A new Israeli-Arab puppet on the Middle Eastern version of “Sesame Street” is being touted as a new symbol of hope to children. “Rechov Sumsum” in Israel and “Shara’a Simsim” in the Palestinian territories are making their debut with new characters like Mahboub, an Israeli-Arab who speaks both Hebrew and Arabic and Jewish immigrants from Russian and Ethiopia, communities that have faced prejudices in Israeli society.
In addition to the shows, the program’s president plans to distribute puppet-themed educational tools throughout Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.
How encouraging! Everyone wants quick political fixes for the conflicts around the globe. But I think the real healing starts with the kids, which takes a lot longer since they have to grow up and become the new leaders to see the results.
Geri, I think you should start a podcast, similar to what you wanted to do for NPR. You can do it through iTunes or Odeo.com or similar.