Join me and the Philadelphia Folksong Society for an unforgettable September evening filled with original music at the Wissahickon Valley Public Library in Blue Bell PA. I’m bringing my piano (keyboard) with me, and a few other surprises.
Tickets are now available and FREE!
sign up today to reserve your seats while you can
*new concert date* Thursday, September 26, music 6pm – 7:30pm
Reserve your free tickets at >> aviwisnialive.eventbrite.com
Good morning, Camp Harlam!
After 20 years, I returned to perform at my summer camp in the Pennsylvania Poconos, and it feels so good to be back home. After getting a tour and reuniting with old friends (who now run the place), I squeezed an entire summer of camp into 24 hours.
Flashback: 1992. I remember it vividly. That one special evening concert at Camp Harlam.
I was 9 years old, one of the youngest campers there, sitting in the Beit HaTarboot main theater and they announced the concert’s performer, our famous camp alum GRAMMY WINNER JULIE GOLD. It was rare that every age group would do events together, but all of us were there that night. Julie came out on stage that night and played us some songs, including her famous “From A Distance” that had become a hit for Bette Midler. I was in awe. I did not know that you could be a professional songwriter, that you could make music for a living.
This week, I was invited to come back to that same stage at the Beit HaTarboot and perform for a new generation of campers. I performed my own music, music that is now a part of telling my family’s story in the film “How Saba Kept Singing.” I got to present the film with director Sara Taksler, also a camp alum. We spoke and connected with campers and staff, old friends and new, in one of the most special places on earth. A very full circle moment.
Thank you Julie Gold for that very first bit of inspiration. I’ve never forgotten it.
The award-winning documentary “How Saba Kept Singing” tells the story of how singer David “Saba” Wisnia survived the Holocaust and how his journey back to Poland with his grandson Avi Wisnia unlocks the secret about someone else who had a hand in his survival. The soundtrack features music by both David Wisnia and Avi Wisnia, plus a brand new original song composed for the film. Directed by Sara Taksler, and executive produced by Hillary and Chelsea Clinton. Screenings include discussion with Avi Wisnia, and a special live musical performance. Experience this powerful film, which explores themes of faith, family, and resilience, the persistence of discrimination and the power of music, and the urgency of telling these stories today.
Read more about the film HERE.
Watch the film trailer HERE.
Catch me live! performing all summer around town, including once a month at these great venues.
All concerts are free, and open to everyone. Come grab and drink and celebrate summer with me.
It all starts this weekend in Atlantic City.
Hard Rock Casino Atlantic City at The Council Oak Lounge
The Rittenhouse Hotel Philadelphia at The Library Bar
and more!
>> Check out full concert details: aviwisnia.com/tour
THANK YOU to the towns, schools, theaters and places of worship around the world that have hosted our family Holocaust documentary How Saba Kept Singing this year. You have welcomed me into your diverse communities and welcomed my Saba’s story into your hearts, and I am forever grateful.
I’ve found that the most helpful and productive conversations are the ones that happen in person – though no less painful, difficult or upsetting. There is immense power in sharing our stories. And there is a reason why we still need community, that real in-person exchange.
Sharing our stories with each other, our personal family histories, what we have experienced and what we are currently going through, is the most direct path to understanding. We all want to be heard. We all need to listen. We should all be afforded that space.
I learned from my grandfather that there are some things so horrible, so traumatic, you never move on from them. But you can find a way to move forward. I strongly believe that sharing our stories with each other is a way to guide us forward.
Thank you for sharing in my grandfather’s story of survival. I hope it encourages you to share your stories too.
There will be more screenings and documentary programs coming up in the fall. Check out the TOUR PAGE for cities as they are added.
Since the PBS premiere of our film How Saba Kept Singing, I had the privilege of speaking to and singing with students all across the country this year. and sharing my grandfather’s songs of survival continues to spark meaningful discussion and difficult questions. I have been met with open minds and hearts at every school, and I’m so impressed with the young people – their desire to know, and their depth of compassion.
Towards the end of his life, when my grandfather felt comfortable enough to tell his story, the audiences he loved engaging the most were always the students. From generation to generation, it continues.
Pictured:
St. Joseph’s Academy – St. Louis, MO
Elmwood High School – Bloomdale, OH
The Masters School – Dobbs Ferry, NY
Pine View High School – Osprey, FL
Montclair State University NJ
PUC Rio University Brazil
Find Educational Recources for “How Saba Kept Singing” here:
https://www.retroreport.org/education/resources/how-saba-kept-singing-film-screening/
Find out how to watch the film and host a screening HERE.
The award-winning documentary “How Saba Kept Singing” tells the story of how singer David “Saba” Wisnia survived the Holocaust and how his journey back to Poland with his grandson Avi Wisnia unlocks the secret about someone else who had a hand in his survival. The soundtrack features music by both David Wisnia and Avi Wisnia, plus a brand new original song composed for the film. Directed by Sara Taksler, and executive produced by Hillary and Chelsea Clinton. Screenings include discussion with Avi Wisnia, and a special live musical performance. Experience this powerful film, which explores themes of faith, family, and resilience, the persistence of discrimination and the power of music, and the urgency of telling these stories today.
