Israeli violinmakers Amnon and Avshalom Weinstein have spent the last 20 years collecting and repairing over 70 Holocaust-era violins and other stringed instruments from around the world.  Some have the Star of David on the back and others have names and dates inscribed within the instrument.  Each one has a unique and inspirational story with a message of hope, resistance and resilience. 

JCC Chicago, in partnership with Violins of Hope, is thrilled to have the opportunity to bring one of these instruments to Shir Ruach.  You will hear “The Haas Violin”    https://d1dhn91mufybwl.cloudfront.net/downloads/pdfs/tkmykkzwb1/tkmykkzwb1.pdf?v=1713392041

Born on March 10, 1922, Joseph Haas lived in Vienna. His parents ran a small corner market and managed a dairy cooperative. All of that changed on March 12, 1938, when the German Wehrmacht crossed into Austria at the start of the Anschluss.  The campaign against the Jews began immediately: their homes and shops were plundered. Joseph left Vienna alone on Nov. 15, 1939.  Among the few possessions he took was this violin. In WWII, he fought in the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, Joseph joined amateur orchestras, and was invited to join the Doctors Orchestral Society of New York. He had the rare opportunity to play this violin in Carnegie Hall during a benefit performance of the orchestra.