Strings of Freedom Performs for Holocaust Survivors - Associated Press
From the famous Jenin Refugee Camps in the West Bank, 13 Palestinian teenagers rode a bus to the Israeli city of Holon, to sing and play music for Holocaust survivors.
As part of the annual “Good Deeds Day” celebration, where Israelis are encouraged to do positive social actions, the Holocaust Survivor Center had invited this young “Strings of Freedom” orchestra to perform. Neither side had known much about each other, and that was the real true beauty of an event like this.
You can read the AP article here.
Imagine for a second the scene in that room. Imagine the two sides: Palestinians and Israelis, Muslims and Jews, young and old, performers and listeners. Could there have been a bigger rift? The musicians and their audience must have been a world apart. Yet, music was played and applause was heard. Later, some mingled and took photos with each other.
Don’t mistake me for an arts fanatic. I am an amateur in the creative world. But when politics fail, as I mention in my previous post, art becomes a savior, healing wounds and bringing people together in a way that politics can never do.
My most favorite quote in this article comes from an 18-year-old keyboard player called Ali Zaid. He said:
“Only people who have been through suffering understand each other.”
Simple words. Wise words. Artistic words.
