On May 27, the Jerusalem Youth Chorus performed for the Heschel High School. This organization was formed 13 years ago with the intention of creating a space for Arab and Israeli teenagers to join together and advocate for coexistence. The singers expressed that, despite their wide-ranging spectrum of political views, they constantly push past that barrier to work together. 

They sang an arrangement of songs in Hebrew, Arabic, and English—some of them the group composed themselves. 

In addition to singing, the group shared stories about Israeli and Palestinian coexistence. One girl shared her parents’ love story: her mother Dina, Jewish and Israeli, fell in love with Muhammad, a Muslim, Palestinian man. The couple faced lots of pushback, especially from their families. At one point, Dina and Muhammad lived out of their car because no community would accept them. Over time, the couple managed to reconcile with their families and establish a pleasant life in Israel. She shared this story to reveal that coexistence is possible, and perhaps, love might be as well. 

When asked about their performance, sophomore LilyRose Keinan shared, “It made me really happy to see this group attempting change. Especially with what is happening in Israel right now, it’s a comforting thought to know that finding peace is still possible.”