Sounds of Hope is an annual fundraising concert of classical and Israeli music, in solidarity with Israel, performed voluntarily by highly talented young musicians from Canada and Israel.

Proceeds from the 2005 Concert will benefit the Eyal House, near kibbutz Ashdot-Ya'akov in Israel, a rehabilitation and recreation facility for the disabled. The Eyal House is an initiative of Mrs Orna Shimoni, in commemoration of her son Eyal, who fell in Lebanon.

Funds raised in the March 20, 2004 concert were donated to the JNF (Jewish National Fund) in Montreal, Canada, tol help construct Park HaLochem, a joint project of the JNF and Beit HaLochem, a recreational near Beit Shemesh in Israel, for the disabled and their families.

Funds raised in the February 8, 2003 concert were donated to the SELAH organization in Israel, supporting families of immigrants to Israel who victimized or traumatized by terror attacks.

Funds raised in the first concert held on May 20, 2002, were directed to Beit HaLochem Canada, supporting Disabled Veterans of the IDF in Israel.

The Sounds of Hope Concert is a private initiative. It was first organized on May 2002, for expressing solidarity with Israel through a cultural venue. Moreover, it gives the young musical performers means to actively contribute their own share of supporting Israel.

The first concert took place at the Sanctuary of Temple Emanu-El in Westmount. Performers included mostly soloists, who played the piano, flute, violin, cello, as well as a singer. A string quintet, conducted by Mr. Pavel Feldman, also played two arrangements - the Canon by Johann Pachlebel and Yerushalyim Shel Zahav by No'omi Shemer. Though that event was organized in almost no time and with no formal sponsorship, attendance reached nearly 200, and the funds that were raised (after expenses) from that concert’s ticket sales were donated to Beit HaLochem through Beit HaLochem Canada.

Following the success of that first concert, a second annual concert was organized for February 8, 2003. That second concert was put on a much larger scale at the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall. Proceeds were donated this time to SELAH – an Israeli charity organization supporting families, mostly of Olim (new immigrants to Israel) victimized by terror attacks.

In both concerts, the Guest of Honor was the Consul General of Israel to Montreal, Mme Nina Ben-Ami, who officially opened both events. The second concert was honored as well by the presence of the Consul General of Turkey to Montreal. The Sounds of Hope annual concert largely contributs to the cultural life of the Jewish and Israeli Community in and around  Montreal.

The event, centered around the concert's agenda, is gradually attracting wider recognition within our community. It is doing so by presenting the bounty of artistic talent among our community's youth, along with strengthening cultural ties with young musicians who aren't necessarily community members, and the highly added cultural value it offers for those who would like to contribute their own share in solidarity with Israel, a country that is home to so much culture yet no less trouble.

To perform in the Sounds of Hope concerts, the organizers strive to find young performers of classical music, from Canada and from Israel, who demonstrate good level of musical performance. Orchestral part of the concerts is filled by the YM-YWHA Youth String Orchestra, established and conducted by Mr. Pavel Feldman. The organizers constantly work to locate the best performers in and around the our community, in order to continually improve the performance level that the Sounds of Hope audience deserves for their support of this important cause.