Violins of Hope


The Violins of Hope collection is a collection of Holocaust related string instruments in Tel Aviv, Israel. The instruments serve to educate and memorialize the lives of prisoners in concentration camps through concerts, exhibitions and other projects. The collection is owned by father and son team Amnon and Avshalom Weinstein, who are both violin makers.

Concerts and exhibitions

In the first decade of the new millennium, Weinstein started to use the instruments of the Violins of Hope collection to initiate concerts combined with educational events teaching about the Holocaust.
YearLocation and Musicians
2008Jerusalem, Israel: Symphonette Orchestra and the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra with Shlomo Mintz
2010Switzerland, SION International Music Festival. Exhibition of selected instruments and concert with Shlomo Mintz
2011Madrid, Spain, concert on occasion of International Remembrance Day with Shlomo Mintz, Cihat Askin, Hillel Zori, Sander Sittig, Enrique Perez and Emilio Navidad
Maastricht, Netherlands: concert with Amati Ensemble and photo exhibition
2012Charlotte, North Carolina: extensive program at the UNC Charlotte with concerts, exhibition, film screenings et al.
2013Monaco: Philharmonic Orchestra of Monte Carlo, conducted by Gianluigi Gelmetti, with Schlomo Mintz
2014Rome, Italy
Villa Musica, Neuwied: Exhibition and concerts with Gil Sharon and Elina Gurewitz
2015Berlin, Germany: Exhibition and concert with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Simon Rattle
Cleveland, Ohio: Exhibitions and concert with members of the Cleveland Orchestra, ongoing project
2016Monterrey, Mexico: Concert with Esperanza Azteca Orchestra, conducted by Yoel Levi with Shlomo Mintz and Cihat Askin
Houston, Texas
2017Jacksonville, Florida: concert with members of the Jacksonville Symphony, part of a month long Anne Frank exhibit
Sarasota, Florida: concert and exhibition
London, England: concert and fundraiser
Washington, DC, Library of Congress
Bucharest, Romania: concert with, among others, Gil Sharon and Hillel Zori
2018Cincinnati, Ohio: The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Louis Langrée; The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra conducted by Eckart Preu
Dachau, Germany
Nashville, Tennessee: Exhibition and concert
Dresden, Germany
Dortmund, Germany
2019Knoxville, Tennessee: Exhibit and concert with Knoxville Symphony Orchestra
Phoenix, Arizona: Exhibits and concert February through March
Auschwitz, Poland: musical interludes were performed on selected instruments during the opening ceremony for the exhibition "Through the Lens of Faith"