Out & About
We’re not Haydn! Learn more about our activities around the world.
Danielle’s Letter (January 2021)
As you probably know, the founding musicians of the Israel Philharmonic were Europe’s leading Orchestra musicians who were given the opportunity to flee Nazism by the courageous visionary Bronisław Huberman. This month, on January 27th, we will be recognizing the annual International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In observance of this significant event, this issue focuses on friends of the Israel Philharmonic of all a...
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Generational Memory: Spotlighting Holocaust Families with Lauren Pantzer
At the Israel Philharmonic, we are immensely proud of the connections we build with audiences of all ages. This month, we chose to highlight AFIPO community member 17-year-old Lauren Pantzer, whose passions for photojournalism and storytelling propelled her to create From One Life, a photographic journey through the lives of five families of Holocaust survivors. As a young student of history and a budding author, w...
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The Incredible Life of Dr. George Berci
Few people can boast a more accomplished life than Dr. George Berci. Perhaps best known for his groundbreaking work in the field of endoscopic surgery, Dr. Berci is so much more—an accomplished violinist, Holocaust survivor, medical pioneer, and worldly scholar to name just a few. We had the immense honor of speaking to the 99-year-old surgeon and current staff member of Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles for a conversation abou...
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A Peek Behind the Scenes
By Danielle Ames Spivak, Executive Vice President & CEO of the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Let me take you behind the scenes of an event we are currently planning, the Israel Philharmonic Pre-Hanukkah Global Celebration. We knew instinctively that it would center on messages of light, hope, and miracles. The winter holidays always focus on those themes, yet they are more timely and relevant than ever in this difficult year. This kernel of inspiration developed into the ambitious project of lini...
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Danielle’s Letter (October)
Danielle Ames Spivak is Executive Vice President and CEO of American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. In our monthly newsletter, she opens with thoughts on music, community, and the role the Israel Philharmonic plays in our lives. Below is her letter from the October 2020 newsletter. John D. Rockefeller was a successful businessman and famous for always keeping quiet in meetings. He explained his silence by saying that the less he spoke, the more he heard. Rockefeller understood that wisdom can be achieved by li...
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First Impressions with Attachment Theory Expert Dr. Miriam Steele
Dr. Miriam Steele is a professor of Clinical Psychology at the New School for Social Research whose research focuses on attachment theory and parent-child relationships. We were lucky enough to sit down with Dr. Steele for a discussion about what it takes for parents to develop meaningful relationships with their kids, how COVID-19 has impacted our youth, and how we can bring out the best in our children through the arts ...
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