Welcome to

Our mission: to create joyful Jewish connection through participatory music experiences

Our vision: a world where all people experience enriched connection to Jewish life through music.

Tkiya creates participatory music experiences that meet participants where they are – physically, psychologically, and spiritually – to find their unique connection to Jewish culture and community.

Where we started

Tkiya was founded in New York City in 2014 by Carla Friend, who found herself on a journey of re-discovering her Jewish identity through music. She created Tkiya to help others do the same.

Where we are now

A decade later, our award-winning programs are offered across the country, providing 10,000 people a year with direct entry points into Jewish life, meaning, and purpose.

Joyful programs + talented teachers

Our friendly and welcoming Jewish educator-musicians use original and curated songs, stories, puppets, movement, and more. Our programs flow with attention span and engage all ages and learning styles. They’re accessible across the spectrum of Jewish knowledge and observance and are highly adaptable to a wide variety of settings and communities

Tkiya works with everybody!

We’re proud of our deep partnerships with preschools, JCCs, synagogues, federations, camps, and other organizations, who choose to partner with us to maximize impact, instead of reinventing the wheel.

We always cater to the unique program needs of our partners, collaborating to create the perfect experience for each community. Here’s some of what we do:

  • Preschool music

  • Wee Jam (our Grownup & Me)

  • ShaJam (our Shabbat Grownup & Me)

  • Holiday celebrations

  • Afterschool enrichments

  • Shabbat experiences

  • Hebrew school music

  • Day school music

  • Day camp music

  • Special needs programs

  • Senior singalongs & services

  • Justice-themed experiences

  • Grandparent & Me programming

  • Birthdays

  • Shabbatons and family camps

Check out this video about Tkiya’s work, produced by The Jewish Education Project for their Young Pioneers Award in 2018!

How can I work with Tkiya?

We value all of our partnerships and are always excited to form new relationships. If you wish to explore the potential for a partnership with Tkiya, please email Hannah Gundersheim, Education Director, at hannah.g@tkiya.org