Muslim - Jewish Dialogue
“Avram Went… and His Children Followed”
Stephen Julius Stein
This year, 44 Los Angeles Jews, Christians, and Muslims traveled to Israel and Jordan on a ten-day pilgrimage. Upon arrival, we realized that the Jews and Christians would “cruise” through border control, but what about the Muslims? Security had received a communiqu
Twenty-four hours later the evening stars sparkled above Nazareth. The Christians were [...]
Dialoguing Text Study
Reuven Firestone
DIALOGUE, WHICH IS DERIVED FROM two Greek words that mean “speaking across,” is any kind of discourse that involves exchange, oral or written, polemical or harmonizing. Traditional Jewish learning in the style of machaloqet (taking opposing positions on principle and working through them) is dialogical at its core. Dialogue between people of different religions [...]
We Have Never Seen…
Lee Meyerhoff Hendler
WHILE LAYING OUT the system for tzedakah collection in the Mishneh Torah, Maimonides declares “We have never seen nor heard of an Israelite community that does not have an alms fund.” To Maimonides, who was in contact with Jewish communities throughout the Diaspora, it was inconceivable that a self-policing Jewish community would exist [...]
Muslims and Jews: Conflict and Dialogue
BY ITS VERY NATURE the conflict in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinian people has taken many forms, including inter-ethnic and inter-State conflict. In the course of these permutations, the religious dimensions of the conflict have, at different times, appeared as more or less salient. On the whole, however, the religious idiom has [...]
Muslim and Jewish Teens Build Understanding Through Dialogue and Action
Michael and Adina are graduating seniors in Chicago’s public magnet high schools. Umar attends college in Chicago. All three participate in programs developed by the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), a Chicago-based nonprofit that combines service learning and a shared values methodology to bring together religious youth from diverse faith traditions to work for a common [...]
Jewish-Muslim Dialogue in America: Challenges and Opportunities
David Dolev and Salma Kazmi
IN AMERICA, Jews and Muslims have the opportunity to foster creative, fruitful relationships. In order to do so, we must decide consciously to walk down a path of engagement and understanding — recognizing the inherent worth of each human being.
Four core obstacles threaten a constructive process of dialogue. The first is [...]
We Have Never Seen…
Lee Meyerhoff Hendler
WHILE LAYING OUT the system for tzedakah collection in the Mishneh Torah, Maimonides declares “We have never seen nor heard of an Israelite community that does not have an alms fund.” To Maimonides, who was in contact with Jewish communities throughout the Diaspora, it was inconceivable that a self-policing Jewish community would exist [...]
Discussion Guide – Muslim – Jewish Dialogue
1. What is the relevance of Muslim-Jewish dialogue and what might come from that dialogue? Will dialogue impact the future of the Middle East? If not, why bother? What are the obstacles to dialogue?
2. How can we trust that our partners in dialogue are honest and not making antisemitic comments in other forums?
3. What are the crucial factors leading to periods of flexibility and openness to other religions, and periods of rigidity and closure?
4. What is the nature of religiously articulated responsibility within Judaism toward others?that is, toward the community existing beyond its boundaries?
5. What are the most important Jewish values that bear on your personal openness to engage the other?
