From Darkness Back into the Light

Alongside modern and classical Israeli choral music, the choir will also be performing, for the first time, a work inspired by dreams and longing – a new edition of the Hebrew Songbook.

The songbook was first published in Berlin in 1912, largely thanks to the support of the Jewish patron James Simon. As part of a competition organised by the German Choral Association, the songbook was reinterpreted in 2025.

This evening is dedicated to all the victims of 7 October 2023.

The Hebrew Choir Berlin was founded in 2014 and currently brings together around 30 to 40 amateur singers of different ages, nationalities and cultural backgrounds. Its repertoire ranges from classical Israeli choral works to contemporary Hebrew songs. In addition, the choir also performs songs in traditional Jewish languages such as Ladino and Yiddish.

In 2025, the choir was awarded the Geschwister-Mendelssohn Medal by the Berlin Choral Association in recognition of its commitment to Jewish life and the peaceful coexistence of cultures.

Since 2022, the Hebrew Choir Berlin has been led by Dr Yael Front. She is a conductor and holds a PhD and a Master’s degree in orchestral and operatic conducting from the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) at the University of Cincinnati.

Since 2024, the choir has been accompanied on the piano by the Israeli pianist Ben Holzman. Ben completed his Master’s degree at the Berlin University of the Arts in 2024 and has already performed throughout the EU and in Israel.