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First Jewish/Muslim Professorship
in the World to be Launched in Chicago
By Susan Bradford
In a global community in which an ill-spoken word or careless action on one side of the planet can ricochet to the other, Jews and Muslims must come together to dialogue, forge understandings, and work collaboratively towards peace. In an effort to enhance Jewish-Muslim relations, the world’s first visiting professorship in Jewish/Muslim Dialogue will be launched jointly next month by the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Chicago-Kent School of Law.
This position follows the public diplomacy of Undersecretary Karen Hughes and a number of symbolic and substantive developments in Jewish/Muslim relations, which have been initiated by Ambassador Akbar Ahmed, the Chair of Islamic Studies at American University who has been described by the BBC as “the world’s leading authority on contemporary Islam.”
Having served as a catalyst for this initiative, Ahmed will deliver two inaugural lectures on the “importance of Jewish/Muslim dialogue” November 28 and 29 in Chicago. “This comes at a critical time in world history when the world religions cannot afford to have conflict,” Ahmed said. “A rumor of the Quran’s desecration at Guantanamo Bay can easily foment riots, killings, and terrorism in other parts of the world.”
Therefore, Ahmed said, there is a need to build bridges between Muslims and Jews. As Ahmed points out, messengers in the Old and New Testament, including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, are highly revered and provide a theological foundation for Islam.
The new initiative builds on Ahmed’s work in interfaith dialogue, which led to the unity march in the nation’s capitol. On the anniversary of 9/11, Ahmed was joined by his colleagues, Washington Hebrew Congregation Rabbi Bruce Lustig and Washington Bishop John, and followers of various faiths, for a reverential walk to churches, synagogues, and mosques. “The message to the world from Washington, DC needs to be one of peace, unity, and compassion,” Ahmed said.
Ahmed’s journey has not been an easy one. When he first initiated interfaith dialogues in the United States, Ahmed received death threats and hate mail. Lustig and Chane were similarly maligned.
However, Ahmed persevered, joining UCLA Professor Judea Pearl – the father of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl -- in a series of public Muslim-Jewish dialogues across the country and abroad, dramatically impacting relations between Israel and the Muslim world.
At one of Ahmed’s recent dialogues with Pearl in Ottawa, for example, the Pakistani and Israeli ambassador were publicly seen sitting side by side. Israeli and Pakistani Counsel Generals – representing predominantly Jewish and Muslim countries respectively – participated in another interfaith dialogue. At the United Nations Summit, moreover, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon shook hands, even though neither country has formal ties with the other. Undersecretary Karen Hughes has also expressed interest in joining Ahmed, Chane, and Lustig in interfaith dialogue.
Ahmed has the ear of President Bush, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Hughes and is helping shape America’s public diplomacy towards the Muslim world. Notably, during her recent listening tour to the Middle East, Hughes stressed interfaith dialogue. “As the world’s superpower, the United States must set the moral standard on how other countries treat and perceive Muslims,” Ahmed said.
While Ahmed is working tirelessly to improve interfaith dialogue and the way in which countries and individuals of other faiths engage Islam, he also has appealed to his fellow Muslims to categorically condemn violence and marginalize those in their communities who support terrorist activities. A highly sought speaker in Muslim circles, Ahmed is unique in that he delivers the same message of compassion and dialogue to both Muslim and Western audiences. He reminds Muslims of the peaceful, loving core of their faith, exemplified by the 13 th -century Sufi poet Jalauddin Muhammad Ar-Rumi, who extols both the Prophet Muhammed and Jesus. “We, as a global community, are at crossroads and can either choose the path of violence or the path of peace,” Ahmed said.
Ahmed noted with humility the honor he felt as a Muslim when he was described by Chief Rabbi of the UK, Dr. Jonathan Sacks, as a “role model of supreme grace and dignity” for Muslims. This unprecedented recognition by a Jew towards a Muslim is not something Ahmed takes lightly. Once a solitary voice urging interfaith dialogue, Ahmed is finally realizing the fruits of his efforts. “My mission is far from over,” he said. “I appeal to Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike to work with us, to help us.” The newly minted Jewish/Muslim professorship is a step in that direction.
Susan Bradford is a prominent journalist and writer who has worked for Fox News Channel, CBS News, PBS Red Car Film Project, City News Service, and the European Review.
Oct. 18, 2005
St. Petersburg Times - October 14, 2005
Synagogue welcomes Muslim speaker
The director of a local Islamic group stresses the similarities
of both religions during their observance of holy days
By SHANNON TAN
CLEARWATER - Thursday was Yom Kippur, Judaism's holiest day, and it also happened to be one of the blessed days of Ramadan.
Ahmed Bedier, director of the Central Florida office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, was invited to speak at Congregation Beth Shalom. Rabbi David Weizman suggested that he speak on the afterlife, but Bedier had a different idea.
"We're all starving," Bedier noted, as both Jews and Muslims were fasting Thursday.
Religion can divide people or bring them together, Bedier said. He chose to unite the group Thursday by discussing the similarities between Judaism and Islam.
"We don't have to talk about whether to resolve the Middle East conflict today," he joked.
Bedier pointed out that both religions share a true belief in God. Muslims and Jews believe in prophets and messengers. They fast. They give alms. They pray.
He told a story about how the prophet Mohammed was told by God to pray 50 times a day. Then Mohammed met Moses, who pointed out that Jews pray only three times a day. After some negotiating, God agreed to let Muslims pray just five times a day.
Fascinated, the group of more than 35 people peppered Bedier with questions.
Why the name Ramadan? Are there religious differences between the Shiites and the Sunnis? Are all Muslims Arab? When you say praise Allah, is Allah God? What are your prayers like?
Bedier explained that Muslims have a washing ritual before praying if they perform an impure act such as going to the restroom or passing gas. He demonstrated how they face Mecca to pray.
What does the Koran say about the afterlife for Jews and Christians who don't accept Allah as God? "It's not clear if they're going to hell or not," Bedier said. "Ultimately, God is the judge."
Leslie Freedman, 55, of Clearwater, said she was glad Bedier's talk was so positive. "It was wonderful," she said. "I loved his openness."
It was the first time Bedier had visited a Conservative synagogue. Rabbi Weizman met Bedier at interfaith services in the aftermath of the tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. Since Weizman was unable to attend an interfaith celebration in St. Petersburg, he invited Bedier to speak at the Clearwater temple instead.
Bedier said he'd also like to invite rabbis to speak at local mosques….
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/10/14/Northpinellas/Synagogue_welcomes_Mu.shtml
Jewish Times - October 14, 2005
Jews, Muslims, gather for joint holidays
Andrew Scherr
Last Monday night, Oct. 10, Jewish and Muslim students at Johns Hopkins University learned they have a lot in common. For instance, the two groups have coinciding holidays, Yom Kippur and Ramadan, both of which involve fasting. In addition, they seem to share a mutual desire to learn about each other, as well as a penchant for kosher Chinese food.
At the height of the midterm season, 165 students broke away from their textbooks to attend the second annual High Holy Day/Ramadan Banquet. Co-sponsored by the Jewish and Muslim student associations at Hopkins, the event took place in the midst of the Jewish High Holidays and the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.
During these highly spiritual and politically charged times, the event gave the students of different backgrounds an opportunity to interact and learn about each other's traditions.
"This campus has an environment of not just tolerance across religious, cultural and ethnic lines, but a real respect and desire to learn from each other," said Rabbi Joe Menashe, director of Hopkins' Hillel. "It sounds trite but there is much more that unites us as humans than divides us, and this is a small effort by two communities to celebrate that fact."
Rabbi Menashe pointed out that the banquet was organized almost entirely by students from both organizations. Two students who co-organized the event were Joshua Lerman, the JSA's education chair, and Moktar Sheikh-Salah, religious brothers chair of the MSA.
Mr. Lerman said the JSA removed all Jewish imagery and iconography from the banquet room before the arrival of the Muslims, since the latter group is forbidden to pray in front of other religion's symbols. Similarly, the Muslims agreed that the cuisine served at the gathering would be kosher to accommodate kashrut- observant Jews.
"This is to promote humanity more than religious ideologies," Mr. Sheikh-Salah said. "In the end, Jews and Muslims are just trying to be good people."
Mr. Lerman said that twice as many people showed up at the banquet than expected. "Even though there is a calc test, a systems test and a neuro-science test tomorrow, people came out anyway," Mr. Lerman said. "They come out because they enjoy meeting people they don't normally meet."
As the students poured into the center, Rabbi Menashe briefly greeted everyone and requested silence so the Muslim students could perform their traditional prayer for iftar, the breaking of the fast during Ramadan. The Muslim students congregated in the corner of the room and prayed for nearly 20 minutes while the other students observed them in respectful silence.
After the Muslims finished their prayer, they rejoined the Jewish students in the buffet line where some served food along with JSA president Rebecca L. Grammer and Rachael Heinmann, Hopkins' assistant Hillel director. The students subsequently sat together and schmoozed over orange chicken and kosher spring rolls.
Toward the end of the meal, a Muslim and a Jewish student spoke in front of the audience about the significance of fasting in their respective religions.
"It feels good to be with other people who are worshipping and fasting," said Amira Quraishi, adviser for the MSA at Hopkins. "This allows [students] to share their spirituality in a mixed context."…..
http://www.jewishtimes.com/News/5104.stm
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