Overview

The Gershman Y is an urban arts and culture center located in Center City Philadelphia on the Avenue of the Arts. The Gershman Y presents a broad array of arts, culture, and educational experiences informed by Jewish values. Committed to sharing the diversity and breadth of the human experience, the Gershman Y is an inclusive organization that welcomes people of all ages, ethnic backgrounds, faiths, and affiliations to explore, participate, and contribute to our rich roster of arts and cultural programs and community initiatives. We embrace the Jewish values of learning, respectful dialogue, importance of family, concern for the environment, and the power of community to repair the world. The Gershman Y traces its origins back to the Young Men’s Hebrew Association (YMHA), originally formed in 1875 to serve as a cultural, educational, and social meeting place for the Jewish community. In 1924, the YMHA merged with the Young Women’s Hebrew Society and moved to the corner of Broad and Pine Streets, where it remains today. Since then, the Gershman Y has been one of Philadelphia’s mainstays for experiencing a rich array of arts, cultural, and educational programs. In September 2009, the Gershman Y separated from the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Philadelphia, of which the Gershman Y had been a constituent site, and became an independent organization. Since its independence, the Gershman Y has grown and thrived as a home for secular Jewish arts and culture. The Gershman Y has three areas of programming: the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival (PJFF), changing exhibitions in the Y’s Galleries, and arts and cultural programs and events. The Gershman Y offers over 100 unique programs every year, including book readings, classes, holiday celebrations, film screenings, gallery exhibits, and performing arts events.