EARLY INFLUENCES

Harun was born in Israel to Muslim parents living in an Arab village called Abu Gosh, near Jerusalem. Known as “Little Switzerland” for its beauty, Abu Gosh is believed to be the town of Kirjath Jearim of the Bible, the resting place for the Ark of the Covenant before King David returned it to Jerusalem (1 Samuel 7:1-2). He says his parents were exemplary people. “Thanks to our parents’ wisdom and good heart, our home became a miniature model of a diverse community where each of the eleven siblings lived respectfully of the others. One of my mother’s educational goals was to teach us to embrace others and love everyone … for example, it was forbidden to tell racist jokes in our home. I think this is how I learned to accept many kinds of personalities and viewpoints,”

See Full Page