Reflecting, Revisiting and Reinvigorating Our Heritage

Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) shares some undeniable similarities with Jewish holidays themselves. Celebrated each May, it reflects and builds upon the past through both commemoration—emphasizing history and its lessons from the Holocaust—and celebration of the achievements and contributions of Jewish Americans to our nation’s history, culture, and society.

Although JAHM is a relatively recent US government designation, American Jewish artists—including many of those in the Milken Archive Collection—have been wrestling with the same challenge for nearly 80 years.

Today, we invite you to join us for a deeply moving episode of American Jewish Music from the Milken Archive with Leonard Nimoy. This episode explores the profound ways music has been used to remember and honor the victims of the Holocaust.

Explore powerful compositions including Max Helfman's Di naye hagode, reflecting the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, Lazar Weiner's Yidn Zingen Ani Ma’amin, showcasing unwavering faith, and Gershon Kingsley's Voices from the Shadow, capturing the haunting echoes of that dark time.

Artistic Director Neil Levin and conductor Gerard Schwarz provide insight into the significance of these and other monumental works, emphasizing the enduring power of music to connect us to history and inspire future generations.

We hope you find this episode moving and enlightening.

Stream Episode 11: Holocaust »