This is a video for my song “Ishmael and Isaac,” which I wrote some years back about the Arab/Israeli conflict. I hope it will be received more as a work of art than as a political statement, although I am quite aware that people will lay their own political views on top of it.

My hope is that the message that war is not the ultimate answer will get through. That is the real message of the song and video, and not the assigning of blame in a situation that is quite complex and nuanced.

I am aware that the religious and cultural issues are more challenging than blithely quoting a Bible verse. But I am equally aware that the the metaphor of “sibling rivalry” –when seen at a macro-level, perhaps even a mythological one– is not only appropriate, but perhaps has no more powerful cultural incarnation than this current conflict.

Here’s to continued prayers for our world, and especially for warring peoples who have not yet found the way to peace.

UPDATE:
Several folks have asked for a downloadable version of this movie. So, I’ve created two versions, both in mpeg2 format. One is a large file, hi quality. The other medium quality. There’s also a cell-phone sized version, just because I wanted to see if I could do it.

Please contact me, and I’ll direct you to a download link.