Shalom! This Hebrew greeting is part of the name of the city that is the focus of this year's Mizmorim Chamber Music Festival: Jerusalem. Another word, an Arabic word, has the same root: Salam. It is also used as a greeting and means peace or health, much like the Hebrew Shalom.
When the name Jerusalem is mentioned, superlatives are never far behind. “Ten measures of beauty descended upon the world – nine were given to Jerusalem”, says the Talmud. At the same time, the “city of peace” is marked by conflicts between ethnic groups. For centuries, followers of Judaism, Christianity and Islam have lived here, each of the three religions claiming the “Holy City” for themselves.
The terrible events on and since 7 October 2023 are putting multicultural Jerusalem to the test. Fear and mistrust are palpable everywhere, and outbreaks of violence have occurred here too. But faith in the utopian power of this city remains strong, and the determination of many people to defend Jerusalem as a place of mutual tolerance is unbroken.
These days, Jerusalem is a symbol of hope for an entire region – hope that, despite all cultural and religious differences, it is possible to live together in peace.
The Mizmorim Chamber Music Festival 2026 is also dedicated to this hope.
