What is YSW?

Yiddish Summer Weimar ranks as one of the world’s most important and most inclusive Yiddish culture festival. Each year, a community of artists, musicians, workshop participants and guests from around the world gather here to experience and shape Yiddish culture in workshops, jam sessions and concerts.

Click here for more information. back

When is YSW taking place?

July 12 to August 17, 2024 back

What is the topic of this year's YSW?

In 2024, our 3-year exploration of Yiddish culture vis-a-vis Ottoman cultures culminates in a focus on Moldavia (not to be confused with the current Republic of Moldova), an historic region whose boundaries changed many times over the centuries, and an important center of Ashkenazi Jewish culture from the early 18th through the mid-20th century. back

Where is YSW taking place?

The Johann Nepomuk Hummel Music School and the mon ami in Weimar are the main venues for the festival, with additional venues. Some events will take place outdoors, bringing Yiddish music to the streets of the city. The event series "Yiddish Summer Weimar goes Thuringia" will again bring some highlights of the festival to Erfurt, Eisenach and many other places in Thuringia. back

Who is behind YSW?

The festival is organized by Other Music Academy e.V., an association founded in 2006, which currently numbers over 100 members in 10 countries. Other Music Academy e.V. is behind all the projects realized by the Other Music Academy (OMA). The Other Music Academy is our vision of an innovative institution: an empowerment center whose goal is to create an inclusive society which invites a broad range of people to actively help shape our culture and their own role within it.
OMA is the brainchild of Dr. Alan Bern, musical director and chairman of Other Music Academy e.V. Dr. Bern is supported by an international team of colleagues in the fields of music, culture, science and social affairs. Click on the following links for more information about our philosophy and about the OMA, and our wonderful and diverse projects at OMAworks. back

What is the added value of volunteering at YSW?

One of the goals of Yiddish Summer Weimar is to make Yiddish culture more visible and to provide an opportunity to people from all over the world to experience it and to develop it further. As a volunteer you have a big part in making this goal a reality. 

During your time at Yiddish Summer Weimar you will have the opportunity to look behind the scenes of a large cultural festival. You will be able to use your existing strengths in different areas of tasks and learn new skills at the same time. Through volunteering you can get to know the international community for Yiddish culture, get a taste of workshops, exchange stories and experiences at informal get-togethers, or become musically active yourself at jam sessions. back

What does the work involve?

There are different areas of responsibility for which you can be assigned:

1. Info point
Contact point for artists, participants and visitors. Information, ticket sales, merchandise, copy orders, flyers, errands and much more.

2. Back office support
Accounting support: sorting and copying of receipts, maintenance of spreadsheets...

3. Event support
Admission: ticket sales and control, seating, visitor surveys, statistical surveys, support during set-up and dismantling, backstage support, catering, merchandise, collecting donations…

4. Artist buddy
direct contact person for the artists

5. Festival kitchen
Assistance with the catering of the artists and the team.

6. Joining the festival awareness team

Our principle is: Everybody helps where they can. This means that volunteers can also help with simple tasks such as office work and cleaning, but at the same time have the chance to take on responsibility in one of the main areas. This depends on the duration of your stay and how you want to contribute. All tasks are important to us and are valued!

It is important to us to give you the greatest possible insight into the processes of the festival and therefore we recommend that you get involved in as many areas as possible. However, nothing happens against your will. 

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What are my responsibilities as a volunteer?

Our guiding principle here is: If you want to take responsibility for something, go for it! But don’t worry: no one gets held responsible for things that don’t go exactly as planned. back

How long does the volunteer work last?

This is up to you, but it would make sense to stay for at least one week.
The festival runs from July 12 to August 17, 2024, but you are also welcome to support us in the preparation from June/July and in the follow-up until the end of August. back

How old do I have to be?

You have to be at least 18. We are looking forward to a cross-generational team of people aged 18 to 80, where we can learn from each other’s experiences.  back

Will I get paid?

Your work is on a purely voluntary basis and is not paid. back

Do I get free accommodation?

For a shorter stay we arrange accommodation in host families. For a longer stay, we will organize a room in a student shared apartment. If you feel that you need a different standard of accommodation, we ask you to look for a suitable accommodation and finance it on your own. Weimar is a student city. You can find rooms for sublet here and here. If you have difficulties finding or financing a room, we will be happy to help you. back

Do I get food?

There is a free daily vegetarian and vegan lunch buffet – coffee, tea and water included. All other expenses are on you. back

What expenses do I have to cover myself?

You cover your travel costs to and from Weimar, as well as your food expenses outside of lunch. If the standard of accommodation offered by us does not meet your expectations, we ask you to take the matter into your own hands and to finance it yourself. As a volunteer, you are entitled to free entry to all YSW events.

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How does the volunteer service work?

After you register we'll get in touch with you. Before you’ll come to Weimar, we will have a phone call to get to know each other a little. Prior to the start of your service you will be informed about all essential things and the details of your accommodation. When you arrive in Weimar you have the possibility to ask all relevant questions at the Infopoint. At the weekly team meeting there will be a general introduction and all the information you need for your assignment. In addition, there is a responsible person for each major area of duties, a "Teamer", who is happy to answer any questions. back

What exactly is the difference between being an intern and being a volunteer?

As either an intern or volunteer, you’ll be part of YSW – you might support at events and workshops, assist the social media team (join me, woohoo!), work at the info point and shop, or be an artist buddy. Depending on your interests and talents, you can decide what you want to do and how long you want to take part in the festival. So what’s the difference between interns and volunteers?

You might choose to do an internship at YSW to gain more professional experience, because you want to take on more responsibility during the festival, or to meet requirements for a university or conservatory program. Many study programs, like @jüdischestudien.halle , require students to do an internship that’s relevant to their area of study, and this internship could be at our festival! Before signing up, you should talk to your program’s coordinator to make sure a YSW internship would meet your program’s requirements. As an intern, you’ll get credit points and a certificate, if you want or need one.

If you use the internship for your course of study, your university might set conditions on what the internship should involve or how long it should be. With this information, we can work with you to create a festival internship that meets the criteria you need to fulfill. Tell us your needs and wishes and let’s talk about it!

So, the big difference between an internship and being a volunteer is: the structure of an internship can also be influenced by outside factors, like criteria from your study program or application guidelines. You’ll need to let us know about these conditions with us BEFORE the festival, so we can work together to plan an internship that matches your needs. How much responsibility you’ll take on — whether you’ll support YSW as a volunteer or take on more responsibility as a team lead or member of a YSW working group — depends on you, your needs and your capacities. back

Can I get my volunteer work accredited as an internship?

This depends on the internship requirements of your college or university. We will be happy to provide you with a written confirmation of your work for us, as well as a certificate on request. Many of our volunteers have been successful in getting accreditation! back

Will I receive a certificate for my work?

Absolutely! We'll be happy to provide you with a confirmation and a certificate. back

What skills should I have?

We welcome all who wish to help and are open to the content of YSW. Being a friendly, open person who is good at teamwork and enjoys interacting with others is a plus. It also helps if you can respond flexibly to challenges, pitch in and contribute thoughts and feedback. Ideally, you should be able to communicate in German. If not, then very good English skills are a necessity. A driver’s license would be an asset. back

What should I bring with me?

Besides a healthy dose of motivation, curiosity and enthusiasm for the cause, we ask that you bring a smartphone, or at least a cellphone. As the festival operates on a somewhat decentralized basis, group chats have proven to be very helpful. A bike is a plus, but not a must. There is no dress code.
We encourage you to pack your own water bottle, this way according to our experience we generate less waste.
Since some activities will take place outdoors, we recommend that you pack sun and rain protection. back

How do I register?

Please use the online registration form. back

I still have questions. Whom do I ask?

Please don't hesitate to contact us for further information.

Email us at:
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