Every two years, Toronto, Canada hosts the Ashkenaz Festival, a celebration of Jewish music and culture. A variety of international musicians perform during the event, with a heavy emphasis on Jewish and Middle Eastern traditions. Leonard Cohen, A-Wa, Dobranotch, Socalled, Nefesh Mountain, Gili Yalo, Amos Hoffman, Rabbi B, Noam Vazana, and Chloe Pourmorady have all been among the festival's greatest performers in previous years.
Just a few years before he passed away, the legendary singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen gave a performance at the event in 2014. Fans from all around the world flocked to see the iconic musician play, making his appearance one of the festival's high points. The Israeli band A-Wa, well-known for fusing Yemenite and Western music, gave a highly praised performance at the festival.
The Russian klezmer band Dobranotch, the Canadian rapper and producer Socalled, and the American bluegrass band with a Jewish influence Nefesh Mountain have all been noteworthy performers at the festival. The Ashkenaz Festival has become one of the most important gatherings for Jewish music and culture in North America thanks to these and other musicians.