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Hearing the Past. Listening for Our Future.

Violins of Hope hosted by JCC Chicago and other partner organizations is coming to Chicagoland and surrounding areas across Illinois from April through September 2023. The collection of 70 string instruments played by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust have been painstakingly restored and are now coming to our area for cultural exhibitions, performances, and community education with a message of hope, resistance, resilience, and unity.

Contact us if you have a Holocaust-era stringed instrument that may be appropriate for inclusion in Violins of Hope.

Questions about Violins of Hope?
Email us at voh@jccchicago.org or call 847.763.3507.
Media Inquiries: please email jkahan@jccchicago.org.

Growing Hope

On August 8, JCC Chicago partnered with the Chicago Cubs and Gallagher Way to present a free concert. It was an unforgettable evening of sounds & stories supporting tolerance, acceptance, understanding, and hope.

Watch the Event

Upcoming Events

About Violins of Hope

Israeli violinmakers, Amnon and Avshalom Weinstein, have spent the last 20 years collecting and repairing 70 Holocaust-era violins and other stringed instruments from around the world, some with the Star of David on the back and others with names and dates inscribed within the instrument. Together, they have lovingly located and restored the violins to reclaim their lost heritage, give voice to the victims and reinforce essential messages of hope, harmony, and humanity.

violin makers

Violins of Hope has been featured in books, print, film and television. They have been used in lectures and educational programs worldwide, exhibited in museums, and have been triumphantly played in concert halls around the globe. Through performances, exhibitions, and educational series, the instruments have impacted and inspired hundreds of thousands of people of all ages.

The Violins have traveled to cities across the globe, including:

Rome (2014), Tel Aviv & Berlin (2015), Cleveland (2015), London (2017), Washington D.C (2017), Sarasota (2017), Birmingham (2018), Fort Wayne (2019), Phoenix (2019), San Francisco/East Bay (2020, 2022), Los Angeles County (2020-21), Richmond (2021)

Stories of the Violins

Each violin in the Violins of Hope collection has a unique and meaningful story.

Learn More

Video

Courtesy of James A. Grymes, Ph.D., Author of Violins of Hope

Violins of Hope: Chicago Impact

JCC Chicago and its partner organizations aspire to reach over 100,000 community members of all races, religions, ages, and abilities.

JCC Chicago is working with premier cultural institutions around Chicago and Illinois to bolster the Violins’ residency from April to September 2023. The purpose of these residences and installations across cultural and educational organizations is to provide K-12 children, university students and the community at large with relevant, accessible Holocaust education anchored by the meaningful history of the instruments.

Beyond in-person events and experiences, the project will encompass an interactive website to ensure continued access and understanding of anti-hate messages conveyed through a virtual platform today in perpetuity.

jcc chicago

Leadership

Violins of Hope Chicago Steering Committee
Laurie F. Lieberman and Marisa Mandrea, Co-Chairs
Past Chairs, JCC Chicago Board of Directors

For more information about Violins of Hope Chicago, you can watch our virtual kick-off meeting featuring founder Avshalom Weinstein.

Thank you to our Generous Supporters

FRONT ROW
pritzker military foundation jelmar
macarthur foundation
THE WALDER
CHARITABLE
FUND

 

BOX SEATS
MEZZANINE
KARYN LUTZ

LAURIE F. LIEBERMAN

old national bank

walker and dunlop

dekalb community foundation

lakeview dermatology

 

BALCONY
IN-KIND
BARBARA & MICHAEL ZARANSKY

BONNIE VOZAR
LISA & LEE BLOOM

For The Press

View our press kit