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

I have always striven to raise the voice of hope for a world where hate gives way to respect and oppression to liberation.

After the advent of the written word, the masses who could not - or were not permitted to - read, were given sermons by the few who could.

You don't really need modernity in order to exist totally and fully. You need a mixture of modernity and tradition.

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

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.

You can't expect the entire world to come to New York to see you. You have to travel to them.