MILWAUKEE – You’ve got a few more weeks to see Violins of Hope at Jewish Museum Milwaukee!
“The Violins of Hope: Strings of Jewish Resistance and Resilience” exhibition at Jewish Museum Milwaukee will close on Jan. 25, concluding a display that intertwined music, memory and Holocaust history. Jan. 2 will be a Community Free Day for Milwaukee County residents at the museum.
The exhibit, which opened Nov. 5, featured 24 restored violins played by Jewish musicians before or during the Holocaust. Each instrument carries a unique story of survival and defiance — for example, Viennese amateur violinist Erich Weininger smuggled his violin through Dachau, Buchenwald and exile in Mauritius before resettling in Palestine.
Co-curated by Milwaukee’s Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center and Jewish Museum Milwaukee, the exhibit is part of a statewide residency led by the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, involving more than 60 schools, libraries and cultural groups. A multimedia tour, educational programs and the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band concert on Jan. 15 accompany the museum display.
Organizers describe Violins of Hope as both a memorial and celebration — “living voices” that convey the horrors of antisemitism, resilience of survivors and the transformative power of music. Originally gathered by Israeli luthiers Amnon and Avshalom Weinstein to rescue instruments abandoned after World War II, the collection now educates audiences worldwide.
Milwaukee County residents can view the Violins of Hope exhibit free of charge during a special Community Free Day, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 2 at Jewish Museum Milwaukee, 1360 N. Prospect Ave.
The Jewish Museum Milwaukee run concludes Jan. 25, offering guided tours, community discussions and reflection through a Jewish lens. Admission and event details are available at JewishMuseumMilwaukee.org
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