Sasha Lurje & Craig Judelman Part 2

Sasha Lurje is a vocalist, performer, and cultural curator dedicated to exploring the depth and diversity of Yiddish song. Born in Riga, she has spent over two decades performing, teaching, and researching the music and stories of Eastern European Jewish communities. Her work bridges traditional repertoire with contemporary interpretation, highlighting themes of migration, identity, love, and resistance.

Sasha is the co-founder of Shtetl Berlin, a festival celebrating Jewish art, music, and thought in a modern context. She has toured internationally with ensembles such as Forshpil, Semer Ensemble, and Black Rooster Kapelye, exploring the roots of Litvish Jewish culture and bringing historical songs to life on stages and festivals worldwide.

She also performs in Michael Wex’s Yiddish cabaret “Yitesh,” where music, humor, and theater combine in a vivid reimagining of Jewish cultural expression.

Her recent research focuses on Yiddish songs preserved in Holocaust survivor testimonies, in collaboration with the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies at Yale University Library. Through this work, Sasha revives neglected voices and songs, transforming archival material into living art.

Equally passionate about education, she regularly leads workshops on Yiddish vocal style, language, and history, helping new generations connect with this living tradition. Whether on stage or in the classroom, Sasha’s work embodies a vibrant, deeply human connection to Yiddish culture — past, present, and future.