New York: For generations, misunderstandings have existed between Jews and Muslims on what the other believes and practices. These misperceptions, as well as social and political factors, have unfortunately led to tensions between our two communities.
We are all the children of Abraham and like any sibling relationship it is vital for us both to remember our shared roots and support each other. The Weekend of Twinningsm is designed to foster and strengthen relationships between Jews and Muslims. This groundbreaking initiative joins together Jews and Muslims in their own communities at mosques and synagogues, as well as Muslim and Jewish students and young leadership groups.
Each year, participants pledge to work on an ongoing basis to combat Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. In some communities, this program is the beginning of interreligious activities between Muslims and Jews that we hope will continue for generations to come.
The first Weekend of Twinningsm was held in November 2008 and spearheaded by the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding (FFEU) in cooperation with the Islamic Society of North America, the Muslim Public Affairs Council and the World Jewish Congress. The twinning program resulted from a resolution passed at the National Summit of Imams and Rabbis hosted by FFEU in New York in 2007. In addition, the Weekend of Twinningsm has the support of His Majesty, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and it mirrors his vision to promote the moderate voices and cooperation with other faith communities.
In July 2009, FFEU led a Mission of European Imams and Rabbis to the United States, co-sponsored by the World Jewish Congress and the Islamic Society of North America. The imams and rabbis (28 in total) from France, Britain, Holland, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Norway and Russia interacted with US political leaders and social advocates, and discussed how to improve interreligious relations in their own communities. The mission concluded with a commitment by the European imams and rabbis to take part in the 2009 Weekend of Twinningsm in their home countries.
In November 2009, the second annual Weekend of Twinningsm of Mosques and Synagogues culminated in 100 mosques and 100 synagogues joining together under the theme “Building a Common Agenda” to embrace social issues together as one community. The twinning in Europe was launched in Paris at an event sponsored by the Jewish-Muslim Friendship Society of France, and co-sponsored by the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF), the Consistoire, the Great Mosque of Paris and the European Jewish Fund.
As a result of the July mission of European imams and rabbis, participation in the 2009 Weekend of Twinningsm expanded to include twinned congregations from seven European countries – Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium and Netherlands. In France, where Muslim-Jewish tensions have been especially high, 19 mosques and 19 synagogues twinned with one another, reinforcing the notion that reconciliation between the two faith communities is possible.
This year, throughout November and December, more than 100 mosques and 100 synagogues in 22 countries on four continents will participate in the Weekend of Twinningsm. On October 31, the twinning kicked off with a worldwide virtual twinning event during which participants from around the world heard reports on Jewish-Muslim initiatives underway in various countries.
In further support of our outreach efforts, we are announcing the publication of a new book that I am co-authoring with Imam Shamsi Ali, spiritual leader of the Islamic Cultural Center of New York, the largest and most prestigious mosque in New York City. We will analyze difficult and controversial passages from the Torah and the Quran, and present the voice of moderation in reviewing these sacred texts. The book will be an invaluable resource in advancing Muslim-Jewish relations to communities worldwide.
In the past three years, thousands of Jews and Muslims from California, New York and Toronto, as well as London, Paris, Brussels, Frankfurt and other European cities, have not only visited their respective houses of worship for the first time, but have also studied the Torah and Quran together, served meals side-by-side to poor and homeless people, and built meaningful friendships.
The Weekend of Twinningsm has time and time again shown us that Jews and Muslims can not only live together peacefully as neighbors, but also partner together to build a better community.
Rabbi Marc Schneier is Vice President of the World Jewish Congress and President of The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding. This article was written for Common Ground News Service www.commongroundnews.org
