Training 80 Youth Encounter Leaders

The group of Rabbis and Sheikhs met again on 16^th November with four Jews and four Muslims.

First we got to know the new people and reviewed several media articles that mentioned the group (the two versions of the YNET article got almost 5,000 likes!) and the meeting of the rabbi and sheikh coordinating the group and IEA director with the Special Advisor to US Secretary Kerry on Faith-Based Initiatives.

Then we moved to talking about the theme of the encounter – Sanctity of Life. Rabbi Yacov started by presenting several key Jewish texts on the theme: Bible, Genesis 1: 27: "God created Humanity in his own image, in the image of God he created them"

Rabbi Akiva, Mishna Avot 3:14: "Beloved are Humans who are created in the image of God"

Rabbi Akiva, Sifra: "love your neighbor as yourself" this is the essential principle of the Torah"

Rabbi Abraham Kook Chapter 1 "For the Perplexed of the Generation":

"That Humanity is created in the image of God, this is the essence of the entire Torah" Bible Genesis Chapter 18

17 And the LORD said: 'Shall I hide from Abraham that which I am doing; 18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice.

Then Sheikh Abu Wisam presented the Muslim perspective. The Quran respects others, especially Jews and Christians, and we know that this is also true for Judaism and Christianity. But unfortunately sometimes political issues cause separation between the people, with conflicts that are only between the political leaderships, not between the people. People want security and stability in their lives and for that we should live in mutual respect. There are indeed groups that seek power and wealth and political, not religious, goals, and misuse Islam to justify terrorism. These groups bring bad name to Islam and when we will return to the true Islam they will vanish. We should work together to rebuild the relations between the communities and put aside the mutual harms done. The original situation was good but the British imperialism deteriorated our relations. When we advance in restoring them – we could live in harmony together.

A long, friendly and vivid conversation followed the two presentations. Some of the points that were made were:

• The challenge is not in convincing people – they all want peace. The challenge is in the actual building of mutual respect and trust.
• The initiative should come from the Jewish side, which is stronger. This will bring strong positive response from the Muslim side.
• Empowerment of religion should give non-violent solutions to stress situations and this is our role as religious leaders. Religion also teaches us to be patient since the main part of the reward is in the next world.
• We are all guests on this land, which belongs to God, and our duty is to respect each other and live in peace, on the land of peace.

Links:

• IEA general website
• Recent updates page

Jerusalem-Bethlehem U. YIE group – 6.6.14

On Friday, June 6^th 2014 we met for the first time of the renewing Jerusalem-Bethlehem group. We met at the Austrian Hospice in the Old City of Jerusalem on a busy Friday.

We had coffee together and got to know each other. Most of the group includes young women, except for Rahhal – the Muslim coordinator. Acquaintance was pleasant and interesting.  Participants asked each other about Holidays that passed and approaching – Jewish Shavu'ot and Christian Pentecost. We also spoke a bit about future plans for the group and coming encounters. The encounter was moving and arose good expectation.

July 10^th 2014

On the 10^th of July we held the second encounter of the renewing Jerusalem-Bethlehem Youth Interfaith Encounter group, a group that is becoming a group of young women.

At the request of the Bethlehem participants, we visited the campus of the Hebrew University on Mt. Scopus. We went between the faculties, saw the wonderful views one can see from the campus, visited the synagogue and the mosque of the university and admired the view of the Old City.

Then we sat down at the café of Meirsdorf House, for a conversation about Jerusalem. During our conversation the sirens went off, so we had some experience of the war that is going on outside. But I think it wasn't only me who felt that we are in a pleasant bubble of sisterhood, friendship and peace, despite the events outside. With the hope that the next encounter will be held in a calmer atmosphere we fare welled.

Links:

• IEA general website
• Recent updates page