thank you so much for joining us this evening.


we hope you enjoy
an evening with ada pasternak & the pasternak family

Welcome! My name is Joe Alterman and I’m the Executive Director of Neranenah. We’re thrilled that you’re here for tonight’s show. I’m sorry I can’t be with you this evening. I am performing our Sounds of Jewish America show at the Westchester JCC.

Let me take a moment to introduce (or reintroduce) you to Neranenah. As a touring jazz pianist with a life-long fascination with Jewish contributions to music, becoming Executive Director of this organization (which was called the Atlanta Jewish Music Festival until 2020) created another fascination for me: the confusion surrounding defining the term “Jewish music.” After much thought, research and receiving 300 different answers from 300 different people when asked “What Is Jewish Music?”, I came to believe that the Jewishness of music comes not necessarily from a melody, but a story. As legendary musician Wynton Marsalis told me when I mentioned the question to him, “Jewish Music…fascinating. Not really a thing, but all over American music.” Exactly.

So, as our offerings shifted from the difficult to define “Jewish Music” towards “Jewish Contributions to Music,” our name didn’t exactly match what we do. We needed a name that better reflected the inclusivity of our programming, allowing us to present all sorts of Jewish cultural arts programming (not only music, but comedy, spoken word, panels and conversations as well) and attract a broader audience. And we found it with “Neranenah.”

You may recognize the term from the Jewish song of celebration, “Hava Nagila,” and it means, in Hebrew, “let's come together and sing,” which is what we’re all about. We honor tradition, but are far from traditional. Our minds and ears are open; the fingerprints of Jewish culture can be found all around us. We seek not to define Jewish arts and culture, but to embrace its diversity, subjectiveness, and personal nature to create a space open and inviting to all. Welcome!

We hope you enjoy the show!

Joe Alterman

thank you to our 2026 presenting season sponsor

ABOUT THE SHOW

The Pasternak family immigrated from Moscow to New York City in 1994, leaving Russia because of religious persecution. Enduring all the challenges and excitement on their American journey, the family stayed together musically, playing classical, jazz, world music and Jewish music.

The Pasternak family released Sweet Dreams, available on all streaming platforms. Experience a taste of their homeland with various international and American flavors, highlighting original music by Ada, an award-winning singer-songwriter and violinist. 

the 2026 season line up

Ticket prices only cover 10% of our expenses.

We appreciate your generosity in supporting our mission to entertain and connect diverse audiences through the exploration of Jewish contributions to music, celebrating its intersection with other cultures and communities.

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