‘Home’ from Home Brings People Together Through Song

Qinglan Du Jingkids

This pandemic has done nothing but drive us apart, right? We’ve been confined to our houses and isolated from society. But it’s during these times of separation that a universal force truly brings us together: music.

‘Home’ From Home is a project initiated by the Jerusalem Youth Chorus in mid-March, which is when the COVID-19 outbreak first began to reach the region. The Jerusalem Youth Chorus is a choral and dialogue program for Palestinian and Israeli youth founded by Yale graduate Micah Hendler back in 2012. It has been thriving ever since as a program for peace based in the heart of the holy land.

With the pandemic affecting their weekly rehearsals, the chorus decided to take their anthem – “Home” by Phillip Phillips – and open it up to the world, reaching out to their friends and families who could record themselves singing at home. They attracted a massive group of participants, including stars like Ari Afsar and Joanna Jones from the smash-hit musical “Hamilton” as well as over 10 students from Beijing.

The resultant video posted on YouTube is a stunningly beautiful collaboration. At the beginning of the video, each chorus member shared where home was for them. Some of them were neighborhoods apart while others were cities apart. Yet the funny thing about this pandemic is that suddenly, distance doesn’t matter anymore; everyone’s equally close and equally far.

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These teenagers have, without a doubt, have created a virtual home, not only for one another but for all those they welcomed into the project. They recognized that many were struggling with the COVID-19 crisis, whether it’s combatting racism, economic losses, or even the disease itself, and sought to ease this situation through music.

The concept of home is the simplest yet most complex. The same can be said for many foreigners living in Beijing. Some have spent years upon end exploring the hutongs, feasting on jianbings, and blending in with the local culture. For them, Beijing has become a second home. Then there are newcomers who entered quarantine before properly acquainting with this home. Their deepest impressions are of their compound and the view outside their window.

If you’re a teenager looking for a way to make a difference, this is the perfect opportunity to draw inspiration from the Jerusalem Youth Chorus. Simply pick a favorite song and record yourself singing along at home. Invite friends and family to participate and remember, the more the merrier. You could even contact your school’s music teacher and organize for the whole class or grade to contribute. It’s a superb way of staying in touch and strengthening connections, and you don’t need to be a singer or instrumentalist for this to thrive, all you need to have is faith in the power of your voice.

If you put together everyone’s individual videos you’ll see that quarantine isn’t a barrier, it’s a portal. Together we can show the world that the coronavirus isn’t breaking us down, it’s building us up; that we’re not “stuck” at home, we’re learning the importance of a home.

Qinglan Du is a 16-year-old student from Beijing CityInternational School. She’s originally from Beijing but is currently living inJerusalem with her mother due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Aside from her passionfor writing, she enjoys singing, spending time with friends and family, andexperiencing new cultures.

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Photos: "Home" from Home

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