jewish history – The Braid

Episode #56: Preview – Stories from the Violins of Hope

The Holocaust had silenced them… until an extraordinary violin-maker brought their voices back to life, and to the world. Seven actors will bring to life the extraordinary story of violins played in ghettos, forests and concentration camps… and of the passionate Israeli violin maker determined to restore them. Now heard in performances all over the world, they are called the Violins of Hope.

On this episode we preview the incredible collaboration coming to you in one performance only on January 31, STORIES FROM THE VIOLINS OF HOPE Click Here for tickets and more info.

You’ll hear about…
-The power of playing one of these violins from virtuoso violinist Niv Ashkenazi, the only violinist in the US with one of the Violin of Hope instruments from the collection
-The writing of the script from The Braid’s Writer, Event Producer and Dramaturg Lisa Rosenbaum
-The directing of the performance from The Braid’s Producing Director Susan Morgenstern
-The curation of the music from LA Jewish Symphony Artistic Director Dr. Noreen Green

This special performance was originally set to debut at Temple Isaiah (Templeishaiah.com) and was part of the Violins of Hope Los Angeles Program Tour (violinsofhopelosangeles.org), produced by Susanne Reyto. Special thanks to Gail Solo, our Angel Donor, whose support helped make this show possible.

Episode #30: True Colors with Joshua Silverstein and David Chiu

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

Our latest Salon, True Colors, features humorous, revealing and inspiring stories from Jews of Color exploring identity, community and being a Jew in modern times. On this episode, Lisa and Maureen chat with two of the many creative minds contributing to this incredible show! Joshua Silverstein is an actor in the show, wrote a piece commissioned by JWT and the Jewish Journal named him “one of the five best Jewish beatboxers in the world.” Lisa and Maureen will also talk with brilliant screenwriter David Chiu on his experiences and challenges rising through the ranks of Hollywood and his passion for activism. Listen in for Royal secrets, Judaism in ancient China and more!

*Join us for True Colors in JUNE, extended by four shows June 25, 26, 29 at 7:30 pm and June 30th at 2:00 pm!*

JOSHUA SILVERSTEIN (Writer/Actor) is an award-winning actor, comic, writer, beatboxer, and educator whose performances and productions throughout the country have prompted admiration from creative greats ranging from Norman Lear to Prince. For more than 20 years, Joshua has provided and facilitated theater, improvisation, and spoken-word workshops and in-school residencies designed to create a safe and open space for students of all ages to experience the freedom of creative expression. Joshua brings passion, play, and persuasion to make words, thinking, and expression infectiously fun. During the school year, Joshua serves as the cohost and co-producer of Emmy Award–winning Downbeat 720, a high school open-mic that has been a staple of Santa Monica for the last 16 years. Joshua also performs for The Late-Late Show with James Corden on the segment “Drop the Mic” and on the weekly stand-alone half-hour TNT series, Drop the Mic.

DAVID CHIU (Writer) is a screenwriter living in Los Angeles. He and writing partner Patrick Wall wrote an episode for the Amazon Prime series LORE and recently sold a VR project to Dreamscape Immersive for development with Sam Raimi and Walter Parkes. Together, David and Patrick are represented by Authentic Talent & Literary Management. David is a member of Temple Isaiah, whose board of trustees he was nominated to this year. Through his work with the Temple Isaiah Green Team, he has personally advocated for environmental policy at City Hall and in Sacramento. A weekly attendee at his shul’s Torah study minyan as well as Shabbat services, he was honored to receive Temple Isaiah’s 2019 Emerging Leaders Award. Also a member of the Los Angeles Jews of Color group, David is thrilled to help celebrate the Jewish community’s diversity.