Presenting Sponsor: The Arthur J. and Betty F. Diskin Cultural Endowment Fund of the Jewish Federation Foundation.

Tuning Out Prejudice:

Building Bridges That Last

A landmark community project centered on the valuable
lessons of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Tuning Out Prejudice:

Building Bridges that Last

A landmark community project centered on the valuable
lessons of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

October 7-November 21, 2023
Exhibit at Posner Center, Carnegie Mellon University

Tuning Out Prejudice
Building Bridges That Last

About

Pittsburgh has long been known as the City of Bridges, with a multitude of these unique and colorful structures that connect our communities and our diverse backgrounds. These connectors have enabled us to come together to celebrate our shared cultural, educational, social, and vocational activities. 

How better to underscore these shared values than through a landmark collaboration of the arts, religious institutions, community organizations, education professionals, and musicians. Violins of Hope Greater Pittsburgh will present impactful programming throughout our community, reinforcing the valuable lessons of diversity, equity, and inclusion that are essential to our future.

Over the course of two months, through educational and cultural programs and exhibits, this unique project will, through lessons of the Holocaust, demonstrate humanity’s amazing ability to rebound from even the darkest depravity. The centerpiece of this event is the Violins of Hope Exhibit, which showcases violins played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust. Each instrument has a unique emotional history that tells a story of perseverance and hope.

As a community that has already experienced attacks of hatred and division, Pittsburgh is especially sensitive to the need for unity. Thus, it is our hope that this landmark project will bring our community together, tuning out prejudice and building bridges that last.

A note from the chairs

When we began working on this project in the spring of 2018, we knew it could be a powerful experience for our community. The stories of the Holocaust and the lessons we can learn from them have never been more important. We are proud to be bringing together such an amazing group of community partners to present a broad array of meaningful programming. We look forward to engaging our fellow Pittsburghers in tuning out prejudice and building bridges that last.

A project of this scale does not happen without broad community support. We are so grateful to The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and the Diskin Family Foundation for embracing our vision from the very beginning. In addition, the enthusiastic support of the following groups has inspired us every step of the way:

Community partners
Generous donors
Dedicated volunteers
Knowledgeable educators
Talented musicians and artists

We have also been blessed to work with a wonderful team of professionals that have guided us along this journey.

And of course, we offer a heartfelt thank you to Amnon, Assi, and Avshi Weinstein for sharing their violins with us. We will forever be grateful for the opportunity to welcome these amazing instruments into our community. They will surely leave a lasting impression on all who see and hear them.

With deep gratitude and appreciation,

Sandy Rosen – Chair | Pat Siger – Co-chair | Lynn Zelenski – Project Manager

Exhibit

The Violins of Hope Exhibit relates remarkable stories of string instruments played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust. Each surviving instrument has a unique and inspiring story that connects both young and old to the history of the Holocaust in a deeply emotional, personal, and relatable way. Paralleling lessons of the past to present day issues is key to creating a future where diversity, equality, and inclusion are valued. 

This one-of-a-kind exhibit will be housed at the Posner Center on Carnegie Mellon University’s campus. It will be open, free to the public*, from October 7-November 21, 2023. Individuals can experience the exhibit on their own or be guided by a trained docent. Group tours will also be available. In addition, time will be set aside for special tours to be given to middle and high school groups throughout Greater Pittsburgh.

Tickets Now Available!

Youth Education

One of the main goals of Violins of Hope Greater Pittsburgh is to educate both young and old in our community by using stories from the past to shed light on our future. A special emphasis will be placed on comprehensive in-school programming for middle- and high-school students. In addition, subsidies for school groups will be available for transportation and admission to age-specific educational tours of the Violins of Hope Exhibit. 

By delving into the historical themes of bigotry, racism, and intolerance during the Holocaust and telling stories of perseverance through these times, students will uncover the power of the human spirit to overcome even the most daunting circumstances.

If your school would like to participate, contact us here.

Events

Violins of Hope Greater Pittsburgh will bring together over 50 community partners that will present a variety of impactful programming throughout our region designed to reach a broad audience to reinforce the valuable lessons of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

We are grateful to these invaluable
community partners for embracing our vision.

Events will include:

Exhibits
Adult and Youth Education
Concerts
Cultural Arts Programs
Speakers
Panel Discussions
Films
University Programming
Community Interfaith Programming
World Kindness Day Celebration

Click here to sign up for event updates.

Get Involved

Be a part of this amazing project! There are so many ways to get involved:

Volunteer, and make a positive impact on our community.

Spread the word. Talk to your friends and colleagues about Violins of Hope Greater Pittsburgh.

Contact your local middle and high schools. Ask if they have signed up for our educational opportunities.

Donate to Violins of Hope Greater Pittsburgh. Community support is essential to make this project a success.

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Community Voices

Judy Cohen

Executive Director of The Jewish Women's Foundation of Greater Pittsburgh

Jeffery Finkelstein

Jeffrey H. Finkelstein, President & CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, shares his perspective on the impact this landmark program will have on the region.

Rabbi Ron Symons

Rabbi Ron Symons is the founding director of the Center for Loving Kindness and Civic Engagement at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, where he serves as Senior Director of Jewish Life. Dedicated to the long-held values of ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ and ‘do not stand idle while your neighbor bleeds,’Ron and the JCC Center for Loving Kindness community are committed to redefining neighbor from a geographic term to a moral concept. Ron was ordained by Hebrew Union College and has served synagogues and Jewish schools in Pittsburgh, South Carolina, New York, Massachusetts, and Israel.

Linda Hurwitz

I am Linda Furst Hurwitz born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland as the child of two Holocaust survivors: My mother Irene Winograd was from Łódź, Poland and my father Gilbert Furst, who survived the death of his first family, was from Riga, Latvia. I came to Pittsburgh in 1975 with my husband and taught literature in adult education at Chatham, Pitt's Informal Program, Mother’s Day Out, the School of Advanced Jewish Studies, and then taught English and was an administrator at Community Day School for 10 years and the Director of the Holocaust Center of Greater Pittsburgh for 18 years. I have been teaching at Osher for 25 years and am passionate about helping people of all ages and backgrounds gain an understanding of the history and lessons from the years of the Holocaust! I played the violin of a Holocaust survivor and dear friend of my parents from fourth through eighth grade and love its Jewish soul!

Elaine Krasik Z'L

Judaism and Jewish continuity were extraordinarily important to Elaine. She was a teacher and a great believer in the power of education. Because the Violins of Hope Project beautifully combines these elements, she would have loved the Project and would have supported it with all the energy and enthusiasm that was a hallmark of her life. It is an honor for the Krasik family to support the Violins of Hope Project in her memory.

Meryl Ainsman

Meryl Ainsman is the Executive Director of The Philip Chosky Foundation and a leader in the Pittsburgh Jewish community. She has spent a great deal of time studying Jewish history and the Holocaust. Meryl believes that only by educating ourselves and others can we begin to fulfill the promise of 'Never Again'.

Farnam Jahanian, CMU President

Carnegie Mellon University is so pleased to host this extraordinary exhibit. More than symbols, these instruments are historical artifacts that showcase the resilience of the Jewish community and underscore the power of arts and music to bring light into darkness. We are grateful to the foundation and community leaders who have partnered to bring this project and its lessons to a broad regional audience, and we look forward to growing Pittsburgh's leadership in counteracting hate and promoting a deeper understanding of our shared humanity.

Volunteer Opportunities

There are many ways you can become involved with Violins of Hope Greater Pittsburgh. Through a volunteer role, you can make a positive impact on our community, and have fun while you’re at it. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn, make new friends, and share enriching experiences with others.

Name(Required)

Requirements

Docents are encouraged to attend a limited number of hours of training prior to the opening of the Exhibit. Sessions are likely to be on Sundays or late afternoons. Can you commit to this?(Required)
Docents are encouraged to volunteer a minimum of one three-hour session each week, either at the Exhibit or in the schools, between October 7, 2023 and November 21, 2023. Can you commit to this?(Required)
School Docent Team members must have a car and must be willing to transport instruments from the collection to the schools.(Required)
Are you willing to lead an occasional evening tour?(Required)
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Name(Required)

Requirements

Violinists will be encouraged to spend time practicing on the instrument from the Violins of Hope collection which you will be playing. You are also invited to join in training should you be interested in serving as a docent/musician. Sessions are likely to be on Sundays or late afternoons. Can you commit to this?(Required)
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Name(Required)

Are you willing to provide support in any of the following areas?

Airport Transportation: Transport guests to and from the airport.(Required)
Home Hospitality: Host lunch or dinner guests(Required)
Speaker Transportation: Transport guest speakers to their scheduled events, then transport them back to their hotels or accommodations(Required)
Registration at Scheduled Events: Meet and greet event attendees, confirm their registration status, hand out materials, and generally help the flow of people into a scheduled event(Required)
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Name(Required)
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