David Wisnia (88), Child Prodigy, Auschwitz Survivor, Cantor, Joined by Grandson Avi

After spending three days teaching Beit Polska’s eight lay cantors Auschwitz Survivor David Wisnia reflected on his visit to Beit Warszawa. Fundacja Beit Warszawa, Congregation Beit Warszawa, and Beit Polska welcomed the Wisnias — grandson, Avi Wisnia who accompanied his grandfather, Cantor David Wisnia. Cantor Wisnia taught Beit Polska’s lay cantors music from Warsaw’s Great Synagogue known as the Tlumacki synagogue. Cantor Wisnia was a child prodigy singing in the choir and as a as a soloist with the great cantors of pre-World War II Polish Jewry, Gershon Serota and Moshe Kussevitzky. At the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz (January 27, 2015), Cantor Wisnia chanted the (El Maleh Rahmim) memorial prayer; three days earlier he taught this prayer at a Memorial service at Beit Warszawa.

At Beit Warszawa during his visit he taught the Beit Polska lay cantors one of his compositions based on the Tlumacki synagogue Prayer for Peace. Grandson Avi Wisnia – a very accomplished musician sang with Rivka Iza Foremniak. Seventy years ago David Wisnia was freed by the 101st American Airborne Division after surviving the Death March. He joined the American forces as a translator and eventually moved to New Jersey where he served as the Cantor of Har Sinai Temple.