Poland Day 6
Imagine Hell. Now imagine being rescued from hell, and returning. I can’t. I am trying very very hard, and I can’t. I am on a bus about to enter Auschwitz-Birkenau, watching my grandfather pass by the wooden-shelf bunks where he slept as a prisoner in the concentration camp for 3 years of his life, and […]
Poland Day 5
When we arrive in Auschwitz – or Oswiecim, as the town is known in Polish – our liaison from the Auschwitz Memorial & Museum had a surprise waiting for my grandfather… Copies of documents relating to his time in Auschwitz, documents with his name, and his number 83526 (which ultimately became his name during his time at […]
Poland Day 4
Winter in Poland. It’s like being in Pennsylvania, but with less vowels. We boarded a train leaving Warsaw, heading towards Katowice on our way to the next destination: Auschwitz. We put our bags down on a random seat to get our bearings. Neither one of us had any idea how to read the ticket for […]
Poland Day 3
“A BEAUTIFUL THING” After spending the Sabbath with the Beit Warszawa community, it came time to mark the end of the Day of Rest with the ceremony of Havdallah. 3 young girls lit the twisted candle, and we all sang prayers to usher out Shabbat. As is their weekly tradition, the group then pulled me […]
Poland Day 2
Before WWII, Poland had a thriving Jewish community. Over the course of the Nazi campaign, most of them – about 3,000,000 – were killed (along with 3mil Polish non-Jews), my grandfather’s entire family among them. Polish Judaism was decimated and never recovered, but there is now an exciting movement of “renewal” and revived Jewish activity […]
Poland Day 1
Dzień dobry, Poland! We made it. and my grandfather has already made fast friends with the Israeli Canadian on the bus, the Welsh couple eating lunch next to us, and the hotel concierge. Master Schmoozer at large. It’s the first night in Warsaw and i’ve already put on a show. Today is Grandfather’s Day, which is an actual […]
My Polish Wisnia: Poland Part 1 – Prelude
My grandfather is a survivor. He survived the Warsaw ghetto, the Auschwitz death camp, time in the army fighting alongside the Americans who brought him to the States. His story is a remarkable story, made all the more remarkable by the fact that he is able to tell it. This time I get to not […]
The OutMusic Awards Are Coming
The 9th Annual OutMusic Awards are almost here! The 2015 OutMusic Awards (OMAs) is the biggest night in LGBT music & entertainement presented by LARA, the LGBT Academy of Recording Arts. After winning 3 previous OutMusic awards, I have been invited to perform on stage at this year’s awards show in NYC. The event takes place Monday, Jan 19 […]
Happy 2015
and may all your wishes Kazoo (click HERE to see more pictures from 2014) Buy AVI WISNIA WEBSTORE [CDs & merch on sale until Jan 1] Stream The Ultimate Avi Wisnia Catalog Playlist [Spotify] Avi Wisnia’s Best of 2014 Playlist [Spotify] Avi Wisnia Radio Station [Pandora]
songs for the solstice
It’s the Season of Giving, so I’d like to give you some new tunes to stick in your ears! Sign up for the AW Newsletter, and download these recently recorded songs for free. JUST ANOTHER DAYDREAM (Live in Princeton) HARVEST MOON (Live in Princeton) DINDI (acoustic) Whatever holiday you celebrate, wherever you are in the […]
