Left to right: Riman Barakat and Naomi Block-Fortis of Mekudeshet in Jerusalem.
This article is adapted from The Branch, a monthly podcast exploring individual relationships between Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians. The Branch is produced by Hadassah and created by Dina Kraft, a journalist based in Tel Aviv. Check out the latest episode of The Branch on its website, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Throughout the long months of the COVID pandemic, the staff at Mekudeshet, a Jerusalem cultural organization that creates original arts and music events around the city as a way to connect its people, could not wait until the health crisis passed in order to bring people those together Israeli, Palestinian, religious and secular for a summer of high-energy concerts, performances and art installations.