VIOLINS OF HOPE

On November 17, 1983, Elie Wiesel—Holocaust survivor, author, and activist—began his Forum speech “Why Hate?” by saying, “The best thing one can do at noon on a Thursday is to tell stories.”

Now, more than 42 years later, we gather anew to consider the power of stories and the role of music and memory by welcoming Violins of Hope, presented by the Minnesota JCC. Violins of Hope is a powerful collection of over 70 restored string instruments played by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust. These extraordinary violins will be featured in May – June 2026 in Twin Cities performances, exhibitions, and educational programs that honor the memory of the Holocaust and carry a message of hope, resilience, resistance, and unity.

Our May 14 Forum will feature some of these instruments and will weave together their stories with music played on them, as we consider the role of story and storytelling in defending human rights and human dignity.

Forum format:

With special thanks to:

• The Minnesota JCC for making this presentation possible.
• Rabbi Marcia A. Zimmerman of Temple Israel in Minneapolis for weaving together this beautiful tapestry of music, memory, and story and providing program commentary. 
• Avshalom (Avshi) Weinstein for sharing some of his and his father’s story and the Violins of Hope.
• Marc Levine for giving voice to the Violins of Hope and all of his work coordinating the Violins of Hope project for the Minnesota JCC.
• Sasha Blinnikova, Tiffany Cooper, and Sasha Andreev for sharing the stories of the violins and those whose stories are carried therein.
• The Rev. Dr. Jessica Patchett of Westminster Presbyterian Church for serving as moderator.
• All whose stories are carried in these violins.

May we never forget.