The
Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
, the
All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Center
, and the
Foundation for Ethnic Understanding (FFEU)
, will co-host a festive dinner this evening to meet and dialogue with members of the first Mission of European Imams and Rabbis to the United States. The event will take place at the ADAMS Center
The
visiting imams and rabbis
, who are among the top Jewish and Muslim spiritual leaders in Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Norway, and Russia, will be traveling to New York and Washington from July 20-23. The purpose of the Mission, which is jointly sponsored by ISNA, FFEU, and the World Jewish Congress, is to introduce European rabbis and imams to the pioneering work of ISNA and the FFEU in strengthening Muslim-Jewish relations in North America.
Last fall, the FFEU established the
Weekend of Twinning
program, in consultation with ISNA and the Muslim Public Affairs Council. This very successful effort brought more than forty mosques and more than forty synagogues from across the continent, representing over 10,000 Muslims and Jews, for the purposes of confronting Islamophobia and antisemitism. In conjunction with the numerous events across the country, The Weekend of Twinning coincided with two widely-seen public calls for an end to antisemitism and Islamophobia, a full-page advertisement in the New York Times and a broadcast public service announcement on CNN. The ad featured six imams and six rabbis from across the US, noting, “We are Children of Abraham. We are rabbis and imams standing side by side, knowing that our words and our actions will determine our future.” The goal of the Weekend of Twinning, continuing into its second year this November, is to engage Jewish and Muslim leaders and their local congregations in dialogue to strengthen relationships between both communities and fight intolerance.
The FFEU is a national non-profit dedicated to strengthening relations between ethnic communities, “committed to the belief that direct, face-to-face dialogue between ethnic communities is the most effective path towards the reduction of bigotry and the promotion of reconciliation and understanding.”
Speakers at this evening’s dinner will include ISNA National Interfaith Director Dr. Sayyid Syeed, Imam Mohamed Magid of the ADAMS Center, FFEU President Rabbi Marc Schneier, and Rabbi Gerry Serotta, co-founder of
Clergy Beyond Borders
.
All Muslim and Jewish dietary laws will be observed.
Source:
http://www.examiner.com/
