September 12, 2025
Dear JYC Global Family,
Gunmen at a Jerusalem bus stop on Monday. Bombings in Doha on Tuesday. An act of political violence in Utah on Wednesday. And on Thursday, the U.S. remembered September 11th. All week, famine has not loosened its grip in Gaza city. Intensified offensives have only compounded the unimaginable suffering in Gaza, and hostages remain in captivity — many starving.
Each day brings more senseless death as the war drags into its 706th day and hope erodes further. When the world feels so relentlessly torn apart, it is easy to believe nothing can rise from the rubble.
And yet, our singers have returned for another year of programming — rehearsing not to escape reality, but to reimagine it. And when everything feels like it’s falling apart, one truth remains: music binds us together.
Announcing Our Olive Trees and Maple Leaves Tour
That truth is carrying our singers from Jerusalem to Toronto, where – from October 6-10 – we will take part in the Glenn Gould Foundation’s inaugural Promise of Music Festival — the world’s first congress on the social impact of music. Our performance, The Jerusalem Youth Chorus: Hope Rises, will stand alongside some of the most renowned and visionary voices in global music.
From A.R. Rahman, the Oscar-winning composer of Slumdog Millionaire and a living legend of musical innovation, to the trailblazing Fords Orchestra, an all-female ensemble whose name means “paradise” in Arabic, our singers will join an extraordinary lineup of artists proving that music is a force for survival, justice, and hope.
For JYC’s youth, this invitation is more than a performance. It is a rareopportunityto meet peers from around the world who use music for justice and peace building — and to bring their own hard-earned wisdom from Jerusalem into conversation on a global stage.
While in Toronto, we are also honored to be welcomed into the Danforth Multifaith Commons, where the Danforth Jewish Circle and their interfaith partners are leading a coalition that embodies what we strive for each day: diverse voices coming together to create harmony across differences. Performing here is more than a concert — it’s a chance to connect with a community that shares our belief in dialogue, diversity, and the power of song to bring people together.
We are building the team to back our singers.
It takes expertise, perseverance, and a deeply collaborative team to bring our singers together—and help them hold everything the world throws at them each day. That’s why we’ve invested in a team that is stronger than ever.
In August, our staff — Palestinians, Israelis, and Americans, based in Jerusalem and across the US — gathered for retreat. It was a chorus of difference: musicians, dialogue facilitators, peacebuilders, translators, and administrators uniting across their own divides. In this space, we built the trust and alignment needed to give our singers the brave container they need in order to raise their voices for peace, justice, inclusion, and equality.
To bring this vision to a global stage, we are also growing — investing in our multi-national staff and bringing in extraordinary leaders to make it possible.
Combining global experience, deep local connections and remarkable vision, Aziza is ensuring our singers not only experience a seamless and inspiring tour, but also engage in deep cultural exchange and meaningful encounters across Toronto.
Her leadership is essential to carrying JYC from rehearsal rooms in Jerusalem to the world stage.
Your monthly gift makes all this possible.
Our singers are able to rise to stages like Toronto’s Promise of Music Festival because people like you believe in them — not only in extraordinary moments, but in the week-to-week work of rehearsals, dialogue, and leadership.
That’s why our Monthly Giving Program is so vital — making it possible for young people to keep showing up, week after week, as musicians, leaders, and peace builders.
75% of our operating costs are funded by individuals. And as our world remains mired in violence, injustice, and discrimination, JYC’s work is needed now more than ever. Each gift is more than support — it is a declaration that hope and harmony can rise above despair.
By giving just $10, $25, or $50/month, you help:
- Support professionally facilitated and translated dialogue sessions
- Foster leadership development over a 4-year curriculum
- Offer high-quality instruction in Eastern and Western music
- Carry our singers’ voices to global stages and a world that needs to hear them
When you give monthly, you become part of our community.
- Receive a JYC logo enamel pin — a tangible symbol of belonging in the ensemble
- Attend one JYC concert as a VIP — stepping closer into the heart of the performance
- Join an intimate Q&A with our singers (virtual or live) and hear their stories firsthand
- Step inside two rehearsals (virtual or live) to experience the harmony being built
This is how peace is built — not in grand gestures, but in small, consistent acts of care and commitment.
Because of you, our singers don’t just rehearse songs — they rehearse the future.
With gratitude,
Micah, Amer, Jackie, and now Aziza, and the Jerusalem Youth Chorus.