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Last update - 00:00 19/10/2008
Daniel Pearl, Gilad Shalit, and the exercise of power
By Bradley Burston
Tags: Gilad Shalit, Bradley Burston 

Click here for more from Bradley Burston


Tonight, take a moment to think of Daniel Pearl.
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You may remember the name. Perhaps you will remember because of the brutality and horror of his death. Tonight, take a moment to consider in a new light, his life.

You will be taking part in an exercise of power.

It is the power of co-existence over cruelty, of faith in humankind over fanaticism, of appreciation for differences over xenophobia, of the heart over the heel, of music over killing.

It is an exercise in the power of life over death.

This month, the world over, in hundreds and hundreds of concert halls, schools, places of worship, parks and private homes, people who never met Danny Pearl will celebrate his birthday, and keep a part of him alive.

You may remember him as the journalist who was kidnapped by extremists in Pakistan while pursuing an investigation of terrorism. Danny Pearl was 38, and about to become a father for the first time. He was also a passionate musician, a true believer in bridging diverse cultures with music, and a fervent and far-reaching practitioner of that belief.

After nine days in captivity, Danny Pearl died a hideous death in early 2002. The next day, his friend George Pehlivanian, who was guest conductor that night of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, dedicated the performance to Daniel Pearl and "to the triumph of hope over despair." By his birthday, October 10, musicians around the world had begun to take part in World Music Days, dedicating them to Daniel Pearl's faith in shared humanity and the universal power of music.

According to the Jewish calendar, Danny Pearl's birthday coincides this week with the festival of Simhat Torah, which is marked by alternating cycles of biblical readings and hakafot, unbridled rejoicing in circles, dancing and singing while carrying the Torah. In some congregations this week, hakafot will be dedicated to Danny Pearl's ideals.

There will be those, as well, like the Birkat Shalom congregation at Kibbutz Gezer, who will include not only Danny Pearl but also Gilad Shalit, captive now nearly 850 days, in dedicating the hakafot.

This is a holiday which forces people to rejoice. It is a holiday which jars people into rethinking despair. It is a holiday which obliges us to consider that the essence of immortality is the juncture of memory and community and acts of hope against hope, of joy against all better judgment.

The Torah is taken out at night, unusual in itself. The very last verse of the last book is read and then, the very first verse of the first book. The official last celebration of a New Year. A new beginning, which incorporates an end, the circles of celebrants suggesting that it is neither end nor beginning, but continuity. A profound signal that life, memory, and good works are more powerful than killing, and, in the end, more permanent.

It is tragic, but also inspiring, that it has only been since his death that Danny Pearl's message reached a wide audience. His family and friends, and thousands around the world who learned of him too late to have known him, have seen to it that World Music Days have grown year by year in number and scope.

This week, Danny Pearl would have turned 45. This month, there will be as many as one thousand World Music Days events dedicated to bridging cultures and creeds in scores of countries.

By sheer coincidence, here in Tel Aviv, sprayed in paint on one of the seediest walls of a decrepit building, the words "Know Hope" appeared today.

It is an exercise of power to celebrate life in a world like this. It is an exercise of bravery to come to know and admire the differences between people, the diversity that only in concert, together, can truly deserve the name humanity.

Take a moment to think of Danny Pearl tonight. And of Gilad Shalit.

Take heart.

Know hope.



__________________________


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  1.   Lovely 19:14  |  Helen Jones 19/10/08
  2.   Nice and inspirational. but totally delusional 00:24  |  Boris 20/10/08
  3.   Power over others 03:01  |  Bitin Dawg 20/10/08
  4.   Daniel Pearl was a Hero because.... 03:30  |  Shlomo Dayan 20/10/08
  5.   We really are all the same 03:34  |  David 20/10/08
  6.   Nice! 03:35  |  Eli 20/10/08
  7.   May God Reach Out And Protect... 08:59  |  Yosemite 20/10/08
  8.   Only one group of people do this 11:49  |  x-ray 20/10/08
  9.   #3- Bitin Dawg 13:08  |  Deborah 20/10/08
  10.   #7 - Yosemite 13:21  |  Deborah 20/10/08
  11.   Never, ever give up hope 13:35  |  Clickfool 20/10/08
  12.   Perhaps Barenboim will have a concert 13:39  |  Herbert Kaine 20/10/08
  13.   I really feel sorry for both Daniel Pearl and Gilad Shalit..... 13:50  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/10/08
  14.   daring he might have been Dino 14:06  |  x-ray 20/10/08
  15.   Daniel Pearl, Gilad Shalit, 14:14  |  Ralph 20/10/08
  16.   Swiss (Dipstick): Why Search For Truth When Excuses Suffice? 14:23  |  Tex 20/10/08
  17.   Do you think, he is alive? 14:35  |  shlomo 20/10/08
  18.   #11 Clicky.....beautiful post 14:39  |  Lynn 20/10/08
  19.   Swiss (Dino) anpother unfortunate post of yours 15:19  |  David Israel 20/10/08
  20.   For Lynn # 18 15:51  |  Clickfool 20/10/08
  21.   # 14 x-ray, # 19 David Israel and also the Tex-guy..... 16:11  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/10/08
  22.   # 19 By the way, David, I have no problem at all..... 16:28  |  Swiss (Dino9 20/10/08
  23.   #22 Swiss....it is definitely a much more 16:50  |  Lynn 20/10/08
  24.   Swiss (Dino) Do you realize that: 17:10  |  David Israel 20/10/08
  25.   #9 Deborah 17:22  |  Bitin Dawg 20/10/08
  26.   Swiss DIno - whatever paper he worked for 17:57  |  ChanahS 20/10/08
  27.   Good triumphs over evil 17:59  |  Liz 20/10/08
  28.   #25 - Bitin Dawg 18:04  |  Deborah 20/10/08
  29.   # 23 Lynn, if we are also considering the "New York Post".... 18:18  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/10/08
  30.   # 24 David, as usual, doesn`t have the facts together..... 18:27  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/10/08
  31.   #29 Swiss...better to read the Iowa Tribune 18:39  |  Lynn 20/10/08
  32.   # 26 Chanah S, another "golden rule of life" from Switzerland.... 18:42  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/10/08
  33.   All Swiss newspapers tell only the absolute truth. 18:51  |  x-ray 20/10/08
  34.   # 31 Lynn, I would forget about newspapers..... 18:56  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/10/08
  35.   In a sense, Swiss (Dino) is right 19:05  |  Boris 20/10/08
  36.   In a sense, Swiss (Dino) is right 19:05  |  Boris 20/10/08
  37.   Swiss (Dino) Facts are in your last reply 19:08  |  David Israel 20/10/08
  38.   #34 Swiss....Akron Beacon Journal is one of 19:16  |  Lynn 20/10/08
  39.   Think huge... Invent big... Spend small 19:28  |  allang 20/10/08
  40.   Clickfool, you almost make me cry. I did`nt imagine... 19:43  |  Israeli citizen 20/10/08
  41.   Many Happy returns to the FOOLS 12yr old sin 19:53  |  Ari ben Yisrael 20/10/08
  42.   Enough is enough. 20:00  |  Mrs. Clickfool 20/10/08
  43.   Clickfool, you almost made me cry. I didn`t know... 20:05  |  Israeli citizen 20/10/08
  44.   Yeah, Boris, you got it. Daniel Pearl miscalculated... 20:07  |  Israeli citizen 20/10/08
  45.   Swiss (Dino), [cold fish] what will you do when... 20:09  |  Israeli citizen 20/10/08
  46.   Swiss Cheese (full of holes) 20:26  |  ChanahS 20/10/08
  47.   Bradley Burston 20:49  |  Jan Vlaming 20/10/08
  48.   Clickfool 20:51  |  Jan Vlaming 20/10/08
  49.   #45 Israeli Citizen....according to the I Ching 20:56  |  Lynn 20/10/08
  50.   # 45 Israeli citizen, being a "smart" Swiss fish..... 21:19  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/10/08
  51.   # 46 Chanah and also David Israel, just to make sure..... 21:24  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/10/08
  52.   #13, Dino, without heroic journalists we would be less human 21:54  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 20/10/08
  53.   clickfool 21:56  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 20/10/08
  54.   DANIEL PEARL Z"L 21:59  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 20/10/08
  55.   GILAD SHALIT 22:03  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 20/10/08
  56.   Swiss (Dino) If journalists don`t take chances 22:11  |  David isarel 20/10/08
  57.   # 52 Cipora / 56 David Israel 22:34  |  Swiss (Dino) 20/10/08
  58.   For "Mrs Clickfool" # 42 23:56  |  Clickfool 20/10/08
  59.   Whispering Hope 00:25  |  Jan Vlaming 21/10/08
  60.   Yes Deborah, it is a horror 00:37  |  Bitin Dawg 21/10/08
  61.   Swiss Dino - British aid worker killed in Kabul 01:23  |  ChanahS 21/10/08
  62.   Swiss 57 01:25  |  ChanahS 21/10/08
  63.   Swiss - Colin Powel is your hero? 01:39  |  ChanahS 21/10/08
  64.   #52 Cipora JK....right on!!!!! 02:09  |  Lynn 21/10/08
  65.   357 Swiss....how did religion and right or wrong 02:17  |  Lynn 21/10/08
  66.   Swiss (Dino) Never said Perl was a Martyr 03:09  |  David Israel 21/10/08
  67.   October 10, Daniel Day - No to barbarism 03:32  |  PositivelyHuman 21/10/08
  68.   Bradley at his best .. 04:20  |  Akram Zekaria 21/10/08
  69.   Clickfool 05:53  |  Free Gilad Shalit 21/10/08
  70.   #57, Dino and his confusion about religions 08:07  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 21/10/08
  71.   #69, Free Gilad Shalit 08:10  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 21/10/08
  72.   Clickfool 08:31  |  Refugee 21/10/08
  73.   Thank you Bradley Burston ...... 09:12  |  Dagma 21/10/08
  74.   despeaknow hope 09:15  |  Heidi Minke 21/10/08
  75.   the should be NO OTHER RESPONSE to this writing, 09:25  |  eric 21/10/08
  76.   Clickfool 09:39  |  S 21/10/08
  77.   # 13 what YOU say doesn`t matter; does it swiss (d) 10:10  |  eric 21/10/08
  78.   Swiss #57 10:33  |  Esther 21/10/08
  79.   Click #11...so you are human after all... Mazeltov! 10:40  |  Esther 21/10/08
  80.   #Herbert Cain? baremboim is an example of human decency 10:56  |  A.M. 21/10/08
  81.   Welcome to Israel Heidi Minke 11:22  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/10/08
  82.   # 77 eric 11:48  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/08
  83.   Swiss Dino - you are a coward 11:52  |  ChanahS 21/10/08
  84.   # 66 David Israel and # 71 Cipora 11:52  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/08
  85.   Swiss #79,80 12:23  |  Esther 21/10/08
  86.   Heidi #74 12:26  |  Esther 21/10/08
  87.   # 83 No, Chanah, there is only one (major) difference...... 12:53  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/08
  88.   # 85 Come on, Esther, pleeeeease....:) 13:01  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/08
  89.   How wrong they are.*. 13:08  |  Akram Zekaria 21/10/08
  90.   I`d like to see Clickfool acknowledge common humanity 13:12  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/10/08
  91.   # 83 And by the way, Chanah, if you really believe.... 13:13  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/08
  92.   # 85 And by the way, Esther, if Daniel Pearl would really.... 13:42  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/08
  93.   I CONDEMN ONE THING AND UNDERSTAND THE OTHER 15:20  |  indrajaya 21/10/08
  94.   Dino: Why Be Imprisoned By Other People`s Fears? 15:22  |  Tex 21/10/08
  95.   Swiss (Dino) #91 - when did USA ask Switzerland 15:23  |  David Israel 21/10/08
  96.   Dino`s `brain cells` have atropied 15:51  |  x-ray 21/10/08
  97.   The brilliant Swiss leaders elected by brain cell 15:54  |  x-ray 21/10/08
  98.   #92, Swiss Dino Totally Wrong Again 16:25  |  Gary 21/10/08
  99.   Come now, Swiss #88, 92.... 16:38  |  Esther 21/10/08
  100.   57# Swiss (Dino) "Colin Power realism".. 16:47  |  Akram Zekaria 21/10/08
  101.   Swiss (Dino) - second try 17:20  |  David Israel 21/10/08
  102.   Swiss (Dino) #91 - when did USA ask Switzerland 17:20  |  David Israel 21/10/08
  103.   Swiss 91 - who said anything about you 17:34  |  ChanahS 21/10/08
  104.   C/FOOL is full of commendable emotions - I remember 18:04  |  17 21/10/08
  105.   Cipora re: Clickfool 18:29  |  Free Gilad Shalit 21/10/08
  106.   Daniel Pearl lost life because of his .... 18:44  |  Daniel 21/10/08
  107.   Mr. Perl while on duty was kidnapped by some barely human 18:53  |  17 21/10/08
  108.   # 94 Free Gilad Shalit - "However, our children are no different 18:58  |  17 21/10/08
  109.   Swiss #88, 92...(2nd more polite try) 18:59  |  Esther 21/10/08
  110.   Re #94 19:19  |  Esther 21/10/08
  111.   17 re Clickfool 19:29  |  Free Gilad Shalit 21/10/08
  112.   Re #97 (Correction!!) 19:35  |  Esther 21/10/08
  113.   For Margie # 90 19:41  |  Clickfool 21/10/08
  114.   Esther #103 I see Maths too is not your strong subject 19:42  |  Ari ben Yisrael 21/10/08
  115.   # 93 / # 94 David Israel 19:43  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/08
  116.   Swiss Dino & his humanitarian Red Cross friends 19:51  |  Ari ben Yisrael 21/10/08
  117.   # 94 / # 104 Esther 19:53  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/08
  118.   Tradition........ 19:57  |  Maria 21/10/08
  119.   Free Gilad Shalit -17 re c/fool 19:58  |  17 21/10/08
  120.   # 93 Gary, again, like Esther, as long as you can`t bring up..... 19:58  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/08
  121.   For 17 # 101 20:05  |  Clickfool 21/10/08
  122.   For Margie II # 90 20:12  |  Clickfool 21/10/08
  123.   # 113 Ari ben Yisrael 20:16  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/08
  124.   Swiss (Dino) 20:19  |  David Israel 21/10/08
  125.   For 17 again # 119 20:33  |  Clickfool 21/10/08
  126.   # 124 David, if stating that a person was........ 20:49  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/08
  127.   Daniel Pearl/Gilad Shalit and the `War on Terror 20:50  |  Dagma 21/10/08
  128.   Ari #114 21:09  |  Esther 21/10/08
  129.   # 97 x-ray and the (supposed) lack of Swiss "creativity"..... 21:24  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/08
  130.   Clickfool 21:26  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/10/08
  131.   And if we`re discussing Swiss contradictions... 21:31  |  Esther 21/10/08
  132.   # 101 David Israel and the "merciless" chain...... 22:22  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/08
  133.   # 131 Dear Esther, Switzerland has 26 cantons...... 22:45  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/08
  134.   But, First Of All, take a moment ....... 22:56  |  Gray 21/10/08
  135.   Swiss(Dino) What would Europe do without USA? 23:04  |  David Israel 21/10/08
  136.   Dino, a little post script 23:07  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 21/10/08
  137.   Swiss (Dino) Albert Einstein was German 23:07  |  David Israel 21/10/08
  138.   What`s the difference? 23:15  |  Reporter 21/10/08
  139.   Danny, z"l. 23:30  |  sandra chitayat 21/10/08
  140.   # 136 Cipora, unfortunately I do know only one "Blondie"..... 00:03  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/10/08
  141.   Swiss #133... OK, for once you`re right... 00:12  |  Esther 22/10/08
  142.   # 135 / # 137 David Israel "Ups and downs....." 00:19  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/10/08
  143.   # 141 Esther, maybe you have already started working..... 00:50  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/10/08
  144.   Swiss (Dino) 00:54  |  David Israel 22/10/08
  145.   #120,What case are you referring to ? 01:21  |  Gary 22/10/08
  146.   #134, Gray 01:26  |  Gary 22/10/08
  147.   #144, Absolutely. Switzerland is no America ! 01:33  |  Gary 22/10/08
  148.   Gary $10,000- Says you`re wrong 04:06  |  Gray 22/10/08
  149.   Gray, basic reality says YOU are wrong -- nearly every post 04:29  |  SDHD 22/10/08
  150.   STDH; Here are the transcripts; You`re wrong... 05:20  |  Gray 22/10/08
  151.   Gray: National Alliance? 06:01  |  Tex 22/10/08
  152.   No Gray, HERE are the NSA intercept transcripts 06:25  |  SDHD 22/10/08
  153.   # 82 to swiss (d) re: wrong places 09:46  |  eric 22/10/08
  154.   # 153 eric and common sense..... 12:09  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/10/08
  155.   Other Readers Re: SDHD: A Full time waste of time 03:22  |  Gray 23/10/08
  156.   # 154 okay swiss (d); i concede...to a degree 08:52  |  eric 23/10/08
  157.   determination 12:45  |  Joe 23/10/08
  158.   Eric #156 - Now this post is common sense 14:32  |  David Israel 23/10/08
  159.   # 158 thank you david israel 02:46  |  eric 24/10/08
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