If the victims are my problem, the killers are yours.

Go over to Greece with the Iliad and Odyssey. These have elements of history, and they have non-historical elements. It's very difficult to pull them apart. And I think there's not much reason to.

I come from a tradition - from the Jewish tradition, which believes in words, in language, in communication.

We must choose between the violence of adults and the smiles of children.

Pain is essential. Often I cannot avoid it.Therefore all one can do is redeem it; and the only way to redeem it is through literature, art, poetry, music.

Next to him lay his violin, trampled, an eerily poignant little corpse.

It was the beginning of the war. I was twelve years old, my parents were alive, and God still dwelt in our town.