'The Pursuit of Harmony' is story of friendship and peace

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. 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?'" Michael Ochs said.

"We are thrilled to open up our community to share in this message of hope and to begin to build bridges of understanding," said 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 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.

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