Palestinian-Israeli concert delivers message of hope and unity

A very special concert at The Liberal Jewish Synagogue in St John’s Wood last week was imbued with a message of togetherness, compassion and shared humanity.

Universe, a Palestinian-Israeli collaboration, opened with a powerful entrance by the Citizens of the World Choir, who took to the stage singing We Can’t Do This Alone. From the very first note, the audience was reminded that despite our different nationalities, faiths and backgrounds we have far more in common than that which divides us.

Produced by Andrew Leslau, Universe delivered a message of hope, love, courage and the belief that music is a universal language. Creatively directed by Palestinian-Israeli singer and peace activist Mira Awad alongside Israeli music producer Mark Smulian, the concert demonstrated how music has the extraordinary power to transcend barriers and bring people together.

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Throughout the evening, music was interwoven with heartfelt reflections such as that when people sing together their heartbeats synchronise. There was a suggestion that people in power should give this a try!

Mira Awad and acclaimed Israeli singer Gani Tamir sang in perfect harmony. The familiar lyrics of Gershwin’s Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off were a reminder that although we may speak differently or come from different backgrounds, we all long for peace. Their performance was complemented by Mark Smulian’s bass playing and oud player Abdelhay El Haddad and other band members, adding warmth and richness to an already captivating performance.

A poignant moment came when Rosca Onya shared that some of his friends had warned him he would be “cancelled” if he sang in a synagogue. Refusing to let those opinions deter him, he took to the stage, a powerful example of the courage and openness that defined the evening.

The choir also performed their uplifting anthem We Will Sing. An amazing collaboration with Basement Jaxx, Felix Buxton spoke movingly about the power of music. Citizens of the World Choir also provided backing vocals on a stunning performance of Ed Sheeran’s hit Azizam.

In his closing remarks, Andrew Leslau spoke about the importance of the evening the universal language of music and the message “I see you. You see me. I hear you. You hear me. We are listening.”

The concert ended on a joyful high with the Zulu folk song Siyahamba, which had the entire audience on its feet, clapping, singing and celebrating together.

Universe was far more than a concert; it was a celebration of love, hope, courage and humanity, reminding everyone present that music can build bridges where words sometimes fail. At a time when the world often feels divided, it offered a powerful message that when we sing together, our hearts beat together and now more than ever, we can’t do this alone.