International Holocaust Memorial Day Presented by the Spiro Ark and its Israeli Cultural Centre Tzavta

'Violins of Hope' presents the story of eight violins dating from the 2nd World War.These violins played an important and moving part in the Holocaust and have been lovingly restored by Israeli violin maker Amnon Weinstein.

"These violins are the very same instruments which the Nazis organized to be played in the death camps and concentration camps, often while inmates were marching to their cruel deaths. They were also played by Jewish musicians in the ghettos. These fragile wooden instruments have survived to tell the story of millions who were barbarically exterminated. They created the last sounds of sanity heard by the victims."

There will be a series of events in the community surrounding these violins and the journey they made in the Holocaust. Each violin will be presented and played by a selection of handpicked musicians.

Donations from people who cannot attend any of those events, but would like to support the restoration project and the organisations that put this series on, will be very much appreciated.

On all of the events listed below there will be an opportunity to meet in person Mrs Weinstein, wife of the restorer and daughter of the youngest of the Bielski brothers, hero partisans depicted in the recent film 'Defiance'.