Ashkenaz, Music venue and nonprofit organization in Berkeley, United States
Ashkenaz is a music venue and nonprofit in a building on San Pablo Avenue featuring a stage, dance studio, and café with vegetarian food and drinks. The space includes a maple dance floor and operates under a zero-waste approach using material recycling and reusable containers.
David Nadel founded this space in 1973, converting a warehouse into a dance hall. The building received Berkeley Landmark designation in 1992.
The wooden exterior reflects Eastern European synagogue design and honors the founder's heritage through regular klezmer performances. Visitors experience traditional Jewish musical forms and participate in a community dedicated to preserving these cultural expressions.
The venue operates six nights weekly, with many events starting with dance lessons for participants. Parking is available in the surrounding area, and the space is accessible to visitors of different mobility levels.
The maple dance floor installed in 2002 uses wood from a former pencil factory in San Leandro. A commemorative wall plaque displays the names of donors who made this special flooring possible.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
