MUSIC HELPED THE ISRAELITES STAY ALIVE.

By Sarah Hershenson on January 3, 2024 at 5: 45 am / Shay Alon, guitar teacher at the Israel Conservatory of music, with his refugee student Roni Shamir, (Photo Credit: Hadas Kaplan/Israel Conservatory of music)

In musical institutions such as the Herzliya Music Center and the Israeli Conservatory of Music in Northern Tel Aviv, Israelis forced to flee attacks by Hamas and Hezbollah are well received.

Those studying music are among thousands of school-age youth who have been relocated from the south and north during the Gaza war. Music schools such as the Herzliya Music Center and the Israel Conservatory of Music in northern Tel Aviv welcomed them rather than forcing them to keep their instruments.

David Sofer, CEO of Herzliya Music Center, said, "We have remained open since the second day of the war." Herzliya Music Center employs 90 teachers, conductors, and staff and teaches 500 students in three branches of the city. Sofer added, "We must consider not only the needs of our regular students but also the needs of hundreds of refugee children and adolescents whose lives have been ruined by bad experiences."

In short, they have been evicted from their homes, deprived of the structures that were part of their lives, and torn apart from the environment in which they grew up. Many people do not have a regular educational program, and they do not know how long this situation will last.

Sofer spoke with his staff and the CEO of the Herzliya Arts and Culture Committee about whether the music school could remain open at the start of the war. First, they have made the decision that art and music are essential for well-being, especially for young people who are deprived of the daily routine. The music school uses a building that complies with safety regulations and has protected areas, and all programs are still in operation. They also have the ability to invite members of the refugee community to attend and play music together.

Sofer tells the story of a family that moved to Herzliya from the south. "Parents have four children who learn piano, violin, and guitar and know how important music is for their children to adjust to new environments and circumstances," she says. "They are very happy that we can give them a full scholarship and help them continue their musical journey."

Sofer and staff extended their invitation on social media and by entertaining children and their parents with musical activities every day. Interest increased over the next two months. Herzliya and the Music Center held free music lessons for forty refugee students on guitar, piano, and string instruments. They are committed to supporting these students in their musical quest for as long as they need, until they can go home." Vice president of the Music Center, Yoav Shemesh, said, "

We recognize that in these difficult times, we need to provide a new path of life for these young refugees." The Israeli Conservatory of Music in northern Tel Aviv is also inviting refugees. They welcome children, adolescents, and adults temporarily residing in Tel Aviv to learn instruments or continue their instrumental or voice studies for free.

Hadas Kaplan, coordinator of community outreach and special programs at ICM, stated, "Kids really love the opportunity to make music. We take care of the logistics: rent out the instruments and deliver them to these students before they start the lesson."

We help them not only start on the right foot but also create new dreams in their lives. We are also thinking of more programs to meet their needs during this difficult situation.

It is difficult to imagine how much disruption there is in the lives of refugee communities. Our plan is to invite the refugee community to concerts and, for those who can afford it, to participate in some of our ensemble programs, in addition to offering private lessons.

The ICM community also offers help. Since the hotel where the refugees were staying was not close to the Israeli Conservatory of Music in the Savidor area of Tel Aviv, ICM contacted and organized a team of volunteers from the community to pick up the children from where they were staying and take them to school.

ICM invites these students to study for free, and their teachers have signed up as volunteers. "Music helped him go to a special place in his soul and created little magical moments that are an important part of post-traumatic healing," says ICM guitar teacher Shay Alon.

Racheli, Shamir's mother, said, "Guitar lessons are the only bright spot for us in these difficult times."

News Sources : ( https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-780498