Beautiful Music Comes Once More From Violins Abandoned During WWII

Sixteen violins found in Nazi concentration camps and abandoned Jewish communities after WWII are again making music in Jerusalem. Israeli violin maker Ammon Weinstein was behind the repairs of the violins left behind when Jews were taken by the Nazis.

On Wednesday evening the strings played again outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. It was the first time that all 16 restored violins joined in perfect unity in public. The Wednesday night concert began as Weinstein handed each of the restored instruments to the violinist that would be making it sing. The violinist were joined by the Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestra of Raanana, Israel. The centerpiece of the event was one of the violins that was owned by 12-year-old Motele, a hero of the war. Montele is said to have hidden his violin in a German compound and used the case to smuggle in explosives that allowed Russian Jewish irregular forces take back their town from the Nazis. Motele's violin ended the concert with a 12-year-old playing the Israeli national anthem.