At Wolf Prize Ceremony, Politics Mixed With Arts Sets Off Sparks
by Joseph W. Polisi
Israel has fascinated me—culturally, politically, historically—for most of my adult life. I still remember the outbreak of the 1967 war, which began while I was in the midst of taking a final exam in political science at the University of Connecticut. Israel was fighting for its life then—as it is now—and I find such a human drama deeply compelling. More...

Using Folklore to Bridge a Cultural Divide
by Ron Price
In August I was invited to conduct a series of seminars on American culture for a group of Jewish and Arab teachers in Jerusalem. I was there as a poet, to talk about literature—"the expert"—but what follows is a vision of hope I encountered that had nothing to do with expertise. It came from an immigrant poet, folklorist, and teacher who taught me a lesson in the primary color of blood. More...

Visiting Ambassador Shows a Softer Side of Syria
by Sharon Bogas
For the final event of the Juilliard Current Affairs Society last year, Syrian-born clarinetist Kinan Azmeh suggested that we invite the Syrian ambassador to the United States, Dr. Imad Moustapha, to Juilliard. The most startling thing about the event was that it took place at all. More...