An expert on transatlantic relations and engagement with the Middle East, Leah Pisar is currently Non-resident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council. Her professional path has been profoundly shaped by her family history. Her father, who survived Nazi death camps as a teenager, instilled in her the conviction that “there is no such thing as hereditary enemies.” Since his passing in 2015, she has carried forward this message through her work and public engagement. The arts—and music in particular—play a central role in this endeavor. She regularly narrates the libretto her father wrote for Leonard Bernstein’s Symphony No. 3, Kaddish, with major orchestras worldwide, including a landmark performance at Carnegie Hall in January 2025 commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. She has also chaired Project Aladdin, which works with governments, civil society leaders, and educators across the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Asia to foster understanding among Jews, Christians, and Muslims, even in times of heightened tension. Dr. Pisar began her career in public service during the Clinton Administration, serving at the National Security Council, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Embassy in Paris. She later directed programs at the French-American Foundation and authored a doctoral dissertation—published as a book—on Euro-American tensions surrounding the Iraq War. She serves on several advisory councils and boards, including the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. She holds degrees from Harvard College, Sciences Po, and a PhD from the University of Paris (Panthéon-Assas).
