History of JxJ
JxJ is the leader of Jewish film and music cultural arts in the Washington, D.C. Maryland and Virginia region. Between the Festival and year-round programming, JxJ gives exposure to independent filmmakers and musical artists working in the Jewish and/or Israeli space. It annually attracts 30,000 patrons across 180+ events and has been arts hub in the DC area for over 30 years.
JxJ has garnered a long-term dedicated fanbase as well as hosted notable guests over the years.
Recent guests and talent include: Nancy Spielberg, Wolf Blitzer, Dana Bash, Jake Paltrow, Tom Friedman, Dan Glickman, Elliot Gould, Amy Heckerling, Agnieszka Holland, Carol Kane, Barry Levinson, Natalie Portman, Eran Riklis, James Schamus, John Turturro, and Liv Ullman
Our History
JxJ is the result of combining the Washington Jewish Film Festival (WJFF) and the Washington Jewish Music Festival (WJMF) in 2019. It was at that time that the program also moved into the newly constructed Cafritz Hall.
Founded in 1990, the WJFF was, and continues to be through JxJ, one of the largest and most respected Jewish film festivals in North America. It serves as an international exhibition of cinema that celebrates the diversity of Jewish history, culture and experience through the moving image.
The WJMF, established in 1999 with a lead gift from the Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation, promoted a broad appreciation of Jewish culture through presentations of extraordinary performing artists who preserve and invigorate Jewish music in contemporary culture.
JxJ’s year-round program consists of weekly events that take place in Cafritz Hall, a new state-of-the-art concert and cinema venue in the EDCJCC. The annual JxJ Film and Music Festival is presented on stages and screens throughout DC, Virginia, and Maryland.
About Cafritz Hall
The new 140 capacity venue features DCP projection, 7.1 sound and Dolby servers. The space has a parking lot, and is easily assessible by Metro and several bus lines. It is also very walkable, bike-friendly and sits in a prime urban location within a 5 minute walk from 2 grocery stores (Whole Foods and Safeway), several coffee shops, eateries, and retail shops.
Festival Archive
See lineups from past JxJ Festivals, Washington Jewish Film Festivals, and Washington Jewish Music Festivals.
Support JxJ
Your gift has a powerful impact at the Festival and our year-round programs. Without your support, we wouldn’t be able to bring diverse stories told through music and film to audiences.