Palestinian Muslim, Jewish American to perform 'The Pursuit of Harmony'

Posted November 11, 2014 10:00 pm

Submitted by Deb Mattes, executive director Temple Chai

Celebrated Jewish American songwriter/producer Michael Hunter Ochs and noted Palestinian songwriter/recording artist and peace activist Alaa Alshaham have joined together to create "The Pursuit of Harmony."

Traveling worldwide spreading their message of peace through personal stories, multimedia presentation and live music, they will make a single stop in Chicago.

Temple Chai, a Reform Jewish congregation in Long Grove, will be hosting "The Pursuit of Harmony" at a community reception and musical Sabbath of sermon and song at 5:45 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 14. All are welcome.

"Jewish congregations all over America are asking themselves, "How can we address what is happening in the Middle East? How do we heal and truly start down the road toward peace?" explains Michael Ochs.

"We are thrilled to open up our community to share in this message of hope and to begin to build bridges of understanding," states Rabbi Stephen A. Hart, senior rabbi of Temple Chai.

Through concert and conversation, Ochs and Alshaham will share their journey from Israel and the West Bank to the United Nations and around the world. They will discuss how their friendship endured through the recent conflict in Gaza.

For information about The Pursuit of Harmony, Michael Ochs and Alaa Alshaham, visit www.thepursuitofharmony.com/bio/.

Temple Chai was founded in 1972 by a small group of pioneering families who saw the need to establish an organized Jewish presence in the expanding Northwest suburbs. By 1980, the congregation had grown and moved out of its temporary home at Kingswood United Methodist Church and into a dedicated new facility in Long Grove. Serving nearly 900 member families, Temple Chai is part of the Union for Reform Judaism. Temple Chai's mission statement reads: "We inspire Jewish journeys in an inclusive, nurturing community with a passion for lifelong learning, music, acts of loving kindness, and a love of Israel."

For information, contact Deb Mattes at (847) 537-1771 ext. 245, or visit www.templechai.org.

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