Klezmer in the Sauna | Part of Klezmer on Ice

Come shvitz with us! We’re teaming up with The Yard Sauna Village for a one-of-a-kind communal evening of Yiddish heymish hygge! Between sauna sessions, stay warm on the outdoor patio as Yiddish dance leaders get you moving to live klezmer music and original Yiddish folksongs performed by Zoë Aqua & Ira Khonen Temple.

What to Expect:

- Bold New Yiddish Music: As a performing duo, Zoë Aqua (fiddle) and Ira Khonen Temple (vocals/accordion) reimagine klezmer music for today and beyond. Ira’s original songs, including new singable translations, serve as a doorway between past, present, and possible futures, crafting a politically fresh, relevant, and un-nostalgic vision of Jewish culture. Zoë’s compositions draw on influences from klezmer, Transylvanian music, Hasidic melodies, and lautarească, offering a meditative exploration of the dialogue between Jewish and non-Jewish musical traditions in Eastern Europe. Together, they create a soundscape that is deeply rooted yet innovative, celebrating the evolving nature of this rich cultural heritage.

- Dancing Under the Stars: Keep toasty in the sauna village’s outdoor communal space with facilitated Yiddish dancing. No experience is needed!

- Sauna Bliss: Relax and recharge in the sauna as often as you’d like during the event. Bring your bathing suit and towel, and enjoy the cold water bucket shower between rounds. Indoor changing rooms and free lockers are available for your convenience.

-Refreshments & Eats: A food truck and refreshments will be on hand.

- Warming house: While you’re encouraged to enjoy the winter vibes at the sauna village, there’s also a heated indoor area where you can warm up while listening to the music through the speakers.

Helpful Tips:

- The sauna village is a hybrid indoor/outdoor space. Wear warm clothes to stay comfortable outdoors where music and dancing will take place.

- Bring a bathing suit and towel for the sauna. Indoor changing rooms and free lockers are available.

- All ages are welcome. Attendees under 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult.

- An indoor, gender-neutral restroom is available.

- Questions about the event? Contact us

After the Sauna – More Music Across the Street

At 8:30 PM, head across the street to Driftwood and enjoy a frosty one while Minneapolis-based Di Bayke Klezmer Band keeps the party going! There’s no cover for sauna party attendees. Feel free to come as you are! (21+)

About the Performers:

Zoë Aqua is a violinist, composer and educator. She was awarded a Fulbright research grant to study Transylvanian folk music in Romania, co-founded klezmer bands Tsibele and Farnakht, and performs across the world. Her album, “In Vald Arayn” (Into the Forest), mixes influences from klezmer, Transylvanian music, Hasidic music, lautarească and more to meditate on the ways that Jewish and non-Jewish music from Eastern Europe are in conversation with each other. 

Ira Khonen Temple is a multi-instrumentalist, music director, and embedded cultural organizer living in Brooklyn, NY. Ira was a founder of the radical-traditional Yiddish music group Tsibele, and recent credits include accordionist for Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish off Broadway and music director of Indecent at the Weston Playhouse. Ira creates music that is a doorway between past, present and possible futures. Working with people of diverse ages and backgrounds, Ira develops new Jewish culture that is politically fresh, relevant, and un-nostalgic while building connections between languages, communities, and time periods. 

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Part of Klezmer on Ice, Minnesota's third annual klezmer music and Yiddish culture festival celebrating the fusion of diasporic Jewish and Minnesota wintertime traditions. For the full lineup of events, visit www.klezmeronice.com