South Asia Center Senior Fellow Barbara Slavin writes for Al Monitor on the ways in which the YMCA Jerusalem Youth Chorus empowers both Palestinian and Israeli singers, allowing them to overcome their differences:
At a time when both Israeli and Palestinian society is becoming ever more polarized, an interfaith, inter-ethnic chorus is creating a safe space for young people to confront their differences while melding musical traditions into a unique multicultural sound.
On June 30, the YMCA Jerusalem Youth Chorus flew home after a two-week tour of the United States that has boosted their performance skills, challenged their preconceptions of the United States and tested their ability to coexist in new ways.