From Jerusalem, A Gift of Music from the Jewish-Arabic Youth Ensemble

Music Connects All of Us — That was the uplifting message sent and received at BFS on Wednesday morning, Sept. 28. Six young musicians, ranging in age from 14 to 22, presented a concert to the Middle School and guests that was moving, inspiring, and musically outstanding.

The Jewish-Arabic Youth Ensemble from the Beit Alpert Music Center describes itself as “a living example of coexistence in Jerusalem.” In the United States to perform at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they made a special visit to the school which was organized with the help of BFS faculty Maura Eden and Margaret Bary. After presenting a concert of more than 10 Western and Middle-Eastern musical pieces, the musicians led the middle school audience in a song of peace. This was a beautiful message in advance of the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, and the Muslim holiday of Hijri New Year, which are celebrated on the same day this year (Oct. 3).

Founded in 1986, the Beit Alpert Center encourages Arab and Jewish youth to create music together. Ensembles like the one that performed at BFS meet once a week and perform a varied repertoire of Western and Middle-Eastern music. The Israeli Consulate and The Jerusalem Foundation sponsored the Ensembles visit to New York, where they had just performed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Foundation supports the Beit Alpert Music Center in an effort to strengthen the connection within Jerusalem’s pluralistic community by instilling a mutual love for music.