On October 31, the Villa Seligmann in Hanover organized a peace concert for the benefit of war-affected families in Israel. The initiative for the charity concert, which was organized at short notice, came from the renowned clarinettist
Sharon Kam
. Together with soprano Ania Vegry and pianist Mario Häring, Kam performed a very personal and moving program in which she expressed her attachment to her native Israel.
“Villa Seligmann spontaneously opened its doors to me and gave me their full trust for the musical organization of the evening. I was overwhelmed and thrilled by the sold-out concert and the full support of the people of Hanover, including our Minister of Culture, Mr. Mohrs. I very much hope that we can alleviate some of the suffering of the children affected by the war.” – Sharon Kam
A sign of sympathy
With more than 120 guests in the completely sold-out Villa Seligmann and others tuning in via live stream, the concert was one of the first in Germany to send a clear signal of sympathy and solidarity with the people affected in Israel after the Hamas pogrom on October 7, 2023.
“When Sharon called me and confided in me that she could no longer bear the helplessness of the situation and was determined to make a difference, I knew that Villa Seligmann was predestined for a “peace concert”. Especially in the state of shock in the cultural sector after October 7, it was important to show the flag and act immediately.” – says Eliah Sakakushev-von Bismarck, Director of Villa Seligmann
Lower Saxony’s Minister of Culture, Falko Mohrs, opened the event with a welcoming address and showed a clear stance in the political context. After the concert, Sharon Kam and Falko Mohrs talked to Eliah Sakakushev-von Bismarck, the director of Villa Seligmann, in a salon discussion. (Ref. Coverage in the Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung from 01.11.2023).
The recipient of all proceeds from the concert was the politically neutral and non-profit Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel was selected. In the current war situation, the organization has set up an emergency fund to finance childcare and safer housing for evacuated families in Israel.
“We currently house 35 families spread across several of our outposts and offer them accommodation and educational support. SPNI invests in the safety and maintenance of infrastructure and offers a range of educational recreational activities across the country. This includes working with evacuees across the country, as well as educational and recreational activities for children and medical staff.” – says Dan Alon, Managing Director of SPNI.
A total of 6,400 euros was raised from ticket sales and donations. The funds were transferred in full by Villa Seligmann to the recipient in Israel.
Donations for Kibbutz Be’eri
Also for Kibbutz Be’eri, which was hit hard by the terrorist attacks Kibbutz Be’eri which was hit hard by the terrorist attacks, donations have also been collected at Villa Seligmann in recent weeks. A total of 3,820 euros was raised through various house tours. Particularly noteworthy is the generous donation from the Rotary Club Calenberg in the amount of €3,500. All donations were transferred directly to Kibbutz Be’eri and are intended to benefit the evacuated residents and the reconstruction work.
