This event has passed
Date and Location
Anna Livia Arida
Join us for an intimate conversation with Dr. Eman Ansari, a Palestinian-American pediatrician and mother of four, and Guy Ben-Aharon, an Israeli-American theater director, writer and founder of the nonprofit The Jar, as they share their remarkable friendship that has only grown stronger amid one of the world's most intractable crisis. In a time when many feel pressured to "pick a side," Eman and Guy offer a different model: one rooted in shared humanity rather than division. Their first instinct on October 7th wasn't to retreat into their respective communities, but to reach out to one another and to their Palestinian and Israeli friends alike, mourning all loss of life equally. Through candid dialogue, tears, and moments of joy, they demonstrate what it means to refuse the binary, to see "our people" rather than "my people and your people," and to remain committed to connection even when the world around them fractures. This conversation will explore how friendship can be an act of resistance against dehumanization.
About the speakers:
Dr. Eman Khadra Ansari: is a Palestinian-American physician and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. She is trained in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine and Pediatric Pulmonology and practices Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital. dialogue, reflection, and community across differences. Dr. Ansari is also actively involved in joint Palestinian and Jewish community initiatives focused on justice, dignity, and the pursuit of a shared future rooted in mutual recognition and humanity. Her work reflects a belief that enduring solutions emerge not only from policy and power, but from sustained engagement, storytelling, and ethical courage.
Guy Ben-Aharon is a stage director, writer, and cultural entrepreneur.
As a theatre director, Guy’s work has been seen on stages in Austria, Canada, the UK and the US.
As a writer/essayist, his work has been published in major publications in over a dozen languages, including in The Atlantic, LA Times, Libération, der Spiegel, El Universal, among others.
As a cultural entrepreneur, he is the Founder & Executive Director of The Jar, an organization that inspires individuals to connect across difference. Through cultural experiences and a unique Convener Model whereby people gather with people who don't look, pray, or love like them, The Jar reduces polarization, increases social cohesion, and brings back a sense of joy and belonging into people's lives.
Moderator: Professor Mathias Risse, Berthold Beitz Professor in Human Rights, Global Affairs and Philosophy
*This event is part of the Car-Ryan Center 2026 Israel/Palestine Series. Please check out all the events at: https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/carr-ryan/our-work/carr-ryan-commentary/announcing-spring-2026-israelpalestine-event-series