Strings of Inspiration

02 Mar @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Temple member Bruce Colegrove returns on Wednesday, March 2 at 7 p.m. with his latest Strings of Inspiration presentation with new stories of some of the most remarkable events in the life of the women’s orchestra at Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The orchestra at Auschwitz-Birkenau included three different pairs of sisters, all of whom played fascinating roles in the ensemble. Remarkably enough, a mother-daughter pair also found its way into the group.

Eva Steiner, the daughter of that pair, is one member about whom we know much from the extensive literature around the orchestra. The mother, on the other hand, is one member about whom little has been known – until recently. In fact, no published resource to date has been able to report as much as her first name.

As it turns out, Eva Steiner died in late December 2021 at the young age of 100, and her nephew, Robby Steiner, reached out to Bruce Colegrove hoping to discover some poignant details that he could include in his eulogy for Eva.

In Bruce’s presentation, he will share many of the inspiring details about Eva that he shared with her nephew. He also will present some of the exciting new findings that his contact with Robby disclosed about this Jewish family, including Eva’s fascinating mother, Jolanda.

Join us in person at the Temple or via livestream on Zoom or YouTube. The Zoom link will be shared in the weekly email to our congregational family. Guests are welcome and asked to contact us at office@templecav.org for access information. Masks and proof of vaccination are required to attend in person. Please follow our COVID safety protocols.

Bruce first shared incredible stories of these women in fall 2019 when the Violins of Hope programming captivated members of the Fort Wayne community. The enthusiastic response led to a second program in February 2021.

He describes the women’s orchestra as the most eclectic, the most unique, the most controversial, and, without any question, the most zealously documented gathering of female musical talent the world has ever known. By many regards, it was also the most inspiring.  

 An ardent researcher in Holocaust studies, Bruce is the developer of the website Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Recently retired from many years teaching Hebrew at Achduth Vesholom, he has taught for 20+ years at Canterbury High School.