Ukuleles For Peace bring music and message to Rhode Island

The teens of Ukuleles For Peace.

On July 12, Ukuleles For Peace, an orchestra of Arab and Jewish teens from Israel, will perform at Temple Torat Yisrael in East Greenwich.

The group is the brainchild of Paul Moore, a British ex-pat who came to Israel in the ’70s. A seasoned performer and strong believer in coexistence, Moore was moved by the events of Sept. 11, 2001 to do something to change the atmosphere of mistrust between Israelis and Palestinian Arabs.

Beginning with ukulele lessons in two schools – one Arab, one Jewish – Moore went from holding group performances, to organizing visits to each other’s schools. That evolved into family picnics and even joint celebrations of each community’s holidays and festivals. Before long, the group was performing at events around Israel.

Moore and his partner, Daphna Orion, have sustained the orchestra by continuing lessons in the schools. Working on a purely volunteer basis, they have relied primarily on a network of musician friends around the world for donations of money and ukuleles to keep the program going. Their goal is that no child be turned away because of an inability to purchase an instrument.

Long term, they would like to reproduce the project in other cities and towns in Israel, and ideally into the Palestinian territories, to enlarge the circle of real coexistence in the region.

Having now performed several times in Europe, this is their first visit to the U.S. A string of gigs in New England will help to subsidize their tour, which will culminate in an appearance at the annual Ukulele Festival in Honolulu.

The real stars of Ukuleles For Peace are the young muscians, who speak of how this program has affected their lives and shaped their experiences and views of one another. As the next generation of leaders in their communities, they will bring a different vision of what is possible. They are looking forward to sharing that vision with Rhode Island.

The performance begins at 7 p.m. at Torat Yisrael, 1251 Middle Road, East Greenwich. A donation of $5 per person is suggested, at the door. Call 401-885-6600 for more information.