Violins of Hope are a mission and a history
Avshi Weinstein displays one of the Holocaust violins he and his father have restored. (Dury Shamsi-Basha / Alabama NewsCenter)
For Avshi Weinstein, Violins of Hope are more than instruments he restores. They are a mission, and a history.
Weinstein came to Birmingham last week for a few educational programs in preparation for the violins’ debut in Birmingham April 10-15. He spent the week showing four of the famed violins to school and civic groups.
On Oct. 11, he visited the Jewish Community Center Day School.
“Today, I came here to speak to the kids at the JCC day school to tell them about our project, to share stories of the violins, and we were very fortunate to have a violinist so they could hear the sound of them being played,” Weinstein said. “The sound is very close to the same sound that was heard during the war.”
Avshi Weinstein’s violins make the journey from Holocaust to hope from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
Violins of Hope are instruments that survived the Holocaust in World War II. Weinstein’s father, Amnon Weinstein, began restoring them in 1999 and Avshi followed in his footsteps. Their collection includes about 60 violins. Some violins have horrific stories, some hopeful. A few saved their owners because the Germans kept them playing music as others were led to their deaths.
For Avshi Weinstein, these violins have become a major part of his life. He loves sharing their stories and how they can empower us to hope that an event like the Holocaust is never repeated.
“My favorite part of the project is going around and speaking at schools. I believe it’s the most important part, the educational part,” Weinstein said. “Every time I speak, you see the kids and they all react differently, but hopefully we can touch enough people to make a change.”
Many people look forward with these violins, but Avshi Weinstein looks toward their history with the goal of not repeating the past.
“I grew up on World War II stories. These were the stories I heard before I went to bed at night. I personally love history and I think we can learn a lot from it and hopefully not to make the same mistakes again, to be a better society and a better people,” Weinstein said.
Sallie Downs, the executive director of Violins of Hope, shares Weinstein’s mission. She shuttled him from place to place during his week in Birmingham.
“Avshi’s visit has been a sacred experience for him and for the people who have had the opportunity to meet him and learn more about Violins of Hope,” Downs said.
