Jewish Traces in Unexpected Places: Vienna Hosts First European Jewish Choir Festival

Hundreds of singers from across Europe convened in Vienna on the banks of the river Danube last week for the first European Jewish Choir Festival. The festival culminated last Sunday in a gala concert titled “Shir LaShalom - A Song for Peace” at the Austria Center Vienna, where 400 vocalists from Jewish choirs from 16 European cities presented their repertoires. 

The event, which drew some 1,500 spectators over the weekend, was sponsored by the European Jewish Parliament, the European Jewish Union, the Jewish Community of Vienna and the Austrian state. 

In addition to concerts, the festival’s Jewish and non-Jewish singers participated in workshops to increase cultural exchange, an element which Roman Grinberg, choirmaster of the Vienna Jewish Choir, described as “extremely important” for organizers. 

“The excitement here is enormous, and it shows in the beaming faces of participants,” said Joel Rubinfeld, co-chair of the European Jewish Parliament.Rubinfeld said singers and musicians from the festival turned an informal dinner on Thursday at Vienna’s Alef Alef kosher restaurant into an impromptu klezmer and song concert. 

The event is to become an annual festival. Next year’s gathering is scheduled to take place in Rome and, the following year, in Paris.

Here is JN1's video report on the festival. Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)