The unlikely intersection of American folk music and Jewish culture comes to life through Woody Guthrie’s years in Coney Island. After marrying Jewish dancer Marjorie Mazia in 1940, Guthrie immersed himself in the vibrant traditions of her family—especially the influence of his mother-in-law, acclaimed Yiddish poet Aliza Greenblatt. This cultural exchange sparked a remarkable body of Jewish themed work: Hanukkah songs, borschtbelt humor, and powerful reflections on the Holocaust. Decades later, The Klezmatics revived and celebrated this legacy in their Grammy winning recordings. Guthrie also drew bold parallels between Jewish refugees escaping persecution and the Dust Bowl migrants he championed—revealing a shared story of displacement, resilience, and hope.