December 5th, 2025
Dear JYC Global Family,
I’m writing to share some news that’s been years in the making—and to invite you to be part of something special.
After more than a decade of building the Jerusalem Youth Chorus together, I’m finally writing the book that tells our story. It’s called Impossible Harmony, and it will be published by HarperCollins in Fall 2027.
But here’s the thing: this isn’t just my story to tell. It’s our story—yours, mine, and the hundreds of singers, families, staff, and supporters who have made JYC what it is today. And I want you to be part of the journey of bringing this book into the world.
Why This Book Matters Now
We’re living through a moment when it feels like everything is designed to pull us apart. Political polarization. Social media echo chambers. Wars and devastating violence of all kinds. The world desperately needs examples of what it looks like when people refuse to give up on each other—even when it would be easier to walk away.
That’s what we’ve built together in JYC. Not a fantasy where everyone agrees, but a real community where Israeli and Palestinian teenagers choose to show up for each other, week after week, year after year—through wars, through heartbreak, through moments when the whole world tells them it’s impossible.
These stories deserve to be heard beyond our community. Because if it can work in Jerusalem, it can work anywhere.
What I’m Writing (and Why It’s Not Your Typical Feel-Good Book)
Impossible Harmony isn’t a feel-good story where music magically solves everything. It’s honest about the messiness, the conflicts, the times we almost fell apart. It’s about the real work of building trust across deep divides and profound injustice—and why that work matters more than ever.
The book follows JYC from that first chaotic audition in 2012 through our appearance on America’s Got Talent, our policy meeting at the White House, and everything in between. But more than that, it’s about what we’ve learned: how to create spaces where people can disagree without destroying each other, how to navigate power imbalances, how to keep singing even in the darkest moments.
I’m writing it because the world needs these lessons right now.
Join Me on This Journey
Here’s where you come in: I’ve launched a Substack called Impossible Harmony where I’ll be sharing the creative process, behind-the-scenes stories, early excerpts, and reflections on what I’m learning as I write. It’s free to subscribe, and I’d love for you to come along for the ride.
Why subscribe? Because:
- You’ll get exclusive glimpses into stories that might not make the final book
- You’ll have a front-row seat to the creative process (including the messy parts)
- Your feedback and engagement will help shape what this book becomes
- You’ll be part of building momentum toward publication—and the more people who are invested in this story before it launches, the bigger impact we can have when it does
Whether you’ve been with us since 2012 or just joined our community recently, whether you’re a singer, parent, donor, or friend, you’re part of this story. And I hope you’ll join me in telling it to the world.
The chorus has always been about more than music. It’s been about proving that the impossible is possible when we refuse to give up on each other. Now let’s share that proof with everyone who needs to hear it.
With gratitude and hope,
Micah
P.S. If you have memories, stories, or moments from your JYC experience that still resonate with you, I’d love to hear them. Reply to this email or share them on the Substack—your voice matters in shaping how we tell this story together.