Violins of Hope

Violins of the Holocaust - Instruments of Hope & Liberation in Humankind’s Darkest Hour

Created by: Elaina LeGault and Jane Mauchly, Mercy High School SF,

Farkas Center for the Study of the Holocaust in Catholic Schools.

Violins of Hope Prologue

(click to open file)

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Violins of Hope Prologue - Questions for Reflection:

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1. What feelings came up for you as we read the prologue together?
2. What stood out to you the most from the reading?
3. What did you learn about the Holocaust that you didn’t know before?
4. What do you think about the end of the prologue that says “wherever there were violins, there was hope?”
5. What is your reaction to the idea of finding hope even when faced with something as horrific as the Holocaust?

What gifts do we have that helps us find hope and feel more fully human?

• Violins of Hope tells us that, “For many, the violin was a comforter in mankind’s darkest hour.” In the midst of extreme suffering the violin offered some people a way to feel at least a fleeting moment of hope as they shared something beautiful with those around them.
• We all have gifts and things in our lives that help us find our human dignity or make us feel “more fully human.” Our gifts might be dance, athletic ability, writing, art-making, prayer, or humor. We may find our hope in nature, friendship, family, books, or music.
• Spend a few moments thinking about these questions:
• What gifts do you have that help you or others find hope?
• Where do you find meaning or hope in the world?

What gifts do you have that help you or others find hope?

Where do you find meaning or hope in the world?

1. Share your own personal reflections on these two questions with your partner or group.
2. If someone in your group is having a hard time identifying their gifts or places of hope help them by sharing what good qualities you see in them, or offer to share some of your own ideas with them.
3. After discussing and sharing with one another, talk about how your answers relate to the violins of hope.
4. Chose at least one person to share some of the things you’ve discussed in your group.

Banner of Hope Art Project

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“In an ugly time, the best protest is beauty.” - Gunther Goldschmidt

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1. Using a few words, respond to the statement: “I find hope in…..”

2. Translate your words into an image or symbol that represents your thought/s to create your own symbol of hope.

3. Add your individual symbol of hope to the group banner.

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Glossary of Terms

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Antisemitism is hostility or prejudice against Jewish people and is generally considered to be a form of racism. Antisemitism may be manifested in many ways, ranging from expressions of hatred of or discrimination against individual Jews to organized attacks on entire Jewish communities. The Holocaust is history’s most extreme example of antisemitism.

The Holocaust was the systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime. The Nazis, who came to power in Germany in 1933, believed that Germans were “racially superior” and deemed Jews “inferior” and a threat to the German “racial community.” By 1945, the Nazis and their collaborators killed nearly two out of every three European Jews. Roma (Gypsies), people with disabilities, communists, homosexuals and others were also targets of the Nazi regime.

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Glossary of Terms

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Between 1933 and 1945, Nazi Germany established concentration camps throughout Europe to imprison those thought to be “enemies of the state.” Millions of people were imprisoned, mistreated, and murdered in the various types of Nazi camps. The most infamous of these was Auschwitz.

Located in German-occupied Poland, Auschwitz was the largest killing center, systematically murdering over one million Jewish civilians.

The Star of David known in Hebrew as Magen David, doesn’t have any religious significance in Judaism, but generally recognized as a symbol of Jewish identity.

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The Farkas Center and Mercy High SF invite you to:

VIOLINS OF HOPE

Tuesday, January 21, 2020 | 4:00–6:00pm

McAuley Pavilion, Mercy High School

3250 19th Avenue, San Francisco, CA

Program is free of charge. Reservations are required. Click here.

For more information contact: ctouye@mercyhs.org

Come hear these artifacts of history being played and learn their story!