Violins of Hope Opens November 5 at Jewish Museum Milwaukee, Showcasing 24 Restored Instruments that Survived the Holocaust

MILWAUKEE – October 22, 2025 – Opening November 5, Jewish Museum Milwaukee (JMM) will present Violins of Hope: Strings of Jewish Resistance and Resilience, an exhibition that explores how Jewish identity, creativity, and faith have endured through centuries of persecution. Through 24 violins restored by Israeli luthiers Amnon and Avshalom Weinstein, the exhibition reveals how music became both a form of expression and a lifeline for Jewish musicians before, during, and after the Holocaust.

“The Jewish people have a profound connection to the violin as an instrument, and to music – how we express our religious, cultural, and social identity, how we engage with the world around us, and how we survive,” said Samantha Abramson, Executive Director of the Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center (HERC) and exhibition co-curator. “While this is an exhibition about the Holocaust, that is not the full story. At its core, this exhibition is about the stories of individuals and Jewish communities who once danced, loved, played, and lived – some told through the neshama (soul) of the violin, and some we cannot tell fully as their storytellers were murdered.”

The exhibition is the educational centerpiece of the Violins of Hope – Wisconsin Residency. Led by the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO), the residency unites more than 80 cultural and educational institutions statewide to share these restored instruments and their histories. JMM is Jewish Milwaukee’s cultural storyteller, and HERC, Wisconsin’s leading Holocaust educator, is serving as the educational lead for the residency. Together, they are partnering to provide context not only about the Holocaust, but also the many facets of Jewish identity and millennia of Jewish history, as only these two institutions can.

The exhibit combines history, art, and interactivity to create a deeply personal experience. Galleries trace Jewish musical life from ancient and medieval times to the shtetls of 19th-century Europe, highlight the cultural resistance of musicians under Nazi rule and imprisoned in ghettos and camps, and follow the renewal of Jewish communities after the war. Artifacts, audio recordings, and films tell stories of survival and loss, including a violin defaced with a swastika and another ornately decorated with a Star of David that now stands as a testament to perseverance through identity and art.

Educational components include in-exhibition flip panels, a dedicated music room where students can hold and play a violin while following a recorded tutorial created with MYSO, and interactive workshops for grades five and up developed by HERC.

Molly Dubin, Chief Curator of JMM said the exhibition’s themes feel particularly relevant. “Our goal is to bring people of all backgrounds together through a shared experience of history and reflection,” she said. “Music became a language of defiance and humanity during one of the darkest times in history. These instruments remind us of the resilience that lives within us all.”

Dozens of schools have already signed up for in-classroom programs created by HERC and field trips to the museum, which are expected to more than double JMM’s usual student visitation, have been scheduled.

Violins of Hope: Strings of Jewish Resistance and Resilience is on view November 5 through January 25, 2026, at JMM. For museum hours, group tours, and program information, visit jewishmuseummilwaukee.org.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.