Israel attacks almost led Mandy Patinkin to cancel concerts. This is why he didn't.

Mandy Patinkin has done thousands of interviews over the span of his four-decade, highly acclaimed career.

But he was considering canceling this one.

"It's hard to talk about entertainment and selling a concert and asking people to come in the midst of what we're all dealing with," he said, referencing the ambush Hamas attacks on Israel that killed more than a thousand people and subsequent Israeli strikes on Gaza.

He and his family wrote on Instagram, "Our hearts are broken. We cannot imagine what it is to live with terror on our doorstep, and the combination of grief and pain and fear and rage when families are callously murdered or taken hostage. For millennia, our people have had to flee and to live with terror."

They continued: "It's not lost on us that the victims of war are every person on either side who simply long for a home and for the sense of safety and belonging that all of us long for. War asks us to dehumanize the other, so what we're focusing on is the humanity of every woman, man and child who didn't ask for this, who didn't do this, who will not grow old to see their grandchildren grow up, as we are able to see ours. We stand for peace, and believe it is the only path by which we will ever get out of this."

The unthinkable situation had Patinkin even mulling the idea of pressing pause on his tour, "Being Alive."

Ultimately, though, he decided the power of music and connection was a balm the world needs right now.

He'll visit the State Theatre in New Brunswick on Oct. 20 and Montclair State University on Feb. 24, 2024.

"What I do for my life is to gather people together to share words, written by very gifted people, and music, and have extraordinary thoughts about the human condition and how to be alive, to take care of each other, ourselves, our neighbors and our world," said the Emmy and Tony Award winner, known for everything from his roles in the movies "Yentl" and "The Princess Bride" to TV shows "Chicago Hope" and "Criminal Minds" to the Broadway stage in such roles as Che in "Evita" and the title role in "Sunday in the Park With George."

His breadth of work gives him multitudes to choose from for performances.

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"There are thoughts and ideas that are available to every imaginable condition of our existence, including what we're all going through now," he said. "Helping humanity to understand our predicaments."

In fact, he says, it may be times like these that art and connection are needed most of all, "where we can be together and celebrate being together and being alive and being a community who cares about healing the pain and the broken hearts and and the lives that won't get to see their grandchildren. And finding a way out of this for all time, which is to find a way to make peace. I pray for peace."

The ephemeral nature of live performance and the ability of meaning to adapt over time also allow a live show to be a grounding and comforting presence.

"What I always say about the live performance venue versus movies or film or even recording is that we're all together and every word we say, every motion we make, every gesture, every note that is sung, every lyric that is expressed, is lived in that moment, as the Buddhists say," Patinkin explained.

"When there is an acute moment like the one we're living, the songs that you've sung a thousand times have a very unique meaning," he said. "The echoes will change, they'll be adjusted, but they'll constantly reflect what we're living, and they'll teach us how to be strong for those who don't have strength at this moment, and those who have a little strength and reserve, we need to live for others and help them live and and help us all get through this moment and find a way to peace."

'Being Alive' tour

Patinkin said when he sat down to put together the "Being Alive" tour (named after the Stephen Sondheim song from "Company," of course), he was looking for a way to bring people back together after the pandemic, and to celebrate life.

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"To be together, get strength from each other, get strength from wiser ones who've been here before us, or who are here with us now, who have the ability and the gift through their art to leave behind forever or create now in this moment, prayers, messages, lessons, guide posts, maps of how to exist and how to celebrate the privilege of being alive," he said.

Now, of course, his focus has shifted, but the core message of connection remains, as does the hope of bringing understanding.

"The key words to my existence are — I've always said if there are ever any words put anywhere — He. Tried. To. Connect. I think wherever you spin the globe and put your finger on the planet right now, we particularly need to help people try to connect for those who can't seem to find a way to. We must sit there and and be uncomfortable at times but never ever give up."

Patinkin calls the ability to be the "mailman" of these messages a great privilege.

And even in times of great sorrow, when our work seems too heavy, "we just have to wake up and do the best we can every second," he said.

GO: "Being Alive," with Adam Ben-David on piano:

8 p.m. Oct. 20, State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick; stnj.org/events/detail/mandy-patinkin.

8 p.m. Feb. 24, 2024, Alexander Kasser Theater at Montclair State University, 1 Normal Ave., Montclair; peakperfs.org/events

Ilana Keller is an award-winning journalist and lifelong New Jersey resident who loves Broadway and really bad puns. Reach out on Twitter: @ilanakeller; ikeller@gannettnj.com

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Mandy Patinkin moved by Israel, peace for 'Being Alive' concert tour