CELEBRATE

THE UNITED MENTSH

MENTSH, pronounced [mɛnʃ], is the Yiddish term for an empathetic person who acts with dignity and integrity and takes responsibility for their community. They navigate life's ups and downs with kindness, consideration, respect, and understanding for others. Simply put: genuinely likeable and human.

Like in sports, UNITED stands for unity and team spirit. Our game plan is diversity, fair play, and democracy. As a Jewish-European collective, we believe in the power of togetherness, where different backgrounds, religions, and perspectives aren't weaknesses, but strengths. Our playing field is Europe—open, pluralistic, and democratic.

We believe in a society where everyone gets to play, regardless of their identity or history. Our strength lies in the diversity of our team: Jewish, European, multi-vocal, and united in solidarity.

With a clear vision, an open heart, and fair rules, we are taking a stand against antisemitism, exclusion, and intolerance. We are fighting for a Europe that leaves no one on the sidelines.

We practice dialogue, play offense for human rights, and passionately defend democratic values. Our goal is a Europe that stays vibrant—and where diversity isn’t the exception, but the game plan.

The MENTSH UNITED ensemble is a collective of 13 musicians from diverse origins, nationalities, and faiths. The artistic director of MENTSH UNITED is Shantel, known for his Bucovina Club Orkestar and other major projects. With his creative approach of blending tradition with modernity, Shantel became the audible face of a new Germany. In 2006, he was the first German artist to win the BBC World Music Award for his cosmopolitan sound. With Shantel, the experience of migration becomes audible and danceable. Musical gems from Southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and the mediterranean are placed in a new, multi-layered context, making the cultures they stem from intuitively accessible. Shantel's club culture constantly evolves through musical exchange. The next chapter: MENTSH UNITED. 

You can experience MENTSH UNITED feat. SHANTEL live at our concerts. Four shows are scheduled for 2025 to kick things off: - Chianni (Italy), October 23 - Vienna (Austria), October 26 - Ingolstadt (Germany), October 28 - Tübingen (Germany), October 30 We're planning more concerts across Europe and hope to come to a city near you soon. You can find a full list of our shows on the Events page.

60secs.mentsh will be our video platform for encounter, dialogue, and understanding. A place that makes Jewish life in Europe visible as a natural and enriching part of our society.

In collaboration with renowned filmmaker Nico Beyer, we're launching 60sec.mentsh – a Europe-wide film competition for documentaries about Jewish life in all its facets. We showcase authentic stories of people who move, connect, and challenge prejudices – in 60 seconds.

Sign up for our newsletter, and we'll let you know when it kicks off!

MENTSH UNITED is an initiative launched in Cologne in 2024 by the organization JEWLIF (Jewish Life in Europe). Our goal is to send a strong signal for a democratic and pluralistic Europe through cultural projects and positive energy. We are taking a firm stand against antisemitism and persistent prejudice. MENTSH UNITED is funded by the German Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), based on a decision by the German Parliament (Bundestag). Since 2025, we have a partnership with the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance for an exchange program between its students and the MENTSH UNITED ensemble.