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This is what people are saying about the Peace Through Humor show, exhibition tours, slide shows, and art workshops:Maureen, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the unending dedication, and on your creativity and originality. For your steadfastness in carrying out your mission, even if at times if looked like the problems were too great to overcome. For your great love for the children and total love and faith in Israel and the Jewish people. It is an honor for the State of Israel to be represented in Europe by the extraordinary children's art show, "The Art and Soul of Peace Through Humor." I am sure you are aware that one of the major missions of Israel is to combat anti-semitism. Unfortunately, today we are witnessing a tremendous surge of violence against Jews in Europe. We believe that this art show, which comes from the hands of Israeli children of different cultures and traditions, breaks down barriers, and creates understanding and greater tolerance. Maureen Kushner has a genius for bringing out innate gifts locked within each one of her students.Her special talent for cultivating creativity, especially through humor and art, is unique. Give her five minutes in a classroom and watch the lights go on, in even the most cynical and discouraged eyes. See the miracle of what a difference an inspired teacher can make in the life of a child. INSPIRATIONAL, MOVING, EDUCATIONAL AND FASCINATING ARE WORDS that only scratch the surface of the impact that the program has had on my students, their families and our school community at William Roberts K-8 School in Denver. Ms. Kushner is a dynamic and entertaining teacher and artist and Oklahoma City is fortunate that she has chosen to share her talents with the children most closely impacted by the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. All of our thanks and appreciation from the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles for your visit here to work with children at the North Valley Jewish Community Center after the terrorist attack and Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Your workshops in drawing and joke-writing were definitely 'hits' with the kids and did much to accelerate the healing process in both venues.It was also a pleasure to see the 'Peace through Humor' exhibit gracing the entrance to Children's Hospital and in corridors and playrooms. You are to be commended for your commitment to peace, tolerance and ''tikkun olam.'' The songs and prayers of Judaism become themes of drawings and cartoons...'Tikkun Olam,' mending the world" for example, becomes a fix-it shop where children fix the wheel of a wagon or a broken shoe before moving on to conflicts between the secular and the religious, Jews and Arabs, and immigrants and natives. The paintings by the children of Israel are beautiful and poignant and carry the important message of their yearning and hope for peace. I want to say how truly blessed I feel to have taken part in your class, and simply getting to know you for the few hours we shared. You are an extraordinary person! From the moment you opened your mouth I was captivated by the compassion that I felt radiating from you. I can tell by the way you speak and your mannerisms just how much you love what you do, and just how much you love children! I think you lit a spark in my passion for life... [Maureen's] contagious enthusiasm and never-ending energy created an atmosphere for the productive teamwork between the staff at the Arts Center and the art teachers of the participating schools. It was a pleasure watching you work with the 23 school groups that visited. The children were delighted with both the pictures and the workshops, response from the participating teachers has been overwhelmingly positive. Maureen Kushner brought her collection to life by elaborating on her stories and engaged us with poignant commentary relating the highs and lows for the children involved in this marvelous exhibit.She herself is very animated and held our attention as she taught us lessons that we cannot possibly fathom, already experienced by children living their daily routines. May these depictions of peace, drawn by the children of Israel, lead the young artists and the adults who view them closer towards peace and friendship. Campuses across Canada hosted this event and an innumerable amount of students were touched by your work. Students relished in the non-confrontational approach of the display, which was a welcome change from the typically aggressive displays and tables that are set up on campus. We admire your hard work and dedication to enriching and educating children of the world. The world could use more advocates like you. While these paintings stand on their own for their vibrancy, their humour, their sense both of tragedy and of renewal, the context you offer makes them even more compelling. By allowing us to look into the hearts and minds of the participating artists and by offering a new dimension to the politics and culture of Arab-Israeli relations from the perspective of young people committed to peace, Peace Through Humor is an effective and stimulating pedagogical instrument. You did a great job with the children, exploring and developing their hidden and not so hidden artistic talents. The paintings illustrate the success of your work with them. The exhibition space had a continuous flow of people; their comments were all highly complimentary of the work and the message that they reflected. Had it been possible, the Youth Institute would have wanted to extend the exhibition so that more students and adults would have been given the opportunity to participate in educational workshops. I know that the carrying out of this project has demanded an enormous personal sacrifice on your part - it takes great souls, special people and great talents like yourself not only to be conceptually committed to Tikkun Olam but also to actually carry it out. Your program in October marked the first time Jewish and Muslim students came together at a program on campus. Thank you for leading an important program to foster dialogue between students on campus. I have been to see the exhibition and it is a true site - the set up is beautiful and judging from people's reactions is a very moving exhibition. Not only was it unusually moving and inspiring, but it also produced questions, action, and awareness. Everyone wanted BJ to keep the exhibit up forever. The gallery was electrified with your enthusiasm and knowledge as you spoke lovingly of the children and their stories. For children so young, you captured our imagination and our hearts. You lightened up two grade 4 classes at the Calgary Jewish Academy where you thrilled the children with your art lesson and enthralled the Hadassah women in attendance. Maureen is a rare individual, and an unusually effective spokesman for Israel. At a very difficult time for Israel, she brings a message of hope from Israel's children. We all hope that others, both in the field of English teaching and educators working towards the goal of peace, will have the chance to meet with you, see your material and have the opportunity to exchange ideas with you. Your original approach to teaching English through humor stimulated the participants to include new ideas and approaches in their classrooms. In a perilous world, where nearly all children are the victims of some kind of violence - to their spirits, if not their bodies - even very small children carry with them the fear of war and deep concern over the pollution of the earth. Maureen Kushner helps them face these fears and find ways to work for a clean and peaceful world. You are an inspiration. Your gorgeous legacy of children's artwork is a wonderful reminder of what we all can strive to accomplish. I want to thank you for conducting your "Peace through Humor' workshops at the Airport with the children from Miami -Dade County Public Schools.All the children and adults were impacted with the poignancy of the messages that the children themselves generated and the energy and spirit with which you guided them. I was especially impressed with how skillfully you handled the children and how you were able to make each and very child feel so special. This is a very unique talent that you possess; you are an instrument for generating peace. The exhibit of children's paintings has been very well received here in Philadelphia and thousands of passengers view the work every day. I am grateful that the next venue has allowed us to keep the exhibit longer so it will be on view for the Republican National Convention hosted in the city this summer. This means that thousands more will be able to see the show and experience the work that you helped to create.
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