Let Humanity and Harmony Prevail

Editor’s Note: The Daniel Pearl Education Center of Temple B’nai Shalom in East Brunswick hosted a free Brazilian jazz concert on Tuesday, Oct. 10 to commemorate the Daniel Pearl World Music Days. Daniel Pearl was a Wall Street Journal reporter who was murdered by extremists while researching a story in Karachi, Pakistan, in 2002. The following letter, from Daniel Pearl’s parents, Judea and Ruth Pearl, was read at the East Brunswick program that night.

We wish we could be with you tonight at the musical offering that you have so kindly dedicated to our son Daniel, to his ideals, and his contribution to a better world.

Today, October 10, Danny would have turned 43 and, as in every year around his birthday, thousands of music lovers all over the world have come together in hundreds of concerts, in dozens of countries, to defy the hatred that took his life, and to reaffirm their commitment to sanity and humanity.

Danny lived a life that knew no geographical boundaries, with a spirit that knew no prejudice. Through journalism and music, he communicated friendship, respect, humor and joy wherever his journeys took him. He keenly recognized the power of music to bridge differences, and he used it persistently to make friends and inspire understanding.

In his last words -- "My father is Jewish, My mother is Jewish, I am Jewish" -- he came to personify the infinite resilience of
the Jewish people, their unwavering commitment to peace and
Tikkun Olam (healing the world), and their amazing gift to weave together the dignity of being different with the sanctity of being one.

We know that Danny will be watching East Brunswick tonight,
near the place where he was born in 1963, listening to your music, and seeing it blend with many other voices, placed so far apart -- from Taipei and Istanbul to New York and London, from Karachi to Malta, Jerusalem and Paris.

We can envision him smiling to himself and saying: "This is my favorite planet! This is my kind of music, my kind of hope."

And you may say back to him: This music is your victory, Danny, the victory of the boldness with which you loved humanity. It is our victory, too, for it unifies all decent people around the world and empowers us with clarity as to who we are and what we stand for in a world gone mad.

Mark our words, Danny, and mark our music: Humanity will triumph and Harmony will prevail.

No! We are not naive as to believe that hatred will be eradicated by music alone, no matter how many concerts will promote tolerance and humanity.

What we do believe, however, is that a tremendous opportunity
has opened up to the global community that we are not at
liberty to forego, and that you – Temple B’nai Shalom in East Brunswick -- have understood this opportunity since the day when Danny's tragedy was unveiled.

Your concert tonight makes you partners to the life and work of Daniel and, therefore, his work will live on.

May Danny's spirit light the path of your world.