‘Violins of Hope’ memorializes Jewish musicians through restored instruments
An image of a yellow Star of David that reads "Jude," or Jew in German, resembling the one Jews were forced to wear in Nazi Germany, is projected on the walls of Jerusalem's Old City on the eve of annual Holocaust Remembrance Day, Monday, April 17, 2023. Israel holds the day of remembrance each year to remember the six million Jewish victims of the Nazi genocide during World War II. Mahmoud Illean/AP
Many museums across the world showcase items that were saved during the Holocaust, but a lot of times these are items visitors can only view. A new exhibit appearing across Chicagoland and downstate Illinois lets patrons listen to them as well. Violins of Hope is a collection of 70 restored string instruments and attached to these instruments are the stories of Jewish musicians who played them before and during the Holocaust.
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The 21st was joined by the father and son who maintain the collection, a professor of musicology, and the director of community engagement for the group that helped bring this exhibit to fruition.
GUESTS:
Ilene Uhlmann
Director of Community Engagement and Violins of Hope, JCC Chicago
Amnon Weinstein
Master Violin Maker (Second Generation)
Avshalom Weinstein
Master Violin Maker (Third Generation)
James Grymes
Musiclogist | Author, Violins of Hope: Instruments of Hope and Liberation in Mankind’s Darkest Hour
Prepared for web by Owen Henderson
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