Sharon Stone brings big love to Jerusalem hospital
Actress tours Hadassah’s pediatric AIDS unit to greet Israeli, Palestinian children; will meet publicly with Peres on Thursday

She’s perhaps better known for her role in the 1992 erotic thriller, “Basic Instinct,” but actress Sharon Stone is also a friend of President Shimon Peres, and she’s here to celebrate his 90th birthday.
While Stone was attending Tuesday evening’s birthday celebration featuring Barbra Streisand, Robert De Niro and other performers, she will also meet publicly with Peres on Thursday.
In the meantime, she has been touring Israel and spent some time Tuesday visiting Hadassah University Hospital in Ein Kerem, meeting with Professor Dan Engelhard, head of Hadassah’s pediatric AIDS unit.

Stone, a long-time AIDS activist, made bedside visits to hospitalized children, and commented on the importance of not making all memories about loss and grieving.
“Each of us has a destiny to be with these children and to bring their messages forward in our lives,” she said.
After her private meeting with Engelhard, Stone sat with the children and staff of the hospital school and shared her vision for peace in Israel. The children, who were having a lesson on giving, presented Stone with letters written on paper hearts. A staff member translated one letter written by a 12-year-old girl living in East Jerusalem, that said, “I love you very, very much.”
Stone looked to the crowd of children and hospital staff surrounding her at the table. “This is what it’s all about, isn’t it?” she said.
For Stone, peace is about loving the individual. “In the end, if we love each child as ourselves, and we never stop doing that, then we love each adult as ourselves. Because all we do is get a little bit taller,” said Stone.
“I think that we can have peace in the Middle East now. The minute that we just do it. It’s like going to the gym.” Stone said. “When do you not want to be fat? Today. When do you want to be in shape? Today. When do you want to stop being mean? How about today?”
Stone, a convert to Buddhism, said that we must make small changes and forgive people on the individual level, which can have even an international effect.

“If each individual person wants peace and wants happiness, what choice does the government have but to act accordingly?”
“I love Israel, I love the food, I love the people,” she said, adding that this love for Israel should extend across borders.
“Do you know what’s the smartest thing?” she asked the young patients at her table. “Loving.”