For any questions about the festival, registration, or to volunteer,
please email us at [email protected]
2025 Midwest Yiddishfest Committee Members
This festival has taken countless hours to put together, and has been a true labor of love!
Get to know your organizers below, and look for us at the festival if you have any questions.
(Spot us wearing Yiddishfest t-shirts and name buttons)
Rachelle Grossman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Comparative & World Literature at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She is a specialist in Yiddish literature and culture, and has taught courses on Jewish literature, the Western canon, and Holocaust studies.
Alex Lyon is an Art History PhD student at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, whose research focuses on modernist Jewish artists, memory, Yiddish, and the Holocaust. She is also a current board member of the Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation and teaches Art History online for City College of San Francisco. Lyon was previously the Youth Education Program Director for PreK through 5th grade at Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, California.
Rabbi Gabe Miner is the Director of Jewish Student Belonging at Illini Hillel. He has taught Yiddish language, music, and culture to learners of all ages in synagogues, camps, universities, and cultural institutions.
Frances Harris is a retired high school librarian who has found a home in klezmer music and Yiddish culture. She is a regular attendee at Yiddish culture festivals, delights in bringing klezmer luminaries to Champaign-Urbana, and is the proud leader of C-U's Papashoy Klezmer Band.
Steve Scher is a Professor of Psychology at Eastern Illinois University and a longtime member of the C-U Jewish community. He enjoys reading Yiddish literature in translation.
Azer Matten (they/them) is the community engagement coordinator for the Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation. They are excited for the opportunity to share this incredible event with folks across central Illinois (and beyond)!
Ma'ayan Weinberg is the former Executive Director of the Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation, where she championed innovative programs that strengthened Jewish life and community connections. She brings her love of creative community-building and cultural education to the development of Yiddishfest. She is proud to see this festival—years in the making— come to fruition.