This photograph by Rudi Weissenstein was taken in Tel Aviv at the beginning of November 1936 and captures the first rehearsal of the musicians who made up the newly founded Palestine Orchestra. Conductor Hans Wilhelm Steinberg is directing the musicians to their places on the stage of the concert hall. The orchestra gave its first concert a few weeks later under the baton of American conductor Arturo Toscanini. Steinberg, who himself conducted several of the orchestra’s concerts during its first season, prepared the musicians for their opening concert under Toscanini’s baton.

The foundation of the Palestine Orchestra was the outcome of an idea and years of dedication on the part of violinist Bronislaw Huberman. The musicians, who came from various European countries, were chosen by Huberman in cooperation with Hans Wilhelm Steinberg, who as one of the orchestra’s future conductors had been involved in discussions right from the start. Steinberg also engaged several musicians from the orchestras of the Jewish Cultural Leagues in Berlin and Frankfurt, thus giving them the opportunity to emigrate to Palestine.

On a fundraising tour of the USA, during which Huberman received the support of prominent figures such as Albert Einstein, Arturo Toscanini was persuaded to conduct the Palestine Orchestra’s inaugural concert, thus raising international awareness of the orchestra and securing financial support.

Further reading:
Toeplitz, Uri: Und Worte reichen nicht. Von der Mathematik in Deutschland zur Musik in Israel. Eine jüdische Familiengeschichte 1812-1998 [And words are not enough. From mathematics in Germany to music in Israel. A Jewish family history 1812-1988]. Konstanz: Hartung-Gorre 1999
Von der Lühe, Barbara: Die Musik war unsere Rettung! Die deutschsprachigen Gründungsmitglieder des Palestine Orchestra [Music saved our lives! The German-speaking founding members of the Palestine Orchestra]. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck 1998