Art- and Music-Based Dialogue Workshops

Women Wage Peace    Facilitated by Debi Parush and Debbie Daleski, steering committee members. Woman Wage Peace is one of Israel’s largest social movements, and is not affiliated with any political party. It was formed in 2014, in the aftermath of Operation Protective Edge between Israel and Gaza. Membership includes tens of thousands of women, from the right, left, and center of the political map, including Jews, Arabs, religious and secular women, from the central cities and the more far-out regions. These women are united in their demand for a non-violent, dignified peace agreement to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while including women in the negotiations (in accordance with UN Resolution 1325). Israel Salad was developed by women from southern Israel, […]

Israeli Salad

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Jerusalem YMCA Facilitated by Nazeeh Ansari and Micah Hendler, Directors of the Youth Choir. (Arabic-Hebrew-English) The Jerusalem YMCA, specifically the youth division, runs a number of programs focused on joint living. The principle behind the programs is the combination of professional and social, cultural, and political discourse, leading to a richer experience. Dialogue becomes a means for joint exploration and creation, such as composing poems or songs in both languages. The workshop began with joint singing, where participants experienced the YMCA choir’s work process. It concluded with a presentation about the youth division’s work methods.

Dialogue through Music

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Cultures in Harmony: Facilitated by Shoshana Gottesman (All languages) CiH programs utilize the international language of music to foster inter-cultural dialogue. Shoshana Gottesman dedicates her time to studying musical spaces and developing them as a place to transform conflicts for youth. She weaves together her knowledge and experience in the field of music education, along with her experience in humanist education, human rights, and peace. The workshop was modeled after activities she leads in a Tunisian summer youth camp, and combined participants’ sounds of “home” along with other forms of musical expression – going beyond language. Throughout the workshop, Shoshana shared examples of how the Tunisian youth share and react during such activities.

A Surprising Musical Encounter

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This Is Jerusalem! (HUC), the Teachers’ Lounge in Memory of Shira Banki Facilitated by Yoav Segal, educator. The Teachers’ Lounge in memory of Shira Bank aims to bring Jerusalem’s multi-culturalism to the fore, while fostering dialogue and encounters between the city’s different sectors. The program brings together Jewish and Arab teachers who work on different sides of the city, for a joint training. Workshop participants submitted two photos of their homes in advance – one from within, and the other from without. The workshop demonstrated how photography and examination can become platforms for inter-cultural encounters. After discussing their photos, the group created a joint collage.

Art as a Method for Fostering Intercultural Encounters

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Museum in a Suitcase: A one-man show by Alemu Eshetie. The performance highlighted the encounter between Ethiopian culture and Israeli culture, in honor of the Sigd holiday. Alemu Eshetie is a multi-talented, Ethiopian-born artist. His performance beautifully weaves together his and his family’s personal story with that of the Ethiopian community who immigrated to Israel. Employing humor, music, and dance, the performance is Alemu’s theatrical-educational way of presenting the Ethiopian culture to Israelis. He also presents a number of objects and articles of clothing, explaining their origin, use, and significance. The Sigd holiday, which is central to the Ethiopian Jewish community, was celebrated the following day, and Alemu explained its meaning and traditions. The holiday emphasizes the receiving of the […]

Performances and Cultural Events

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