Biography

In 1948 a little girl 7 years old came to America with her mother and father on the Queen Mary with hundreds of other refugees. Nearing the shores of New York, she saw a tiny statue in the water. Everyone on the boat became very quiet and started softly singing prayers of gratitude, kneeling down to kiss the ground. The little girl couldn’t stop looking at the beautiful statue. As they got closer and closer, it seemed as if this beautiful woman with a wand so tall and strong was smiling at her and was saying something good to her. It reminded her of when her father threw her over the barbwire fence in 1944 at the Swiss border, looking up to the heavens he said, “Save my daughter and she will always serve you.” This little girl always knew in her heart her destiny had been chosen. Believing fervently that we are all connected, visionary Cantor Estherleon, for many years, has been bringing all faiths and cultures together for a deeper understanding of each other.

Poverty has a particularly strong meaning to Estherleon. A child Holocaust survivor, she has endured the poverty of food, shelter, safety and thoughts when she was on the run from the Nazi’s for the first 4 years of her life finally escaping in 1944 to Switzerland. Sheltered by nuns in convents through parts of this period, she didn’t realize until now that the DNA of the church music would ultimately play a big role in the Jewish music she sings as a cantor. Her gifted and compassionate voice has been chronicled in numerous testimonials.

Life’s challenges saw her rise from welfare to riches, which she gave up, after a family tragedy. She became a Cantor, a female in a male’s world. She survived that, then decided “Against all odds” (CCN News) to take her administering to the people, founding 3 storefront spiritual reading rooms for all people, religions and cultures, in the process creating Beth Shirah (House of Song). She has always seen challenges as a gift to the higher spirit echoing the survival of her earliest years. She is now welcomed by the Buddhist at the Hsi Lai Temple, the Baha’i Faith the Braille Institute and healing centers. She tirelessly administers to the sick through her voice, as a volunteer Para-Chaplain at a renowned hospital in Los Angeles. Voices of Hope is her dedication to the immense insurmountable challenges to see the end of poverty in her lifetime. Her music, and poetry will bring people into the fold of caring, through nurturing and compassion. Her determination is unshakable.

The children are our future, what better way to receive than to give them life through our deepest caring. Their poverty is our poverty, and our shame. We have to listen to their voices of hope.

Mission

I am very grateful to have the honor of fulfilling my father’s prophesy in 1944 at the Swiss border when the Nazis were chasing us. I was 4 years old and when he threw me over the barbed wire fence he said, “Save my daughter and she will serve you forever.” It has been a painful, tiring yet inspirational journey in reaching my goal to have a deeper understanding of myself, my purpose in life, in relationship to the world around me. One thing I always hung on to were my father’s words of serving, so I “hung out” with God, asked for guidance, tried to have patience and faith which gave me hope and wisdon to understand that everything is in divine time. You are my voice of hope on earth to ensure that no human being goes to bed hungry, has a warm bed to sleep in, medicine, education, a fruitful and meaningful life, and a way to peace – in a peaceful way. Together, and with God’s blessings…everything is possible.

Cantor Estherleon Schwartz

Services

INTERFAITH CEREMONIES

PERFORMING ALL LIFE CYCLES

HOME AND HOSPITAL VISITS

HIGH HOLY DAYS, PASSOVER AND SHABBATS

#EstherleonSchwartz #GoodShabbos

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#interfaithbreakfast #mayorericadams #mayor

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Norwegian polymath and polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen was no stranger to “impossible” challenges. He led many expeditions to the Arctic, including the first to cross the entire frozen expanse of the Greenland interior, in 1888. Later, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work in the wake of World War I, providing aid to thousands of refugees, prisoners of war, and victims of the famine in Russia. Nansen’s achievements prove that an “impossible” task is often simply something that’s never been done before. If we have the patience and tenacity to conquer even the most difficult goals, what was previously unimaginable suddenly comes into the realm of possibility.

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Shikira from our video on www.peacedayparty.org

#shakira #jlo #superbowl #imagine #un #unicef #peacedayparty #peace #peaceday #jenniferlopez #united #nations #unitednations

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There has been ongoing debate over the issue of immigration and refugees for many months here in the U.S. and around the world.

And in June, there is a day dedicated to refugees — to raise awareness to their needs and plight, realizing the horrors they have endured in leaving their homeland to find a safe place to live. It’s a time to try to work together to ensure every refugee child gets an education, every family has a safe place to call home and every refugee can work or learn new skills to make a positive contribution to their community.

And now, thousands of refugees are also united by one flag. An orange and black flag inspired by the life vests most all had to wear in their search for a safer land to live. It’s been designed and made by a Syrian refugee and artist who currently lives in Amsterdam.

The idea for the flag began by a group known as the The Refugee Nation, after the first ever Olympic team made up of refugees competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. While the flag has not yet been sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee, The Refugee Nation wants to give those from foreign nations a symbol of unity and identity that they can call their own.

Right now, refugees are asking for the public’s support in their efforts to resettle. Everyone can help by buying and displaying this special flag and help the refugees adjust to their new surroundings in the U.S.

Our guest — Meron Semedar is an advocate of human rights, refugees and immigrants (and a refugee himself). He will address the current situation of refugees, discuss how and why this unique and special flag was created, and explain how we all can help.

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