Two of the “Violins of Hope” that were recovered from the Holocaust.
In Wednesday’s (11/13) The Hour (Connecticut), Kayla Mutchler writes, “A collection of six violins, a viola and a cello saved during the Holocaust have been restored and will be played by the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra in a Nov. 16 performance at the Concert Hall at Norwalk City Hall. The concert is part of the first weeklong local visit for Violins of Hope to … Fairfield County high schools, synagogues and churches, featuring cultural exhibits, performances and community education. ‘With the startling rise of antisemitism and swastikas etched on lockers in our schools, our role in the community is more important than ever,’ said Shelley Kreiger, founding director of the Holocaust Resource Center of the Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County. Violins of Hope is a collection of instruments that were painstakingly restored by the late Amnon Weinstein and his son, Avshalom Weinstein … The instruments that will be played belonged to Jews before and during the Holocaust…. Norwalk Symphony Orchestra … Executive Director Sandra Miklave said, ‘We know the healing power of music, and this is multiplied as we play these truly historic instruments. It will be a meaningful and uplifting experience for both the audience and the musicians on the stage.’ ”
