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.

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.

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.