The Gezentsvey Sterental family
The Gezentsvey Sterental family
From Ukraine and Venezuela to New Zealand: the story of four generations of the Gezentsvey Sterental family.
Yury and Desirée Gezentsvey emigrated to New Zealand in 1985 from Venezuela with their three young daughters Michelle, Lara and Yael when Yury was appointed Principal First Violinist with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, based in Wellington.
Thirty- seven years later (2022) their nuclear family happily includes their daughters’ wonderful life-partners (Rob Berg, Nathan Phillips and Storm Gezentsvey respectively), and six delightful grandchildren (Maurice & Beatrice Lamy, Noam & Stella Phillips, Quin & Nova Gezentsvey). They are ever grateful to call New Zealand home.
Yury’s family and early life:
Yury was born to Sarra and Samuil Gezentsvey on 5 November 1952 in Kyiv, Ukraine (which was at that time part of the USSR). Born to a musical family, e was raised with a violin in his hands, music in his heart and gefilte fish in his stomach. Yury went on to study violin professionally with Abram Shtern in Kyiv and Peter Bondarenko at the Gniessin Institute in Moscow. He graduated in 1974 with a Diploma in Solo Performance, Orchestra Soloist, Chamber Music and Music Pedagogy. He went on to play with the Kyiv Chamber and Symphony Orchestras, as well as teaching.
Yury’s paternal grandfather, Benjamin Moishe Gezentsvey, (1900, Kyiv -1970, Kyiv), was a violinist. His wife Sonia (Sofia) Pekelis, (1904, Kyiv -1976, Kyiv), helped care for Yury from the time he was born. Yury’s memories of them are filled with great love. Life in Ukraine was not easy then: until Yury was eight years old, the family all lived together in one room, sharing a communal flat with six other families.
Yury’s father, Samuil Gezentsvey, (1924, Kyiv – 2015, Wellington, NZ), graduated from the Kyiv Conservatory as a Clarinetist. He worked in the Stalino Opera Theatre and later taught clarinet in Kyiv Music School No5. He was also conductor of a jazz band which gave concerts not only in Kyiv but in many other cities throughout Ukraine and Russia. In the 1970s he published ‘Fifty Studies for Clarinet’ and five volumes of music exercises and studies.
Yury’s maternal grandfather, Abraham Miretsky, (1905, Kyiv – 1969, Kyiv), was an administrative manager at the City Council in Kyiv. During WWII he was wounded near Stalingrad and was decorated three times. His wife, Riva Zakson, (1908, Kyiv – 1992, Kyiv), was a dedicated wife and mother to their two daughters, Sarra, (1930, Kyiv – 2004, Wellington), and Roza (1936, Kyiv —). Sarra graduated from Kyiv University with a Diploma in Logic and Psychology and then went on to work as a primary school teacher for thirty years. In 1993 Rosa, a production engineer, and her husband, Grisha Rabinovich, (1936, Chernobyl –), a chief mechanic of large motor vehicles, emigrated from Kyiv to Brooklyn, NY, with their daughter Dina and granddaughter Mariya.
Ukraine was not always a friendly home for Jewish people. Although Samuil and Sarra worked hard to make his life as smooth as possible, Yury’s soul was restless, keen to find a place to belong and a soulmate to play life’s strings in harmony with his melodies. So, Yury started his journey into a new world, leaving the USSR as a refugee in 1979. He lived in Chicago, USA, for six months with his relatives, the Zakson family. When he was offered the position of Concertmaster of the Caracas Philharmonic Orchestra, at the end of February 1980, he traded the snow and wind of Chicago for the sunshine and palm trees of Venezuela.
Caracas was where Yuri met his wife-to-be, Desirée. Desirée Rebeca Sterental Serr was born on 27 February 1961, the daughter of dedicated and loving parents Harriet Serr, (1927, NY - 1989, Caracas), and Volf (Volodea) Sterental (1913, Ismail, Bessarabia – 1990, Caracas). Desirée also has an older brother, René Morris (b. 25 January 1960, Caracas –).
Desirée’s family and early life:
Harriet Serr was a prominent concert pianist and a monumental figure in Venezuelan musical history, for which she was recognized with the Orden Andrés Bello in 1989. She was born in New York, the only daughter of May Serr, (nee Lifshitz), and Morris Serr. Her family tree shows that the first Serr was the son of Abraham Charlap, (born circa 1740). The name Serr was adopted when Napoleon forced everyone to have surnames in the early 1800s. Charlap was not a surname or family name, but rather an honorary title which stood for Chief Sage of the Exile in Poland. The Charlaps are a very distinguished rabbinic dynasty and their roots have been traced back to King David! (Family tree researched and written by Arthur Menton: ‘The Book of Destiny – Toledot Charlap’, King David Press, NY, 1996, and ‘Ancilla to Toledot Charlap’, pub Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 1999).
Harriet received her piano training at the renowned Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. A series of important awards was followed by numerous public appearances, including recitals in New York’s Town Hall and Carnegie Hall, for which she received very enthusiastic reviews. From 1953 to 1955 she was a member of the Piano faculty of the Douglass College in New Jersey. In 1955 she arrived in Venezuela to take charge of the post-graduate studies of piano, invited by the Ministry of Culture. She appeared as soloist with symphony orchestras in North America, South America and Europe, under the baton of internationally acclaimed conductors. In 1988 she performed in Wellington with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra as well as giving solo recitals and playing chamber music with Yury Gezentsvey, which were recorded and broadcast by RadioNZ’s Concert Programme. Harriet felt a great love for New Zealand, but sadly her dream of coming to live here one day was not to be, as she passed away after a short illness, (30 April 1989), in Caracas. As a mother and grandmother, Harriet treasured every second spent together, always with a smile, open arms, playful spirit and unique wisdom.
Volf (Volodea) Sterental Cogan, (b. 10 April 1913), was born in Ismail, Bessarabia, the son of Moises Sterental and Eugenia Cogan. His maternal grandfather, Pinchas Cogan, was a Cohen Gadol in Ismail. Volodea was a brilliant young man and educated himself widely, learning eight languages and acquiring a deep knowledge of music and the Arts. In 1932-33 he went to study construction engineering in Bologna, Italy, and later specialized in metallurgic engineering in Turin, where he patented several of his inventions, (such as large ovens for melting coloured metals), and worked for Olivetti. During WWII, Volf joined the Partisans until he was captured by the Germans and sent to the Bergen Belsen concentration camp in early 1944. Liberated in 1945, he went back to Italy and later, in 1957, he moved to Caracas, where some of his relatives had settled.
Harriet and Volf married in 1959. Through the years, they instilled the most valuable inheritance in René and Desirée, one that no man or circumstance can take away: love and family, a strong Jewish identity, good values - to live by the Golden Rule - and an appreciation of culture and the Arts.
After graduating from high school, (Colegio Emil Friedman, 1978), Desirée lived for a year as an exchange student in Lansing, Michigan, USA, with Ann and Walter Kron and their children, who made a big impact on Desirée and became like family.
Walter, (1922, Germany - 2015, Lansing USA), was 15 when he left Germany on his own as part of a program organized to get Jewish children away from the Nazi threat, and went to the United States. His parents, unable to obtain visas, perished in the Chelmno concentration camp in 1944. After high school, Walter enlisted in the US Army where he became one of the ‘Ritchie Boys’, a group of primarily German-Jewish soldiers who were sent back to Germany to work as interrogators of Nazi POWs. From this experience, he shared with Desirée a profound moment of enlightenment he experienced while interrogating a young Nazi: had he (Walter), himself, not been born a Jew in Germany, he would have been one of them.
Walter worked for 35 years as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Michigan, continuing to work for ten years after losing his sight. He was a co-founder and past president of the Kehillat Israel in Lansing, a participatory congregation where he held the ritual chair for six years.
His wife, Ann Kron, (nee Beckel 1932, Detroit – 2017, Lansing) was devoted not only to her family and friends but also to social justice and integration. She founded the West Side Neighbourhood Association in the early 1960s, believing that fear of difference could be overcome by inviting neighbours to interact with each other in simple, friendly ways. Always ready to fight to preserve the integrity of their welcoming neighbourhood which, as reported in the Lansing State Journal in 1915, remains ‘the second most integrated community in the state of Michigan.’
On her return to Caracas, Desirée studied one year at the Faculty of Medical Studies of the Central University of Venezuela, but it was not to be. She met Yury two weeks after his arrival in Caracas. Three months later, they were happily standing under the Chupah. They were blessed with three beautiful daughters, all born in Caracas: Michelle Amie (27/01/1981), Lara Elie (14/11/1981) and Yael Noemí (13/01/1985). Desirée dedicated herself to her girls in a home which was filled with the magical sounds of Harriet and Yury making music together.
Desirée’s brother, René, became an orthodontist in Caracas, married Ileana Kaswan Frank and they were blessed with three children: Danae Harriet, Ioné Alexandra and Yair Ze’ev. In 2002, following years of socio-political and economic troubles in Venezuela, they emigrated to the United States and settled in Palo Alto, California.
In April 1985 Yury became Principal First Violinist of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. With Desirée and their daughters, he made his new home in Wellington. Yury has become a valued member of the music world in New Zealand. The Gezentsveys became proud NZ Citizens in 1989.
In 1987, Yury’s parents were able to leave Kyiv, and come to New Zealand, where they led productive, happy lives. Samuil taught music privately at Rongotai College, where he also conducted the Jazz Band. He formed an orchestra of Jewish Music in Wellington. Sarra was an active member of the Wellington Jewish Community, participating in several Jewish organizations.
Now, in 2022, the Gezentsveys feel infinitely grateful to be in the safe haven of New Zealand, and are welcoming the re-opening of the borders and ability to reconnect with family and friends overseas. For Yury and Desirée, it has been heart-breaking to witness the troubling times that have plagued both their homelands, Ukraine and Venezuela, and they pray for the much needed peace, stability and rebirth, not only there, but around the world.
However the focus of their lives is very much here in NZ. The Gezentsvey Sterental family has joyfully expanded, and Desirée and Yury are now grandparents to six glorious grandchildren: Noam and Stella, born to Lara and Nathan Phillips. Lara and Nathan went to Hebrew School together - Desirée taught them the Aleph-Bet - and they grew up best friends, a lovely story. Maurice and Beatrice, born to Michelle and her now-ex-husband Benoît Lamy. And Quin and Nova, born to Yael and Storm Gezentsvey. Storm surprised and delighted the family by taking on the Gezentsvey family name, even though Desirée warned him that he would have to spell it for the rest of his life! The Gezentsveys love and value their relationship with their extended families, and the increasing volume and joyful chaos at family parties and celebrations of Jewish Holidays.
The Gezentsvey Sterental family on Desirée’s 60th birthday. Back row: Michelle & Rob, Nathan & Lara, Desirée & Yury, Yael & Storm. Front row: Stella, Bea, Nova, Maurice, Quin, Nova.
Desirée & Yury, Rosh HaShana 2021
Yury, Principal First Violinist of the NZSO for the past thirty-seven years, has greatly enjoyed contributing to the music scene both in NZ and internationally.
Yury’s work and achievements:
Yury, Principal First Violinist of the NZSO for the past thirty-seven years, has greatly enjoyed contributing to the music scene both in NZ and internationally, as well as within the Wellington Jewish Community, participating in numerous concerts and Holocaust Commemoration events. His work is prodigious and has met critical acclaim:
· As leader of the Gezentsvey Quartet, member of the Massey Piano Quartet and the New Zealand Piano Quartet (NZPQ), Yury has taken part in various International Festivals of the Arts in Wellington. In October 2003 he performed as a soloist in Sakai, Japan, as part of the ten year celebration of the sister city relationship with Wellington. In 2008 he played a recital as part of the Canberra Chamber Music Festival in Australia.
· Yury has done numerous recordings for Radio New Zealand Concert FM, National Radio and TVNZ Productions, including the violin solos for the production of the mini-series ‘Hanlon’, music by Terry Gray. He participated in the recording of the CD ‘Romantic Strings’ released by BMG, which was nominated for Best Album of the Year in 1995.
· As Violinist of the New Zealand Piano Quartet, Yury recorded the 2006 CD with works of New Zealand composer Anthony Ritchie, which was hailed as ‘one of the year’s finest’ by The Listener reviewer Ian Dando. The NZPQ’s recordings also include two NZ works commissioned by RNZ, one by William Southgate and the other by Mike Nock. The NZPQ also recorded the Beethoven Piano Quartets for Naxos, who released the CD in May 2009. The reviewer of The New Recordings, Giv Cornfield, wrote on 25 May 2009: ‘It has been a very long time since these wonderful works had been recorded in their entirety, so this new release by the New Zealand Piano Quartet – and what a great and spirited one! – is warmly welcomed. Penned by the 15 year old Beethoven, they are clearly works of genius even if (understandably) heavily influenced by Haydn and Mozart. The New Zealanders play stylishly, vigorously and with great tone and benefit from outstanding recorded sound. Most warmly and highly recommended!’
· As leader of the Dominion Quartet, Yury recorded the Alfred Hill String Quartets (Naxos). Volume 1, released in June 2007, reached No 1 in the July Radio NZ Classical Charts. Volume 2, released in October 2008, reached No 1 in CD Universe Quartet Charts in the middle of January 2009. About this time Uncle Dave Lewis wrote in his review: ‘The Dominion Quartet is obviously dedicated to the cause of Hill’s music and performs it in a grand, expansive style reminiscent of the Hollywood String Quartet; every phrase is clear, well-modulated and singing, with every dynamic marking taken as gospel.’
· After Volume 3 was released in December 2009 Wellington reviewer John Button wrote in the Dominion Post from 4 February 2010: ‘The playing of the Wellington-based Dominion Quartet goes from strength to strength; beautifully poised and precise, yet never overstressed, allowing Hill’s natural lines to breathe and expand. Relaxed, yet always with something interesting going on, this series is becoming an absolute winner.’
· After Volume 4 was released in December 2011 Robert R. Reilly, the music critic of Crisis Magazine, wrote about the recording: ‘It is adroitly played... with plenty to warm the heart...’ In January 2012 Bob McQuiston wrote in Classical Lost and Found: ‘These performances by the Dominion String Quartet of New Zealand are uniformly superb’. In January 2012 it reached No3 in CD Universe Chamber Music Charts. Volume 5 was released in November 2014. A month later it reached No 2 in CD Universe String Quartet Charts. Top Dutch journalist Bob Lagaaij called it ‘a remarkable one.’ In his critique on MusicWeb International David R. Dunsmore wrote: ‘The playing of the Dominion Quartet is very fine... This disc must be considered a success and should appeal strongly to
· lovers of late nineteenth century music... these works make for an enjoyable and absorbing hour. The playing and recording are first rate... I would certainly be pleased to hear other instalments in this series and look forward to Volume Six.’
· The last CV of Alfred String Quartets, Volume 6, was released by NAXOS in November 2015. Harry van der Wal wrote about it from Holland: ‘For those that are collecting this series it’s a must to have it... it has been a labour of love. This you can clearly hear in the performance. There is emotional drive, passionate yearnings... embracing and warm music, with the slightest hint of modernity creeping in from time to time. All done in great taste and with an extra dash of elegance befitting the late romantic era’.
· Alongside his orchestral and performing career, Yury has always been passionate about teaching. Yury is also passionate about teaching violin students of different levels, and has been a guest artist, teaching at the NZ School of Music for a number of years. Several of his pupils were accepted to continue their advanced violin studies at the Royal College of Music and Royal Academy of Music in London. Yury says, “It gives me great pleasure to give back and to help young violinists perfect their performance technique and interpretation. If you love the violin, no matter how old you are when you start, learning the right technique will make all the difference in your enjoyment and success”. Yury’s book ‘Scales & Arpeggios for Violin’ was published in 1995 by Green Bay Publishers in Auckland.
· He looks forward to having more time to dedicate to teaching in the near future, as he heads towards retirement from the NZSO. Desirée, finds it hard to believe: “I get teary-eyed just imagining going to a concert and not seeing him on stage. At the same time, I guess that means he’ll finally be sitting right next to me in the audience, holding my hand! And we may have more opportunities to combine his beautiful playing with my writing in years to come”.
Yury Gezentsvey - www.violinart.co.nz
Yury Gezentsvey - Kristallnacht Concert HCNZ 2020 - 1:53
https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/67788028/russian-violinist-yury-gezentsvey- glad-to-call-hutt-valley-his-home
Desirée’s work and achievements:
After arriving in Wellington, Desirée Gezentsvey focused primarily on raising her daughters, while becoming active at the Wellington Jewish Community as a Hebrew School teacher, (her three girls and one future son-in-law were among her first 5-year-old students!); committee member and president of the Hebrew School parents’ association; and committee member of the Social Club. In later years she was in the committee – as well as a speaker - of the Jewish education series Kia Ora Torah, (developed and organised by her daughter Michelle), as well as a committee member and creative writer in the Limmud Wellington programme. She is also a committee member of CJW. Together with David Zwartz, Desirée has been broadcasting the Access Radio Jewish Culture Programme for over twenty years. Volunteering at the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand as part of the education team is an experience she values greatly and finds most meaningful, sharing her father’s story of survival in the context of today’s world and the importance of being an Upstander.
In the late 1990s, Desirée studied at Whitireia where she was awarded a Diploma in Creative Writing, then at Victoria University for an MA in Creative Writing at the International Institute of Modern Letters, and an MA in Literary Translation Studies. Desirée writes in various genre, including theatre and film:
· she has published a bilingual book of poetry, ‘Next Time Around / la próxima vez’, (Steele Roberts), which deals with the subject of immigration and separation from loved ones. Her poetry piece ‘Under the Southern Stars’ was recorded and broadcast by RadioNZ. A number of her poems have been set to music by award winning NZ composers Gareth Farr and Dorothy Buchanan.
· involved in various projects as script development consultant, and has translated poetry, theatre and fiction from English to Spanish and Spanish to English, including the English translation of the book Náhuatl Stories: Indigenous tales from Mexico by Pablo Gonzáles Casanova (pub VUP, 2012), through the Mexican Embassy in NZ.
· Desirée's play 'Nuclear Family' won the Best Stageplay Award (Script) at the 2011 Moondance International Film Festival Competition (USA) and received 5-star reviews in Adelaide (AU), London and Edinburgh (UK), Auckland and Wellington (NZ). Inspired by the family’s experience as Venezuelan/Soviet Jewish immigrants in NZ at the time of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, ‘Nuclear Family’ is very close to her heart, as she wrote the play originally for her daughter Yael to perform solo. An enriching journey cherished by both mother and daughter, the show was very well received: “A play that deserves to become the talk of the fringe... a beautiful and poised piece that takes a heartfelt look at very complex ideas... rich in humour, emotion and pathos. A charming, sometimes dark, always entertaining exploration of what it means to be a migrant in a foreign world. The sheer skill and talent in Yael Gezentsvey’s performance is mind-boggling... her talent and the well written script take precedence with no smoke and mirrors... Intriguing... witty... a warm, friendly, and touching insight into one of the most difficult and least covered issues in the world today” (Edinburgh Fringe Review).
· Desirée’s latest play, ‘Caging Skies’, based on the novel by Christine Leunens, had its world premiere at Wellington’s Circa Theatre and has now been translated into Spanish, French, Euskera and Japanese. Set in Vienna during the Holocaust, the story follows the journey of a young man from the Hitler Youth who discovers a Jewish young woman hiding in his family home – a powerful story, most relevant in today’s world of increasing racism and extreme ideologies. “A commendably ambitious enterprise with an intriguingly international sweep... Its themes are universal and sweeping... The surprises are ingenious...” (TheatreView) “Engaging and provocative” (Dom Post) / “Very powerful” (KiwiBlog).
· In addition to her creative writing, Desirée has a passion for Oral History and the value of recording and preserving personal life stories as a gift for future generations. Hoping to do more of this meaningful work, she has created the website www.foreverpresent.co.nz
Desirée's play 'Nuclear Family' won the Best Stageplay Award (Script) at the 2011 Moondance International Film Festival Competition (USA) and received 5-star reviews in Adelaide, London, Edinburgh, Auckland and Wellington.
Desirée’s latest play, ‘Caging Skies’, had its world premiere at Wellington’s Circa Theatre and has now been translated into Spanish, French, Euskera and Japanese.
The highlight of Desirée and Yury’s life together is their family, especially delighting in experiencing the world anew through the eyes of their six grandchildren! They feel blessed to have them all living nearby in Wellington.
Desirée and Yury’s daughters:
Michelle Gezentsvey: (stay tuned)
Lara Phillips:
Lara Elie Gezentsvey Phillips was born on 14 November 1981 in Caracas Venezuela. Coming to New Zealand when she was three, she grew up in Wellington and in the Wellington Jewish Community Centre (WJCC) where at 15 years old she became best friends with her later-to-be husband Nathan Conrad Phillips.
Nathan was born on 16 September 1981, the third of four boys to Harvey Phillips and Sonja Phillips (previously Davis). His brothers are Yoseph, (wife Ruth and daughters Rivkah and Devorah); Shlomi and Michael.
Lara and Nathan married on 22 December 2002 at the WJCC Synagogue. Their son Noam Alan was born on 27 January 2010 and daughter Stella Pearl on 24 May 2011. They live in Normandale Lower Hutt.
Lara went to Sacred Heart College and later Massey University Design School 2002. She has been a Creative Copywriter since 2003 working at Clemenger BBDO, Sugar, .99, Ocean Design, followed by freelancing with agencies and creatives. In 2022 she set up a second business called Draw It Out which uses therapeutic drawing processes for creative wellbeing.
Nathan went to Wellington College and later Victoria University where he gained a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology 2015. Following work with the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), WellStop and District Health Board (DHB), Nathan has his own psychology private practice in Lower Hutt.
Lara and Nathan are both active members of the WJCC; Lara helping with the Council of Jewish Women and Nathan acting on the board for several years. Judaism feeds their Wellington roots, as they continue to immerse themselves in the wider communities of Wellington, from schools and sports teams to general community wellbeing.
Says Lara, “I know our community is small, but I like the balance we have of being New Zealanders who are Jewish and Jews who are New Zealanders. We wouldn’t be one without the other. A Kiwi Jew is unique; we’ve got deep roots with a down-to-earth attitude.”
Yael Gezentsvey:
Yael Gezentsvey was born in Venezuela in 1985, and was only 4 months old when the Wellington Jewish Community welcomed her and her family. She grew up in Wellington, and pursued working in the arts after her schooling, studying Film and Theatre at Victoria University of Wellington, and she attended drama school at Unitec in Auckland. During the seven years she spent in Auckland she enjoyed connecting with the Auckland Hebrew Congregation. She married Storm Johnson, a visual effects film artist with a love for motorcycles, who then became Storm Gezentsvey. After enjoying some international adventures living in Adelaide Australia and London UK, they settled in Wellington once more and have two children, Quin and Nova. Although Storm was not born Jewish, the couple enjoy living a Jewish life and making a Jewish home for their family.
Yael is involved with the Council of Jewish Women, and in 2021 Yael and Storm established New Zealand’s first Jewish creative production company, Kavanah Productions, focused on making uplifting works that nurture personal and community wellbeing. Their work draws on Jewish values to inspire new stories for new generations. There are only 5,000 Jews living in New Zealand, which means that there aren't many people to hold up a congregation, but this also brings a sense of the importance of the individual within the community, and that each of us can make a difference. They believe this fuels their connection to Judaism, as they grow up fostering strong ties in a small community and doing their best to nurture the next generation.
Desirée & Yury’s grandchildren from back to front: Noam, Stella, Maurice, Quin, Bea and Nova.
Family fun on Desirée’s birthday!
The family wish peace to the world’s Jewish mishpoha, may we all live happily ever after.
By Desiree Gezentsvey (edited)
Notes:
Part of this family story was first published in the book A Standard for the People: The 150th anniversary of the Wellington Hebrew Congregation 1943-1993, by Dr Steven Leven, (Hazard Press Publishers, 1994).
See more about Yury’s work here:
Yury Gezentsvey – www.violinart.co.nz
Yury Gezentsvey - Kristallnacht Concert HCNZ 2020 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRYBA4E6hn0
See more about Desirée’s work here:
www.Desiréecreative.co.nz
Desirée Gezentsvey - Remembering my father Volf Sterental: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=594983768036064