by Aaron Shneyer
Hey Everyone,
Thanks for tuning in. I’m in the middle of last minute racing around, getting things ready and spending time with friends and family before flying out in three days! I’m beyond excited.
As soon as I arrive, drop off my bags, grab a falafel and a quick nap, I’ll get started with recruiting high school students to audition for “The Israeli-Palestinian Jerusalem Youth Ensemble” (name in progress…if you have suggestions, send ‘em my way). I’ll spend the first few weeks meeting with school principles, teachers, community organizations, and professional Jerusalemite musicians to put together a support network and recruitment base for the project. Ideally, I’ll be able to go into every high school in East and West Jerusalem and announce the program directly to the students there.
In case you don’t already know, I’m using my Fulbright-mtvU award to create an ensemble of about 10 Israeli and Palestinian high school students. The ensemble is a chance for students from opposite sides of the conflict to come together to learn, write, play music and create something extraordinary.
The project has three goals, and you, Reader, are very involved in two of those goals.
First of all, this project is a chance for these student musicians to learn from each other’s life and musical experience and build a deeper understanding of their world. Second, the project is a tool for empowering these students to share their voices with their communities and with the world. By following the story of this ensemble and listening to their stories, YOU will empower these youth. Their voices are only powerful if people are listening. Finally, the third goal is also for you. Violence comes from despair, which can only be overcome with hope. If this project can instill even a tiny bit of hope in these students and in you readers, then it will be a tremendous success.
This blog will be a place for you to follow the project as it unfolds. I’ll share video and audio clips of the group making music, interviews with the musicians, photo and video of Holy Land happenings and sights and of course, the students will be able to post their original music. I’ll do my best to relay the entire process we go through, right here on this page.
Please stay tuned…the adventure is just about to begin.
Thanks for reading.
-Aaron
Click here to email Aaron with your questions or comments
The views and information presented are the Fulbright grantee’s own and do not represent the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State.
