Today we share with you the loss of Hy Goldman, a champion of KlezKanada from the very beginning. Hy passed away peacefully this morning, in the early hours of May 19th, 2023.
One can’t describe or define KlezKanada without Hy Goldman, and one can’t describe or define Hy Goldman without KlezKanada. A dedicated pediatrician, Hy was an active member and chair of the Yiddish committee of the Canadian Jewish Congress. As early as 1980, he brought Hankus Netsky and the Klezmer Conservatory Band to perform at a Montreal fundraiser. With the goal to create a living celebration of Jewish arts and culture, Hy and Sandy Goldman, with Sara Rosenfeld, Jack Wolofsky, and a crew of Montreal Yiddishists, hosted the first KlezKanada Summer Retreat in 1996.
At KlezKanada’s Summer Retreat, Hy and friends brought together their generation of Yiddishists with the vibrant Yiddish music and cultural scene of the klezmer revival. From the early years of the Retreat, Hy understood the importance of empowering artists and scholars with shaping the direction of the Retreat – while never holding back his own opinion! Michael Alpert and Jeff Warschauer were invited to work with Hy in developing the program for KlezKanada. For many many years, Hy engaged in every aspect of the planning and execution of KlezKanada’s program, working closely with all of KlezKanada’s artistic directors. In 2017, Hy received the Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada for his never-tiring dedication to KlezKanada.
Hy’s love for the world of KlezKanada seemed unlimited; many of us remember his presence at the KlezKabaret late into night, sometimes dozing rather than leaving the room where performances were happening. At treasured moments, he could be convinced to pick up the microphone himself, singing a few lines of a jazz standard from his youth. For years, Hy and Sandy hosted artists in their home before and after the Retreat and Hy was always ready to start planning the next Retreat when most were still half-asleep.
Hy understood the importance of intergenerational connection, bringing new generations of klezmorim together with the survivors of their grandparents’ and parents’ generation. As part of this vision, Hy founded KlezKanada’s scholarship program – now the Azrieli Scholarship Program at KlezKanada. Growing from an informal program with a handful of students to an internationally-renowned program that has awarded close to 1500 scholarships, this visionary and often life-changing program now has alumni around the world, creating, performing, and teaching Jewish culture across all disciplines. As he saw scholarship participants become leaders in their communities, Hy introduced the Freed Fellowship program, which he saw as a bridge between the scholarship program and faculty positions. These programs form the base of KlezKanada’s commitment to accessible programming, mentorship, and leadership development, all areas in which we are continually seeking to grow.
Hy and Sandy’s labour of love, and their personal financial resources, together with significant contributions from a small group of friends, provided the core of support for the first two decades of KlezKanada and beyond. The work of KlezKanada’s board and staff carries forward Hy’s legacy.
In Hy’s words, “The links we developed during those years are forever.”
KlezKanada’s Board and Staff sends our deepest love and support to Hy’s wife Sandy Goldman, their children and grandchildren. The funeral will be held on Sunday, May 21, 2023 at 12 PM.
Donations in Hy’s name may be made to KlezKanada.
Koved zayn likhtikn ondenk.
