Ringmaster of coexistence

By Thomas O'Dwyer

Not many people would associate Alan B. Slifka, the 70-year-old philanthropist and coexistence pioneer, with clowning around.

Nor would anyone guess that some of the inspiration for his coexistence work came from a circus. His circus.

Many years ago Slifka founded the Big Apple Circus to bring classical European style circus arts to the United States, and it gained international renown.

"Watching cooperation is joyful,” he says. “The circus is a metaphor for coexistence, for people being able to do amazing things just by cooperating.”

Given his venture capitalist background, it is a surprise to hear Slifka define himself as a "social entrepreneur." It is even more surprising to learn that the Big Apple Circus was a not-for-profit venture.

In May 2000 the Israeli parliament awarded Slifka its Medal of Honor as co-founder and chairman of the Abraham Fund, dedicated to furthering coexistence between Jews and Arabs.

For a decade the fund has backed his ideals with hard cash - a million dollars a year for joint projects in schools, summer camps, hospitals and charities.

 
"I got into this when I first visited Israel and asked about Arabs, only to discover that all of my Jewish friends didn't seem to know any Arabs," Slifka says.

"I'd come to the Middle East to look for Arabs - they're in the Middle East you know - and no one could introduce me to an Arab."