Play Video 02:14 Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir - Tayere Malke Choir Performances High Holidays at the Peretz Centre 2026 Sun, Sep 13 Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture More info Details Peretz Community Passover Seder 2027 Sun, Apr 18 Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture More info Details Past Performances Peretz’s 80th Anniversary: A Wedding Between Peretz and the Past, Present, and Future Quick view View Event Peretz Community Passover Seder 2026 Quick view View Event Brief Utopias in the Time of Monsters: A Purim Variety Show Quick view View Event Load More Join the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir As a Jew who didn't grow up connected, the choir is a really joyful place for me to get to do that as an adult. It's a really important part of my Jewish identity now. I'm also trans and the choir has been exceptionally supportive with both my social transition and all the funny bits of a second puberty. -- Aurel, 2025 The vision of the choir has always been as a community choir open to all. New members are welcome to join throughout the season (Sept-June), no audition required. You don't need to know how to read music (though it helps). We do sing from sheet music and in 4-part harmony, but also have paid section leads in each voice part to make things easier. Some beginner-level training is very helpful. We create recordings of voice parts to help newcomers learn the music. If you'd like to drop by our next rehearsal, go to the registration page below and select a date to visit (or contact us at info@peretz-centre.org ). Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir 2025-26 Spend Tuesday evenings learning and singing traditional and contemporary songs of the Jewish people Sign up (drop in)