We live in a world of guns, bombs and terror. To conquer hate seems a nigh-impossible task.

In my world, history comes down to language and art. No one cares much about what battles were fought, who won them and who lost them - unless there is a painting, a play, a song or a poem that speaks of the event.

No doubt unity is something to be desired, to be striven for, but it cannot be willed into being by mere declarations.

I am determined to give the Yiddish language a fighting chance to survive.

If I have one vanity wish, it would be to direct. It's the only thing I haven't done yet that I would like to.

'Visiting Mr. Green' is a good play. I enjoy being in it, and I have a wonderful colleague, Aidan deSalaiz, to work with. Audiences like it a lot. What's not to like?

I refuse to do shows that are narrowly constructed, that appeal to only one sentiment. I do a lot of Jewish material in front of non-Jews and a lot of non-Jewish material in front of Jews on the simple theory that the non-Jews are entitled to a glimpse of a Jewish world and the Jews are entitled to a glimpse of the world.