Violins of Hope: Instruments played by Jewish musicians during Holocaust to be displayed in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH – A treasured collection of instruments played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust will be exhibited in Pittsburgh next year.

Tickets will be required for the free exhibit, called "Violins of Hope Greater Pittsburgh." It will open to the public from Oct. 7, 2023, through Nov. 21, 2023, at the Posner Center at Carnegie Mellon University.

Offering powerful stories of hope and perseverance, Violins of Hope Greater Pittsburgh, took years of planning, bringing together more than 50 partners, including nonprofit organizations, religious groups, educational institutions, musicians and artists that will provide educational and cultural support programs and exhibits.

"Carnegie Mellon University is so pleased to host this extraordinary exhibit," said CMU President Farnam Jahanian in a news release. "More than symbols, these instruments are historical artifacts that showcase the resilience of the Jewish community and underscore the power of arts and music to bring light into darkness."

The financial support of presenting sponsor, The Arthur J. and Betty F. Diskin Fund of the Jewish Federation Foundation, along with Pittsburgh’s foundation community, numerous donors and partners, will help Violins of Hope Greater Pittsburgh reach a broad audience to reinforce lessons of acceptance, inclusion and diversity.

The exhibit will take place around the fifth anniversary of the Tree of Life Congregation synagogue massacre in Squirrel Hill, where a gunman shouting antisemitic slurs killed 11 congregants and wounded four police officers.

“As a community that banded together in response to the tragic attack in October 2018, we are especially sensitive to the need for unity in society," said Sandy Rosen, founding chair of the Violins of Hope Greater Pittsburgh project. "It is our hope that the music of the violins, the lessons they teach us, and their powerful stories will help to tune out prejudice, and that the exhibits, concerts, and programs presented by Violins of Hope Greater Pittsburgh will create a path to a future free from hatred."

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The collection belongs to renowned Israeli violinmaker Amnon Weinstein, the founder of Violins of Hope and himself the son of a Holocaust survivor. Amnon started restoring violins when another son of a survivor asked him to restore one years ago. For 30-plus years, he has devoted his life’s work, along with his son Avshalom, to locating and restoring these instruments in honor of those who perished during World War II. Each surviving violin, viola and cello has a story that has connected listeners around the world to the history of the Holocaust.

“Our violins present the victory of the human spirit over evil and hatred,” Amnon wrote about Violins of Hope. “Six million Jews were murdered in World War II, but their memory is not forgotten. It comes back to life with every concert and every act of love and celebration of the human spirit.”

The Violins of Hope Exhibit will be supported by numerous events and programming throughout the region, including concerts and cultural arts programs; speakers and panel discussions; multiple exhibits; interfaith programming; and adult and youth education. A youth program supported by Classrooms Without Borders and the Holocaust Center, will be available in schools and in the exhibit. Middle and high-school students can learn the important lessons of the Holocaust.

The Violins of Hope Greater Pittsburgh website violinsofhopepittsburgh.com will offer updates on volunteering, school programs, and ways to get involved, A full events calendar, dates, locations, and further details will be announced in 2023.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Instruments played by Jewish musicians during Holocaust to visit PGH