“A lot of my friends in my student days complained about how their parents made them play an instrument when they were kids. I always felt compassion for them and didn't believe a parent could be so cruel, but when I check today, those complaining friends grew up to be quite successful, and many of them are now making their children play.”

Palestinian Israeli author and journalist

Sayed Kashua is a Palestinian citizen of Israel and an author and journalist born in Tira, Israel. He is known for his books and for his humorous columns in Hebrew and English. Kashua writes across fiction and journalism, and his work has been noted for moving between languages and audiences. His columns, in particular, are associated with wit and social observation, reflecting the bilingual setting in which he writes.