Jewish Community Center - Gershman Y

About

The Gershman Y is a vibrant Jewish arts and culture center located in Center City Philadelphia on the Avenue of the Arts. The Gershman Y’s mission is to be an urban community center that nurtures Jewish heritage and identity by presenting diverse arts, culture, and educational programs for audiences of all ages. Committed to sharing the universality and breadth of the Jewish experience, The Gershman Y welcomes persons of all ethnic backgrounds and religious affiliations to explore, participate, and contribute to our rich roster of Jewish arts and cultural programs and community initiatives.

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.