The Kehila Kedosha Janina (the Holy Community of Janina) Synagogue and Museum will host its 11th annual Greek Jewish Festival on Sunday, May 17, 2026, bringing a full day of music, food, and cultural programming to Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
The event will take place from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. along Broome Street, between Allen and Eldridge Streets, and is free and open to the public.
Organized by the historic Romaniote synagogue and museum, the festival centers on the Romaniote Jewish community, whose New York congregation traces its origins to Ioannina. The Romaniote tradition represents one of the oldest Jewish communities in Europe, distinct from the Sephardic populations that later settled in Greece.
“We are a small but tight-knit community, and we continually open our doors to visitors, both as a spiritual home and as a place to learn about Greek Jewish history,” the organizers note. “The Greek Jewish Festival is our largest effort to preserve and share that culture.”
Throughout the day, Broome Street will fill with live music, dance performances, and food prepared in the Greek Jewish tradition, alongside vendors and activities for children. Guided tours of the synagogue and museum will also be offered.
Performances begin at noon:
- 12:00 p.m. – Songs Across Seas by Fin Trio
- 1:00 p.m. – St. John’s Hellenic Dancers of Blue Point
- 2:00 p.m. – Noga Group featuring Avram Pengas
- 3:00 p.m. – Hillary Coniglio Dance Performance
- 4:00 p.m. – Karavani Orkestra
- 5:00 p.m. – Baklava Express
Now in its 11th year, the festival continues to bring the Kehila Kedosha Janina community into the street, connecting its history on the Lower East Side with a wider public audience through food, music, and shared space.
More information is available on the Greek Jewish Festival’s website.