The past few weeks have brought a series of moments of unexpected pride. When musician Yoni Battat was named one of the prestigious Mandel Foundation Arts Fellows, when modern-day vaudevillian AJ Rubin told me he was going on tour with ’80s synth pop legends Haute & Freddy’s Big Disgrace Tour, and when Rachel Linsky announced the premiere of her new Yiddish dance film years in the making, I found myself excitedly texting the news to friends and colleagues.
These headlines are exciting in their own right. But for me, they also represent something bigger.
As we launch the lucky #7 cohort of the Community Creative Fellowship, I’ve been reflecting on what this program has made possible. Back in 2020, CJP’s newly appointed director of arts and culture Sophie Krentzman and I came together with a simple idea: What would happen if we invested deeply in Jewish artists at pivotal moments in their creative journeys? Rather than asking artists to fit into existing institutions, we imagined a fellowship that would give them the time, resources, community, and encouragement to create bold new Jewish work—and, in turn, strengthen Jewish life through the arts.
Seven years later, it has been remarkable to watch that vision grow. The fellowship has supported 18 (chai!) Boston-area Jewish artists, each with a distinct voice, discipline, and perspective. While every project and artwork has been different, they all share a common thread: they have continued to evolve well beyond the fellowship itself, reaching audiences across Boston, around the country, and increasingly around the world. I’m so proud of all they’re doing. Here’s a snapshot of how they are inspiring others.
Yoni Battat has continued to redefine the sound of contemporary Jewish music. Since the fellowship, he’s released two acclaimed albums that weave together Arabic music, Mizrahi traditions, jazz, and original composition. This year, his selection as a 2026 Mandel Foundation Arts Fellow recognized not only his exceptional musicianship, but also his commitment to expanding the possibilities of Jewish musical expression and the creation of spaces where multiple cultures and identities can coexist.
Last year, artist Adriana Katzew traveled to photograph the Jewish community and synagogues of India, inspired to continue her research and photography-based collage work that illuminates global Jewish stories.
Miriam Anzovin has become one of the most recognizable Jewish educators on social media through her “Daf Yomi Reactions” work. During the fellowship, she focused on lesser-known Jewish lore, jumpstarting her “Jewish Lore Reactions” series, bringing stories of great Jewish women like Serach Bat Asher to thousands of people.
Also with a global reach, Neta Weiner has carried music born in Boston to audiences across Europe and around the world. Blending Hebrew, Yiddish, Arabic, hip-hop, and folk traditions, his performances challenge audiences to grapple with questions of identity, language, and coexistence.
Rachel Linsky has spent the past five years nurturing the bold artistic vision to bring Yiddish dance into the present. What began as an early fellowship concept has grown into a fully realized performance project and an upcoming dance film, premiering this December. Through movement, choreography, and research, Rachel is helping preserve cultural memory while inviting a new generation to experience Yiddish culture as something vibrant, living, and deeply relevant.
Having continued his work with fellow fellow Rachel Linsky, Ira Klein has brought his fellowship work and collaborations to Brooklyn, continuing to develop projects from his fellowship, including this incredible enlivenment of The Vilna Shul historic sanctuary done in 2025.
When not on tour, AJ Rubin and his brother Colescott perform regularly across Boston as Rubin Brothers, bringing joyful, silly, and meaningful music to communities across the area.
In September, artist Sandra Mayo leads a team of artists in presenting “Malegria” at the Jerusalem Biennale. The immersive multimedia installation, developed in collaboration with fellowship alumni Tutti Druyan and Yuval Gur, explores the tension between joy and sorrow—the bittersweet complexity captured in the Spanish word malegria.
In addition to the soundtrack for Malegria, Yuval Gur graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a digital & media degree, closing with a major thesis installation exhibit called “RIFT.”
Tutti Druyan can also be heard on the “Malegria” soundtrack and is bringing her “Shalom Tiny Tutti” performances to communities across the area. Check out the schedule for the little ones in your life to experience Hebrew and Israeli culture.
Puppeteer Rotem Goldenberg is also inspiring children and families. Rotem moved back to Israel following her fellowship, where she has continued to perform and use her comedic puppetry to dig into challenging times with kids and families.
Filmmaker Paloma Valenzuela curates the “Now Playing” film series at JustBook-ish in Dorchester, a literary gathering space in Dorchester Field’s Corner, featuring diverse narratives.
Alex Salsberg is the 2026 New England Trail artist-in-residence, creating short film animations about people who love the trails.
Poet Deborah Leipziger has also been on the trails, traveling across the U.S. and Brazil writing poetry that continues to evolve and expand the Jewish literary canon.
Lily Henley took a brief hiatus to have a baby in the spring and continues to tour shows like the Newport Folk Festival and the Ashkenaz Festival in Toronto.
Mia Schon creates mosaics around the world that brought her to the fellowship, and her newest is an incredible 27-foot-tall mosaic at Newton North High School, in a very meaningful homecoming.
Having worked with Mia on a shared exhibit this season, weaver Josh Kurtz continues to develop his Wild Goose Weaving practice and Jewish craft school.
And looking forward to the fall, culinary historian Sara Gardner is preparing for an evening of Sephardic and Persian food connected to the Purim story as part of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum’s “The Book of Esther in the Age of Rembrandt” (get your tickets for Nov. 12!).
Across these projects, I’m struck not simply by what these artists have accomplished, but by how they continue to build on one another’s ideas. They are expanding Jewish culture, asking courageous questions, creating beauty in difficult times, and demonstrating the power of art to strengthen community.
Boston has always been home to extraordinary creative talent. The Community Creative Fellowship exists to nurture that talent, connect artists to one another and to the community, and help turn bold ideas into lasting impact. Seven years later, I’m incredibly proud of the community we’ve built together—and even more excited about what’s still to come.
If you or someone you know is inspired by these artists and wonders whether you might be the next Community Creative Fellow, we’d love to hear from you! Applications for the 2027–2028 Community Creative Fellowship are open through Sept. 16, 2027.