By all accounts, the eighth annual edition of The Gathering at Keystone College was once again a huge success.
The three-day symposium, conducted on campus July 17-20, featured a full schedule of lectures, workshops, performances, and discussions. The theme for this year’s event was, “On Edge” as participants examined their own creative “edginess” where new ideas are born. Highlights of the event included a timely panel discussion on “Searching for Common Ground in the Middle East.”
Photo One: Teacher, journalist and radio producer Sandy Tolan makes a point during the Middle East panel discussion. Mr. Tolan is the author of the book, The Lemon Tree: An Arab, A Jew and the Heart of the Middle East.
Photo Two: Acclaimed Palestinian-American author and poet, Ibtisam Barakat, addresses the audience during the Middle East Panel discussion. She is the author of the book: Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood.
Photo Three: Keystone College President Dr. David Coppola leads the Middle East panel discussion with (from left) Sandy Tolan; Rabbi Eugene Korn, American Director of the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation in Israel and Senior Research Fellow at Beit Morasha of Jerusalem’s Institute for Religion and Society; and Ibtisam Barakat.
Photo Four: Lara Gomez, Liza Gomez, and Yael Shacham, members of the Mara Fanyi African Drum Dance and Song group, perform African music during a get together at Spring Hill Farm in Dalton.
Photo Five: Dancer, actress and teacher Judine Somerville addresses the audience during her presentation. Among other accomplishments, Ms. Somerville has performed on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning musical, Hairspray.
