Jerusalem Concert

On December 8th, a few days before Hanukkah, we were invited by Ira to perform a concert for the holocaust survivors in the town of Holon, outside Tel Aviv.  Ira has been volunteering with this particular group of holocaust survivors for the past three years. The survivors gather together once a month directed under Boris, a holocaust survivor who considers the group his family. The building in which they gather was originally given to WWII veterans by the Israeli government as a gathering place. It is a solid building that is also used as a bomb shelter. For the past twenty plus years the holocaust survivors of Holon gather monthly and celebrate special events and Jewish festivals together. Placed on all the walls, you can find pictures from celebrations like Hanukkah and Passover of the group, bringing back exciting memories together. They look forward to each month when they are able to get out of their homes to see one another and celebrate joyful occasions. Pictured below are photos of the survivors gathered together for Hanukkah last year. As you venture down the stairs into the large open room, you will find more memorabilia of WWII and the Holocaust donated by the holocaust survivors of Holon. It is of great importance to them to preserve the remembrance of the holocaust as to never be forgotten in a world that is trying to forget and hide history away as if it never happened. 

To Michelle and Grace's surprise, many of the men and women were open to sharing their stories of the war, their experience in the concentration camps and how they survived while most of their family was killed. It is still painful to share, yet they know the importance of passing their stories to the next generation. Many of the men shared how they escaped to the former Soviet Russia and serve in the Red Army, only to find continual hatred towards them. They all light up as they share how they came to Israel and now have children and grandchildren here today. ​

Yoel, a young man from Jerusalem pictured above on the left, came to share with the survivors about the miracles of Hanukkah. Yoel was very kind to translate for Grace and Michelle as most of the survivors spoke Russian. 

​Pictured on the right is Yehudit. She was six years old when the Nazis came to her parents home in Ukraine and killed all her family. She happened to be staying with her grandparents that day. By her grandparents, she survived and was raised with the desire to one day live in the land of Israel. Yehudit moved to Israel over forty years ago, learned Hebrew, and became a Hebrew teacher. She chooses each day to live with joy that she survived and carries on her family's name and legacy. 

Michelle and Grace began the event with songs for Hanukkah and finished with a concert of Yiddish and Hebrew music. The men tried hard holding back emotion, but many were unable to hide their tears. At the end of the concert a few of the survivors jumped up to dance to Hava Nagila with Michelle and after everyone stood together to proudly sing the national anthem. After the concert we shared special donuts called "Sufganiot" in Hebrew that are specially served for Hanukkah. ​

The two ladies pictured below met one another in a concentration camp during WWII. They have been friends ever since. The woman in the purple was so exited to see Michelle and Grace, remembering them from last year when they did a concert in Tel Aviv. Many of the survivors gathered around Michelle and Grace to take pictures. At the end of the concert, Ira and her sister Alona thanked us in amazement that we came simply to bring the survivors joy and fill their hearts with joy and peace.   ​

Contact Us

Looking forward to ​connecting with you!