L ifestyle /C ulture
Orchestra Promotes Jewish-Arab Dialogue
M USIC
SOPHIE PANZER | JE STAFF
A NEW PARTNERSHIP
between an orchestra in Israel
and a nonprofit in Philadelphia
began with Rabbi David Straus
playing matchmaker.

The Main Line Reform
Temple rabbi heard about
Polyphony of Nazareth, a
classical music orchestra made
up of Jewish and Arab musicians,
through a friend and fellow rabbi
who said the group was looking
to expand virtual programming
options and raise money to
support the performers during
the pandemic.

The orchestra’s mission of
fostering connections among
Jews and Arabs in the Middle
East reminded Straus of
ARTolerance, a local nonprofit
in Philadelphia that shared a
similar mission of using the
arts to promote cross-cultural
understanding. Main Line
Reform had a longstanding
relationship with the organi-
zation’s founder and artistic
director, Udi Bar-David, and
putting him in touch with
Polyphony’s executive director,
Nabeel Abboud Ashkar,
seemed like a perfect fit.

Bar-David, an Israeli, and
Ashkar, an Arab Palestinian
Israeli citizen, quickly hit it off
after Straus made the initial
introduction, and the three
leaders began brainstorming
ways to bring their communi-
ties together.

The result is a virtual concert
that will be held May 23 at noon
on Zoom. Polyphony will play
Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons”
from Nazareth to an audience
of community members in
the Greater Philadelphia area.

Local ARTolerance artists
also will perform. In addition
to Main Line Reform, local
sponsors include Temple Beth
Zion-Beth Israel, Congregation
Shir Ami, the Jewish
Community Relations Council
and several churches.

Ashkar said he has seen how
passion for classical music can
unite students from different
cultural backgrounds during
his time leading Polyphony and
Barenboim-Said Conservatory
in Nazareth. Many of the
conservatory’s students have
won national and international
recognition in the classical
music world, and the organiza-
tion’s programming has been
integrated into music curric-
ulum in Israeli schools.

“If you’re an Arab or Jewish
kid, you’re in an early stage
exposed to two different
cultures,” he said.

Bar-David, who is a cellist
with the Philadelphia Orchestra,
said one of ARTolerance’s
primary focuses is bringing
Arabs and Jews together to
foster understanding among
communities and promote
equality among Jews and Arabs
in the Middle East.

“I believe that there is a
growing number of voices in
the Jewish community, myself
included, who really want to
see a change,” he said.

Changing the cultural
conversations about Jews and
Arabs in Israel is an urgent
calling for Bar-David and
Ashkar. Bar-David believes the
country’s status quo is unsus-
tainable without full civil
rights for Palestinians, and
Ashkar believes the only way
to achieve peace is to make
Israeli society more inclusive
and pluralistic.

Ashkar, Bar-David and
Straus also believe the program
will help American Jews
understand and appreciate the
complexities of Jewish-Arab
relationships in Israel, since
reading or watching news about
conflict in the Middle East is
no substitute for engaging in
conversations with Jewish and
Arab communities and getting
their perspectives first hand.

“This is one opportunity for
a really fantastic musical group
that includes so many Arabs
to be introduced to the Jewish
community. I don’t think that
there are enough interac-
tions between the two in this
country,” Bar-David said.

The program will not end
FOREST HILLS / SHALOM
MEMORIAL PARK
Do You Have a Plan for the Future?
Why Pre-Plan Today ?
• Make sure your family knows your fi nal wishes
• Relieve your loved ones from having to make tough
decisions and from any unexpected fi nancial burdens
• Give real peace of mind for you and your family
NEW MASADA V MAUSOLEUM
Call us today to speak with a
Family Service Professional and receive your
FREE Personal Planning Guide.

Forest Hills Cemetery/Shalom Memorial Park
25 Byberry Road Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006
215-673-5800 NEW COLUMBARIUM & PRIVATE ESTATES
24 MAY 13, 2021
Samuel Domsky
General Manager
JEWISH EXPONENT
Brent Lanzi
Family Service Manager
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM



L ifestyle /C ulture
Polyphony of Nazareth
Photo by Kai Bienert
When travel becomes safer,
ARTolerance and Main Line
Reform hope to bring local
audiences to visit the orchestra
in Nazareth. Polyphony is
also scheduled to perform at
Carnegie Hall during the 2022
season. In the meantime, the
organizations are enjoying the
wide reach and accessibility
that virtual platforms offer.

“We often focus on the
conflict, and the conflict is real,
and there are many narratives
about what has happened,”
Straus said. “But what a
program like this is about is
saying, ‘There’s also hope,’ and
that there are ways that there
can truly be examples of a
shared society.”
Those interested
in attending the virtual concert
can access the Zoom link at bit.

ly/3eyzoT2. l
after the May 23 event. The intend for the concert to be greater cross-cultural under-
After the initial event, the
leaders of Polyphony, Main the first in a series of events standing among Jews and groups will hold commu- spanzer@jewishexponent.com;
Line Reform and ARTolerance and conversations to promote Arabs, Israelis and Americans. nity discussions and classes. 215-832-0729
CELEBRATE WITH ISRAEL BONDS
A Gift
With Meaning
INVEST IN ISRAEL BONDS
Development Corporation for Israel
Harold F. Marcus, Executive Director
Sharon Richman, Registered Representatives
1511 Walnut St., Suite 301 • Philadelphia, PA 19102
philadelphia@israelbonds.com • 215.545.8380 • 800.752.5671
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM israelbonds.com
This is not an offering, which can be made only by prospectus. Read the prospectus
carefully before investing to fully evaluate the risks associated with investing in Israel
bonds. Member FINRA
Photos: Three Star Photographers, Shayna Levy, Istock
JEWISH EXPONENT
MAY 13, 2021
25