Subject Guide – Music

Music has been a feature of Judaism and Jewish culture since biblical times. Jewish music encompasses many forms—including liturgical and secular music; songs from the Ashkenazi, Sephardic, and Mizrachi traditions; Yiddish theater, klezmer bands, Israeli folk music, and more. American Jews—including such big names as Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, and Billy Joel—have filled big roles in all genres of music, including classical, show tunes, pop, rock, and folk. In the greater Boston area, organizations such as the New England Jewish Music Forum co-founded by singer and composer Mary Wolfman Epstein, and local synagogues, which often have their own glee clubs or choirs, have continued to keep the traditions of Jewish music alive. JHC Collections shine light on the effort, joy and talents of a wide range of professional and amateur Jewish musicians, working both within and beyond the Jewish musical tradition.

For all collections in the JHC Archives related to this subject, click on the link below:

YIVO Music Archive
YIVO Sidney Krum Jewish Music and Yiddish Theater Memorial Collections
Florida Atlantic University Judaica Collection of the Recorded Sound Archives
Brandeis University Special Collections
Brown University Yiddish Sheet Music Collection
Darthmouth College Jewish Sound Archive
Milken Archive of American Jewish Music
Library of Congress Yiddish American Popular Sheet Music Collection