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Skirball Cultural Center

Compassionate Conversations: Teaching Kids the Superpower of Empathy

Public Programs | Words and Ideas

The two authors smiling at the camera next to their book covers.

Join Reza Aslan and Miriam Udel, authors of A Kids Book About Israel & Palestine and Honey on the Page, for a conversation about why the books we put before our children matter and how we can prioritize reading experiences that teach empathy.

This is a past program

This program took place on
Tuesday, December 10, 7:30 pm

About the Program

How can children’s books and families' shared reading experiences foster empathy, resilience, and the skills for peace building even in the midst of violent conflict? Join Reza Aslan and Miriam Udel, authors of A Kids Book About Israel & Palestine and Honey on the Page, in conversation on charting a course toward peace and understanding.

Book copies will be available for purchase, with Reza Aslan and Miriam Udel signing books after the program.

A Kids Book About Israel & Palestine by Reza Aslan
What is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Why is it happening? Is peace possible? When kids ask questions like these, are grownups prepared to answer? This book was created to provide context for this conflict, open the door to conversation, and lay a path for understanding, peace, and compassion for our shared future.

Honey on the Page by Miriam Udel
This exquisite collection offers a feast of beguiling original translations of stories and poems for children. Arranged thematically—from school days to the holidays—the book spans the Yiddish-speaking globe, taking readers from Jewish holidays and history to folktales and fables, from stories of humanistic ethics to multi-generational family sagas. 

This program is offered in partnership with UCLA Dialogue Across Difference Initiative, UCLA Bedari Kindness Institute, and The Jewish Studies Program at California State University, Northridge.

About the Participants

Reza Aslan (he/him) is a writer and scholar of religions. He lives in Los Angeles, California, with his wife and four kids, so he knows a thing or two about trying to solve conflicts.

Dr. Miriam Udel is Judith London Evans Director of the Tam Institute for Jewish Studies and associate professor of Yiddish language, literature, and culture at Emory University.

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