Orchestra of Exiles

In anticipation of the Santa Barbara debut of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, on Thursday, October 19, more than 300 people came to watch a free screening of Orchestra of Exiles as part of the Thematic Learning Initiative. This film depicted the life of Bronislaw Huberman, a young child prodigy violinist. Until WWI, Huberman performed violin solos around the world, earning large sums of money, initially at the direction of his father. However, in his adult life, the war “shocked him awake” to the horrors occurring in Nazi Germany. He then began to use his art for awareness of politics. He did this by creating the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Palestine and then Israel. Ultimately, up to 70 Jewish lives of performers in the orchestra, and their families escaped Nazism and were saved by performing in his orchestra. This orchestra became a refuge for Jewish performers who were forced out of work by Nazi Germany. Huberman fought long and hard to get permanent certificates of immigration for his musicians in Palestine. These artists “rose a fist” to antisemitism and used music as their weapon.  

• What social justice issues are important to you today?  
• What talents, such as music, do you use in your own life to make a difference for others?