Pre 9/11, few secular Americans put much thought into the schism between the West and the Middle East, other than a lingering aftertaste from last century's Iranian hostage crisis and the first Gulf War. Addressing this in the summer of 2001, a group of forward-thinking Angelenos with Middle Eastern roots would soon seem almost prescient in their founding of the Levantine Cultural Center (LCC)—an attempt to narrow the gap between the United States and the Arab/Muslim world before it became a chasm. Unlike other peace talks, this one would focus on artistic and educational exchanges.

Aslan Media (Staff Writer)

As summer quickly approaches, many of us will inevitably reminisce about years gone by. The end of school brought about warm evenings huddled with friends beneath a blanket of stars, singing folk tunes like "Cumbaya" or even Disney classics like "Hakuna Matata". At some point in between the campfire smores and gossip about the latest high school "crush," childhood delivered one of life's most poignant messages: the similarities we share are stronger than the differences that separate us.

By Ryan Torok, Jewish Journal

A social networking site recently featured Israelis, Palestinians and others chatting together online about the crisis in Libya and its implications for Israeli-Palestinian relations. Elsewhere on the site, a circulating letter of Jewish support for Egypt gathered signatures and a discussion forum featured photos of daily life in Gaza, which has prompted more than 200 comments.

Welcome to MEPEACE.org, where the goal is to mobilize moderates supportive of peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Eyal Raviv, the site's founder and executive director, believes that peace starts with each of us - the "ME" in MEPEACE stands for "Middle East" as well as for the users themselves.

By Orit Arfa, Jewish Journal

In Kamran Pasha's new historical novel, "Shadow of the Swords" (Simon & Schuster: $16), a feisty, beautiful Jewish heroine named Miriam falls in love with the legendary Muslim sultan, Saladin, as he seeks to guard the Holy Land from the Third Crusades at the turn of the 12th century. If that doesn't sound racy enough, Miriam is the fictional niece of Maimonides (aka Rambam for Jews and Ibn Maimum for Muslims), who is also Saladin's trusted adviser and courtier.

If a story about an extramarital affair between the niece of a great Jewish thinker and the leader of the Muslim world were set in contemporary times, it would probably make Romeo and Juliet read like a fairy tale.

Blog by Ryan Torok, Jewish Journal

The event, a fundraiser for the nonprofit, Free Tunisia, also featured Egyptian and Tunisian speakers, who spoke about their countries histories and their revolutions - propelled by youth determined to oust their longtime autocrat leaders. Levantine Center co-founder Jordan Elgrably, whose recent opinion piece in Al Jazeera says, among other things, that "Israel should be integrated into the mosaic of the Middle East. It is time to end the conflict that began with the belief that Arabs and Jews are historic enemies," helped organize the event.

"Hitbodedut" is a multimedia work by Khalid Hussein.: This piece is on display at the Levantine Cultural Center

Friday evening, the Levantine Cultural Center seemed to be the only source of life on West Pico Boulevard. While the rest of the shops lay quiet, conversation and light came from the center's large windows.

The Levantine Cultural Center occupies a modest space, changing to accommodate different events. Right now it's transformed into the Inside/Outside Gallery, displaying the artworks of Noah Haytin and UCLA alumnus Khalid Hussein. Here, most dialogue revolves around the Middle East and North America.

http://www.westsidetoday.com/n3887/east-west-gala-awards.html

East/West Gala Awards to Honor Jodie Evans, Bana Hilal and Roxana Saberi on December 1st.

The East-West Awards takes place at the Beverly Hills Women's Club, 1700 Chevy Chase, Drive, Beverly Hills CA 90210, with a red carpet cocktail and hors h 'douevres reception starting at 6:30 pm; dinner and entertainment, including stand-up comedy by Maz Jobrani, will follow at 7:30 pm. Individual dinner gala tickets are $100 until Nov. 24th and $125 thereafter. Tables (seating up to 10) are $800 till Nov. 24th, $1000 thereafter. Tickets are on sale now. RSVP to 310.657.5511.

Kudos to Levantine Cutural Center, an independent not-for-profit organization which presents the arts and cultures of the Middle East and North Africa and champions greater understanding of the Arab/Muslim world and building bridges between Americans and the Middle East/North Africa.

Recently, they hosted the screening of The Infidel, a movie starring British comic and actor Omid Djalili (The Mummy, Gladiator, Sex & The City 2, Pirates of the Caribbean 3) and Richard Schiff (The West Wing, I am Sam).

Omid Djalili, Richard SchiffThe British comedy "The Infidel" kicks off a new film series, "New Voices in Middle Eastern Cinema," Wednesday evening at the Harmony Gold Theater in Los Angeles.

British-Iranian comic actor Omid Djalili stars in the topical farce as a Muslim who is shocked to learn after his mother's death that he had been adopted. To complicate matters, he learns that his birth parents are Jewish. Richard Schiff of "The West Wing" fame also stars in the comedy (which had a brief theatrical run in L.A. this spring) as a Jewish cab driver. Both actors are scheduled to discuss the film after the screening.

Kamran Pasha
In Kamran Pasha's new historical novel, Shadow of the Swords (Simon & Schuster: $16), a feisty, beautiful Jewish heroine named Miriam falls in love with the legendary Muslim sultan, Saladin, as he seeks to guard the Holy Land from the Third Crusades at the turn of the 12th century. If that doesn't sound racy enough, Miriam is the fictional niece of Maimonides (aka Rambam for Jews and Ibn Maimum for Muslims), who is also Saladin's trusted adviser and courtier.