We live in a world where strangers—immigrants, minorities, religious and ethnic groups—are not welcomed. Rather, they are neglected, dismissed, targeted, and persecuted. Rather than be the subjects of our compassion, they are the objects of our worst impulses and behaviors.

Artists are thought leaders, uniquely positioned to elevate how we welcome the stranger, and ish Festival provides a creative environment in which to explore this topic. To Welcome the Stranger is a concept rooted in Jewish religious texts. In every articulation of the commandment, the Torah (Jewish biblical text) expects the collective experience of the Jewish people, who were themselves “strangers in the Land of Egypt,” to sensitize them to the plight of foreigners and refugees in their midst.

To Welcome the Stranger may inspire artists to reflect on inclusion, diversity, tolerance, compassion, and humanitarianism. The theme may also inspire artists to grapple with the subject in other ways. We believe art forms a powerful tool to break down barriers, express our values and traditions with pride, forge connections, and deepen our understanding of what it means to be authentically human. We hope this theme will encourage artists and participants to further explore our shared human responsibility to be welcoming.