Training 80 Youth Encounter Leaders

The Jewish-Arab Interreligious Dialogue course with Dr. Ben Mollov (in cooperation with the IEA) at Bar-Ilan University, now in its seventh year, was a wonderful and enriching experience that broadened our perspectives and contributed greatly to our personal growth. It was especially enjoyable to meet people from different religious and cultural backgrounds, get to know them personally, and learn about their beliefs and experiences. Throughout the course, we explored how religion can serve as a bridge for understanding, dialogue, emphasizing mutual respect, self-respect and mutual enrichment between different communities.

During the course, we visited both a synagogue and a mosque, where we learned about the traditions, practices, and importance of each place of worship. We also explored the role of pilgrimage in both religions, the major holidays in their respective religious calendars, and the place of women and family life within Judaism and Islam. Another important topic was learning about the respective religious leaders and their roles within each community. We also compared Halacha and Sharia and discussed religious dietary laws, including the similarities and differences between kosher and halal practices.

Some of the main highlights included hearing personal stories, asking questions in an open and respectful environment, and discovering both the differences and shared values between religions. These visits and discussions helped us understand that, despite differences in traditions and practices, there are many common values and principles that can bring people together. Overall, these experiences made the course meaningful, memorable, and enjoyable for all of us.

The respectful and apolitical environment of the course set by Dr. Mollov created a safe place to share, ask, laugh, compare traditions and ultimately, to get to know people by putting aside stigmas and stereotypes.

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