Search Results

The Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture in Vancouver, BC was founded in 1945 to provide students of all ages with a progressive and modern Jewish cultural education. Welcome Coming Up Register for Programs Subscribe Notices The Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture We believe in a diverse, connected, and engaged Judaism that contributes to a just and compassionate world. Sign up for our newsletter 6184 Ash Street, Vancouver, BC info@peretz-centre.org Get Directions A Weekend of Yiddish Culture, History, Music, & Dance in Vancouver (Feb. 20-22) Open a window into centuries of Yiddish culture in a full weekend of events (Feb. 20-22, 2026) for Peretz members, friends, and the general public. From discussions to performances to interactive workshops with celebrated musicians, dancers, and scholars, people of all ages can learn about and experience Jewish folk culture and engage with the fascinating, and complex, work of cultural preservation and renewal. Feb 13 4 min read Job Posting: Alto Section Leader & Soloist for the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir The Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir is seeking an alto section leader/soloist to support and anchor our community choir’s rehearsals and performances throughout the season. This position starts immediately (applications accepted until filled). Nov 6, 2025 4 min read 1/3 See all updates Upcoming Events Sun, Mar 29 Peretz Community Passover Seder 2026 / See Event Mar 29, 2026, 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada Join the Peretz community's annual Peysakh Seyder with our Secular Humanist haggadah, Holocaust memorial service, traditional Pesach meal (vegan option), and performances by the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir Sat, Apr 11 Settler (Dis)placement: Interrogating Home on Coast Salish Territories / See Event Apr 11, 2026, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada An art show featuring five local activist-artists from diverse Jewish cultures and who share a personal or ancestral history of immigration onto unceded, stolen Indigenous land Event Series Sun, Apr 12 Kindervelt: Jewish Storytime for Kids at the Peretz Centre / See Event Apr 12, 2026, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada 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 Event Series Sun, Apr 12 KlezWest Monthly Klezmer Jam / See Event Apr 12, 2026, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada Join a jam session of klezmer music (all instruments and musicians welcome) Event Series Fri, Apr 17 Fraytik tsu Nakht Cultural Shabbes & Potluck / See Event Apr 17, 2026, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada Our monthly Secular Humanist Shabbes celebration, potluck, and for April's after-dinner learning, guest speaker Bob Ages shares from his experience working with Wet'suwet'en land defenders and what it means to be a settler ally in the fight against ecocide Load More Register for Programs Zumershule: Youth Summer Program 2026 A two week program for youth ages 8-13 to learn and explore Jewish forms of artistic expression Starts Aug 17 Loading availability... Loading availability... Learn more Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir 2025-26 Spend Tuesday evenings learning and singing traditional and contemporary songs of the Jewish people Learn more Exploring Jewish Writers A weekly, intergenerational reading circle (online) More Info View all programs Subscribe to Our Mailing List Please provide your contact details to receive our twice monthly community update. First name* Last name Email* I consent to receive the Peretz Centre newsletter * Comments (optional) Submit Special Statement from the Board of Directors November 2023 : As a secular, humanist Jewish organization, the Peretz Centre abhors the loss of life and the suffering of all those affected by the Israeli/Hamas conflict and supports all efforts to achieve an early and long lasting solution.

Check out upcoming events at the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture in Vancouver, BC Calendar View Upcoming Events Sold out Peretz Community Passover Seder 2026 Sun, Mar 29 Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Quick view View event Settler (Dis)placement: Interrogating Home on Coast Salish Territories Sat, Apr 11 Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Quick view View event Kindervelt: Jewish Storytime for Kids at the Peretz Centre Sun, Apr 12 Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Quick view View event KlezWest Monthly Klezmer Jam Sun, Apr 12 Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Quick view View event Fraytik tsu Nakht Cultural Shabbes & Potluck Fri, Apr 17 Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Quick view View event KlezWest Monthly Klezmer Jam Sun, May 10 Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Quick view View event Save the date Fraytik tsu Nakht Cultural Shabbes & Potluck Fri, May 15 Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Quick view View event Save the date Kindervelt: Jewish Storytime for Kids at the Peretz Centre Sun, May 24 Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Quick view View event Load More Past Events at the Peretz Centre Multiple Dates Sun, Mar 15 KlezWest Monthly Klezmer Jam / Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Details Mar 15, 2026, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada Join a jam session of klezmer music (all instruments and musicians welcome) Sat, Mar 14 Brief Utopias in the Time of Monsters: A Purim Variety Show / Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Details Mar 14, 2026, 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada "The old world is dying and the new world struggles to be born. Now is the time of monsters." In partnership with the Peretz Centre, Gliklekh in Goles presents a community Purim variety show of music, poetry, drama, burlesque, drag, and more glimmers of joy and hope for a more liberatory world. Sun, Feb 22 Klezmer & Yiddish Dance Workshops with Christina Crowder and Maia Brown / Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Details Feb 22, 2026, 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada Deepen your connection to Yiddish culture through movement and music with two workshops, offered by celebrated klezmorim and teachers Maia Brown and Christina Crowder Sat, Feb 21 Christina & The Zamlers: The Lost Klezmer Music of the An-ski Expeditions / Or Shalom (at Cityview Church) Details Feb 21, 2026, 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Or Shalom (at Cityview Church), 4370 Sophia St, Vancouver, BC V5V 3V7, Canada Or Shalom's Light in Winter Concert Series presents, in partnership with the Peretz Centre and KlezWest, a unique exploration of lost musical manuscripts with Christina Crowder, Maia Brown, Jimmy Austin, and Mae Kessler Multiple Dates Fri, Feb 20 Fraytik tsu Nakht Cultural Shabbes & Potluck / Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Details Feb 20, 2026, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada Our monthly Secular Humanist Shabbes celebration, potluck, and for this February's after-dinner learning, Jess Goldman brings us profound questions about culture, history, and the way we understand it with a discussion of "An-ski, Ethnographic Performance, and History's Phantom Limbs" Sun, Feb 08 El Tesoro de Sefarad (Treasury of Sepharad) with the Mauro Perelmann & Tânia Grinberg Duo / Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Details Feb 08, 2026, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada An evening of Ladino songs, stories, and rhythms with Tânia Grinberg & Mauro Perelmann, and special guests Elliot Polsky (percussion), Laurence Mollerup (bass) Sun, Jan 25 Peretz Centre AGM 2026 / Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Details Jan 25, 2026, 1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada The Peretz Centre's Annual General Meeting (AGM) is where we reflect on the year, share updates, vote on resolutions, and elect new members to the Board of Directors. Multiple Dates Fri, Jan 16 Fraytik tsu Nakht Cultural Shabbes & Potluck / Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Details Jan 16, 2026, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada Our monthly Secular Humanist Shabbes celebration, potluck dinner, and for January's after-dinner learning, David Catzel helps us rethink our relationship to the food systems that sustain us, and learn how colonization feeds off their destruction Multiple Dates Sun, Jan 11 KlezWest Monthly Klezmer Jam / Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Details Jan 11, 2026, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada Join a jam session of klezmer music (all instruments and musicians welcome) Fri, Dec 12 Khanike Fraytik tsu Nakht: Hanukkah Celebration! / Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Details Dec 12, 2025, 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada For this special Fraytik tsu Nakht (Friday Night), we invite community members and friends to celebrate a culturally-vibrant, peacenik Khanike (Hanukkah) with food, games, live music, and dance Sun, Dec 07 Here Where We Live is Our Country: The Story of the Jewish Labor Bund / Online Details Dec 07, 2025, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. PST Online Molly Crabapple investigates the radical history and modern relevance of the Jewish Labor Bund Wed, Dec 03 Light in Winter: Ira Khonen Temple and Michael Winograd in Concert / Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Details Dec 03, 2025, 8:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada Or Shalom's Light in Winter & the Peretz Centre present two staples of NYC's vibrant klezmer and Yiddish music scene, playing klezmer classics and their original compositions that will surprise and delight you! Thu, Nov 20 No Pasarán! Jewish Collective Memory in the Spanish Civil War / Online Details Nov 20, 2025, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. PST Online Prof. Amelia Glaser discusses her work on anti-fascist Jewish poetry emerging from the Spanish Civil War, an early literary front of the international struggle against fascism in the 1940s Multiple Dates Sun, Nov 16 KlezWest Monthly Klezmer Jam / Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Details Nov 16, 2025, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada Join a jam session of klezmer music hosted with KlezWest (all instruments and musicians welcome) Multiple Dates Fri, Nov 14 Fraytik tsu Nakht Cultural Shabbes & Potluck / Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Details Nov 14, 2025, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada Our monthly Secular Humanist Shabbes celebration, potluck, and after dinner, a community screening of the new short documentary "Four Pillars of Peretz" Sun, Nov 02 Ottoman Musical Routes & Roots: Moldavian Yiddish Connections / Online Details Nov 02, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PST Online Dr. Alan Bern traces the centuries-old, rich cultural connections between Yiddish and Ottoman cultures through music Multiple Dates Fri, Oct 24 Fraytik tsu Nakht Cultural Shabbes & Potluck with JQT / Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Details Oct 24, 2025, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada Our monthly Secular Humanist Shabbes celebration, potluck, and for October, a special evening of singing nigunim (tunes) together, led by Antonia Lassar (co-hosted by JQT) Multiple Dates Sun, Oct 12 KlezWest Monthly Klezmer Jam / Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Details Oct 12, 2025, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, 6184 Ash St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3G9, Canada Join a jam session of klezmer music and Yiddish dance (all instruments and musicians welcome) Load More

No form ID specified in URL

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

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 Zumershule: Youth Summer Program 2026 A two week program for youth ages 8-13 to learn and explore Jewish forms of artistic expression Starts Aug 17 Loading availability... Loading availability... More Info Zumershuler Counsellor-in-Training 2026 Learn and explore Jewish forms of artistic expression as a counsellor-in-training (ages 13-15) Starts Aug 17 Loading availability... Loading availability... More Info Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir 2025-26 Spend Tuesday evenings learning and singing traditional and contemporary songs of the Jewish people More Info Exploring Jewish Writers A weekly, intergenerational reading circle (online) More Info Past Programs Do you want to hear about it if these programs start up again? Sign up for our newsletter Zayt Bagrist (Welcome to Yiddish) Open up the world of Yiddish language, culture, and history this fall! 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 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 Yiddish B (Intermediate) Thursdays, 7:00-8:30 pm, Sep 5-Dec 5 (13 sessons; no class on Oct 3, Rosh Hashanah Ended View Course Yiddish A (Beginners) Wednesdays, 7:00-8:30 pm, Sep 4-Dec 4 (13 sessions; no class Oct 2, Rosh Hashanah) Ended View Course Join Our Mailing List Given name* Surname Email* I consent to receive the Peretz Centre community update * Subscribe

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 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 her husband 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

​The Peretz Centre, formerly known as the Peretz Shule and the Peretz Institute, was founded in 1945 by an assorted group which included apolitical persons as well as Labour Zionists, Socialists and Communists, that shared a common goal of establishing a school in Vancouver, B.C. that would provide children with a non-political, secular Jewish and Progressive education. 80th Anniversary Logo created by Jess Goldman (2025) A Bit of Peretz Centre History The Peretz Centre, formerly known as the Peretz Shule and the Peretz Institute, was founded in 1945 by an assorted group which included apolitical persons as well as Labour Zionists, Socialists, and Communists, that shared a common goal of establishing a school in Vancouver, B.C. that would provide children with a non-political, secular Jewish and Progressive education. "A people's memory is history; a people without a history can grow neither wiser nor better." -- Isaac Leyb Peretz (1852-1915) The first school principal was Ben Chud who, in 1945, had just returned from the war and was active in the United Jewish People’s Order (UJPO). At the time, there was a small but growing progressive movement in Vancouver (what he called "secular socialist-minded"). The Vancouver Peretz School began in the basement of the old Jewish Community Centre on Oak Street and 11th Avenue. There were 15 kindergarten students and 24 children attending afternoon classes. Early teachers included Sara Sarkin, Annie Wyne, Ruth Korn, and Ruth Popesky. The founders of the school purchased a house on West 10th Avenue but it was sold a few months later because neighbors took up a petition against a school in that area. For a while that building was only used for meetings. Then, in 1946, the founders bought a house at 1173 West Broadway where the school was located for 15 years before moving to the Oakridge area. In 1961, the Shule, with 110 students, moved to its current location – a brand new building with four classrooms, an auditorium, lounge, kitchen, office and caretaker’s suite – at 6184 Ash Street. That was also the year Label Basman took over as principal of the school. In 2001, we re-opened in our brand new building at the same location on Ash Street. To mark this occasion, we changed our name to the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture. The Peretz Centre has had a rich and vibrant history, overcoming many obstacles in its effort to maintain its unique role in the Vancouver Jewish community. Offering Yiddish language and history courses , Pnei Mitzvah programs , lecture series, the largest Yiddish library in the province, the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir , community Shabbes dinners, and Jewish holiday celebrations, Peretz provides a vital service as the only institution in the city to offer a secular progressive Jewish education and community. We are proud to offer a space where views on Jews and Jewish history can be discussed in a candid, respectful, welcoming atmosphere. The Peretz Centre is grateful to all the members, teachers, staff, donors and volunteers who, over its 80 year history, have worked tirelessly to ensure its continued service to the Vancouver community. Donate Subscribe Join Our Mailing List Subscribe Become a Peretz Member Register Make a Charitable Donation Donate Further Reading *This list is preliminary; more materials will be added. Who Was I. L. Peretz? Faith Jones, "Between Suspicion and Censure: Attitudes Towards the Jewish Left in Postwar Vancouver ," Canadian Jewish Studies Vol. 6 (1998). 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. Al Stein's Oral History , Yiddish Book Centre's Wexler Oral History Project (interviewed by Christa Whitney, 2023).

The Peretz Centre to bring progressive and modern Jewish cultural education and events to Vancouver! View current and past job postings, volunteer positions, and more. Work with Us The Peretz Centre is a cultural and secular charitable organization, committed to the values of diversity, equity, and social justice. We welcome people of diverse cultures, beliefs, genders, sexual orientation, and abilities. Hiring & Recruitment 1 2

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 Starting with our first secular bar mitzvah at the Peretz School in 1965, Pnei Mitzvah has evolved into one of our core educational programs. We offer 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 focus on literature, language, ethics, music, art, and dance to connect with and reinterpret traditions in new ways. Although children 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 as well. 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 the early 1990s (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 Thinking about the next cohort ? Two-year cohorts for the Pnei Mitzvah program typically start each year in the fall (September/October). Sign up to get a notification when registration opens for the next Pnei Mitzvah cohort by filling out the contact form. You can also hear about all our upcoming events and programs by subscribing to the Peretz Centre's bi-weekly newsletter here Contact Form Sign up to be notified when registration opens for the next Pnei Mitzvah cohort. Your given name* Your family name* Your email* Yes, subscribe me to the Peretz Centre newsletter (twice a month) Name of child Current age In a few words, what are you looking for in the Pnei Mitzvah program? Comments (optional) Submit 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. Matthew also works as a freelance writer and editor, professional lecturer, and independent journalist. (matthewgindin.com )

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 and environment. All singers welcome! 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 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 Play Video Play Video 02:25 Lomir beyde Family Naiman 2017 Choir Performances Peretz Community Passover Seder 2026 Sun, Mar 29 Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture More info Details Past Performances High Holidays at the Peretz Centre Quick view View Event Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir's 2025 Spring Concert Quick view View Event Peretz Community Seder Quick view View Event Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir Hanukkah Concert Quick view View Event High Holidays at the Peretz Centre 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)