Gilad Perry on Building Community Through Song

On the 28th of April, the Judaic Studies Department was honored to welcome Gilad Perry for an interactive musical performance and lecture in which he shared his story from youth movement leadership to co-founding Kibbutz Eshbal, an educational cooperative community in northern Israel, and his work with Dror Israel, a movement dedicated to education and social change. Professor Randi Rashkover gave him a glowing introduction in which she shared that Perry, as the Musical Director and General Manager of HaShayara, performed for children in bomb shelters: “it’s nice to hear a little music.” 

Perry enraptured the audience of students through stories of his own upbringing in Northern Israel; one filled with song and community. He shared that singing together, as the audience did at the beginning of the lecture, is one of the only human activities that changes physical reality by changing sound waves together. In between cracking jokes, Perry shared that his usual performances are in circles or around campfires, where everyone is on the same ground. 

 In singing to and with us, Perry informed the audience that he connects with those during periods of loss, using music to being comfort and healing to evacuees, soldiers, and families affected by the war, and reaches out to surrounding Muslim communities to create connections. The session ended with a dynamic Q&A where Perry detailed his experiences within bomb shelters. After the lecture and Q&A, students stayed behind to engage with Perry interpersonally.  

Thank you to Dr. Randi Rashkover and JDST’s Grace Lee for organizing this event!