Jews and Muslims break bread and stereotypes
Nicole Neroulias/Religion News Service
Issue date: 12/7/08 Section: Divine Intervention
NEW YORK -- The mistrust and misconceptions between North America's Jews and Muslims may run thick and deep, but leaders of a new nationwide interfaith initiative say the two sides have more to learn than fear from each other.
That was the message issued on a recent weekend in more than 100 mosques and synagogues that signed up for a "Weekend of Twinning'' in hopes of forming relationships to confront the dual threats of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.
"For generations, there has been a series of misunderstandings by Jews and Muslims on what the other religious community believes and practices,'' said Rabbi Marc Schneier, head of the New York-based Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, which organized the events.
"These misperceptions and other societal and political factors have unfortunately led to tensions between our two communities.''
The effort grew out of a resolution passed at the National Summit of Imams and Rabbis last year in New York, which was hosted by Schneier's organization. Kick-off events were held in California, Florida and New York, and Schneier hopes to make it an annual event, expanding to Europe next year.
The Diaspora communities may clash over the long-running Israeli/Palestinian conflict, but they can still find common ground at home, which could eventually contribute to better global relations, said Gustav Niebuhr, author of "Beyond Tolerance: Searching for Interfaith Understanding in America.''
"Meeting and talking is a significant thing,'' said Niebuhr, a former New York Times religion reporter who now teaches at Syracuse University."It doesn't work for everybody, but it leads to some familiarity, and I think anything that goes toward busting stereotypes is a good thing.''
America's emerging Muslim community can also learn from the success of the Jewish Diaspora, both in creating strong faith-based programs and in becoming integral parts of government and secular institutions, Niebuhr added.
That was the message issued on a recent weekend in more than 100 mosques and synagogues that signed up for a "Weekend of Twinning'' in hopes of forming relationships to confront the dual threats of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.
"For generations, there has been a series of misunderstandings by Jews and Muslims on what the other religious community believes and practices,'' said Rabbi Marc Schneier, head of the New York-based Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, which organized the events.
"These misperceptions and other societal and political factors have unfortunately led to tensions between our two communities.''
The effort grew out of a resolution passed at the National Summit of Imams and Rabbis last year in New York, which was hosted by Schneier's organization. Kick-off events were held in California, Florida and New York, and Schneier hopes to make it an annual event, expanding to Europe next year.
The Diaspora communities may clash over the long-running Israeli/Palestinian conflict, but they can still find common ground at home, which could eventually contribute to better global relations, said Gustav Niebuhr, author of "Beyond Tolerance: Searching for Interfaith Understanding in America.''
"Meeting and talking is a significant thing,'' said Niebuhr, a former New York Times religion reporter who now teaches at Syracuse University."It doesn't work for everybody, but it leads to some familiarity, and I think anything that goes toward busting stereotypes is a good thing.''
America's emerging Muslim community can also learn from the success of the Jewish Diaspora, both in creating strong faith-based programs and in becoming integral parts of government and secular institutions, Niebuhr added.
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