It is with mixed feelings that, due to a number of factors, we have decided to postpone the fundraising concert on March 26th at Christ Church Cathedral.
While we are disappointed that the event will be delayed, we also have good news to share. Thanks to the generosity of the community, the urgent goal of raising the initial required amount of $28,500 has already been reached, and this has allowed the refugee sponsorship application to be submitted before the deadline of the end of March. We are also glad that moving the concert to a later date will make it a more inclusive event as its timing during Ramadan made it difficult for many to attend.
Thank you again to all of you for your wonderful support, and we look forward to letting you know about a new date for the concert when it has been arranged. - The Fundraising Concert organizers
A Peace and Solidarity Evening of Arabic, Celtic & Jewish Music
Featuring
Sari Alesh (violin) and Dave Conway (guitar)
Kvell’s Angels Klezmer Band
Fundraising Concert Sponsoring a Syrian-Palestinian Refugee Family
Middle Eastern Delicacies served during intermission
A Multi-Faith Collaboration of Christ Church Cathedral and Congregation Emanu-El
together with Christian, Muslim, Jewish and unaffiliated individual participants.
Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 7 pm
Christ Church Cathedral (Entrance from Quadra St.)
Admission by Donation - doubled with matching funds
Sari Alesh (violin) and Dave Conway (guitar)
Sari Alesh, a classically trained violinist from Damascus, toured internationally with the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra and performed with Lebanese music icons Fairouz and Elias Rahbani before settling in Canada in 2016. He has since performed at the Canadian Embassy in Geneva and the United Nations Global Conference on Human Rights. Dave Conway, a seasoned musician and songwriter, has spent decades teaching, performing and recording with various groups from Northern B.C. and Victoria. The duo has been playing together since 2016, blending diverse cultural influences into their unique sound.
Kvell's Angels Klezmer Band
Formed in 2022, Kvell’s Angels celebrates the rich tradition of Eastern European Jewish klezmer music. Their repertoire includes rare pieces from the Kiselgof-Makonovetsky Digital Manuscript Project—forgotten klezmer tunes rediscovered in a Kyiv library basement. The band features Julia Herzog (flute), Laura Rosenberg (concertina), Rick Kool (bass), Nejama Ferstman (guitar), and Lucy Nerenberg (mandolin).
Header photo by Gabriel Gurrola on Unsplash