“Israeli-American violinist Itzhak Perlman said on Tuesday that receiving the 2016 Genesis Prize was ‘an incredible honor’ because he would be able to give away the million-dollar award to philanthropic projects promoting music and to people with disabilities,” writes Steve Linde in last Wednesday’s (6/22) Jerusalem Post (Israel). “Perlman, 70, has been disabled since contracting polio at the age of four…. Perlman said he considered the Genesis Prize special. ‘Some prizes you either get a medal or a bunch of money. My prize is to be able to give charity to whatever I feel is needed. … The two main goals are to give the money, number one, for music, and the second, to persons such as myself, who have a disability.’ … Perlman voiced the hope that he could use the prize ‘to change the attitudes of society toward people like myself, who have a disability…. I have a very simple philosophy. One has to separate the abilities from the disabilities. The fact I cannot walk, that I need crutches or a scooter or whatever it is, has nothing to do with my playing the violin.’ ” To read Perlman’s speech on receiving the Genesis Prize, click here.
Posted June 29, 2016
