(Reposted from Winnipeg’s Classic 107)
[Chris Wolf, Classic107.com | Tuesday, Oct 28 2025, 6:14 AM]
JFest 2025: A Vibrant Celebration of Jewish Arts, Culture, and Community
From November 1st to 9th, the Rady Jewish Community Centre will host its second annual JFest—a vibrant, inclusive festival celebrating the richness of Jewish life through music, film, visual art, and family-friendly programs. With a lineup that spans Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Mizrachi, and Israeli traditions, this year’s edition promises to showcase the incredible diversity of the Jewish diaspora.
“It’s a lively, inclusive celebration of the vibrancy and vastness of Jewish arts and culture today,” said Karla Berbrayer, Musical Producer of JFest. “We’re aiming to get people of all backgrounds and all ages and all beliefs. Hopefully this will reach out to those folks.”
Building on a Successful Debut
Last year marked the inaugural JFest—an event that exceeded expectations. “It was a huge success,” said Berbrayer. “We had a number of sold-out shows and demand for more of the same and more different as well. So we listened to all of our patrons and tried to put together a program format that would really draw in people of all backgrounds and all ages and all beliefs.”
Behind the scenes, JFest is very much a team effort. “We are a very cohesive team. We all like each other a lot,” Berbrayer explained. “We each have our own areas of focus, but as a team, we support and assist each other—whether that’s picking up performers from the airport or bouncing ideas off each other to shape the festival in a cohesive way.”
Opening Night: Israeli Superstar Keren Peles
JFest 2025 kicks off on Friday, November 1st at 8 p.m. at the Seven Oaks Performing Arts Centre with an exclusive performance by Keren Peles, one of Israel’s biggest pop stars.
“She’s an Israeli superstar,” said Berbrayer. “She may not be known in Canada to Canadians, but any Israeli that I speak with knows the name Keren Peles. She has written most of the most famous songs that are on radio and television in Israel.”
Peles made international headlines with “A New Day Will Rise,” a song inspired by the tragic events of October 7th, 2023. “It was really based on the horrible things that happened… giving hope to people who were begging that the hostages would be returned to Israel,” Berbrayer said. “The song took second place at Eurovision, and she chose to have it sung by a woman who was a survivor of the events.”
Peles’s music is both uplifting and infectious. “She’s a pop star. Her music is contagious,” Berbrayer continued. “You don’t have to understand all the lyrics—she sings in Hebrew—but anybody can be impacted by the melodies… if you do understand the Hebrew, the lyrics are extremely meaningful.”
Due to high demand, the opening concert will take place at Seven Oaks instead of the smaller Berney Theatre. “We did not feel [the Berney] was big enough for the audience that we could draw,” Berbrayer noted.
November 4: Hadar Maoz — A Fusion of Cultures
On Tuesday, November 4th at 7:30 p.m., the festival continues at the Berney Theatre with Israeli world-music sensation Hadar Maoz.
“Hadar is a newer young musician,” said Berbrayer. “She’s Israeli, but her background is Persian and Bukharian. She sings in Hebrew, she sings in Farsi… and she grew up listening to this music and being surrounded by it.”
Based in Germany, Maoz brings an eclectic mix of global influences to her performances. “She’s really a one-woman show,” Berbrayer said. “She plays all these instruments herself—guitar, darbuka, percussion—and she’s coming with a violinist from Germany.”
Known for her infectious energy, Maoz makes sure audiences feel included. “She moonwalks with one of the psalms that she’s singing,” Berbrayer laughed. “She involves the audience in her shows and tries to get them to sing along with her. So again, you don’t need to know the language—Hadar makes it all very easy to communicate.”
November 6: The Jewish Soul of Rock and Roll
Then on Thursday, November 6th at 7:30 p.m. at the Berney Theatre, JFest shifts gears with The Flatland Famous Band—best known as the house band for Winnipeg Jets games—in a high-energy show titled The Jewish Soul of Rock and Roll.
Berbrayer explained the concept: “I wanted to do a show that would pay tribute to all the Jewish musicians who helped shape the whole rock’n’roll era.” The lineup will highlight icons like Geddy Lee, David Lee Roth, Gene Simmons, Joey Ramone, Carole King, and Bob Dylan.
Lead singer Lisa Windsor will helm the project. “People may not know the name Flatland Famous, but if you’re a Jets fan and go to the games and hear some music in the background, it’s the Flatland Famous Band,” Berbrayer said. “I feel really great about the marriage of Flatland Famous with this particular show… it’s going to be a fun show. I don’t think there is any song in there that people will not want to sing along to.”
An Invitation to All
When asked what she hopes people take away from JFest, Berbrayer was clear: “I hope that people will take away that this music is accessible and not just for Jewish people, and that the Rady JCC is accessible to everybody. People can come and appreciate all the different aspects of JFest… just coming in the door opens up a whole new world of culture.”
JFest 2025 is more than a festival — it’s a cultural experience that bridges generations, traditions, and artistic disciplines. Whether you’re moved by the powerful lyrics of Keren Peles, captivated by the global rhythms of Hadar Maoz, or ready to rock out with the Flatland Famous Band, this nine-day celebration offers something for everyone. With its blend of international talent and local creativity, JFest invites audiences to discover, connect, and be inspired by the beauty and diversity of Jewish culture — a festival that truly welcomes the whole community to share in the joy of the arts.