As a Christian, I believe (as the Jews) that we need to care deeply about the souls of men, women, and children all over the world. However, I would like to comment on your desire that religious communities would take actions that “together embody God’s commands to seek peace, feed the poor, heal the earth.” God, through Isaiah, has just been quoted in a passage that commands each one fasting to:

* loose the bands of wickedness

* undo the heavy burdens

* let the oppressed go free

* break every yoke

* deal your bread to the hungry

* bring into your house the poor that are cast out

* cover the naked

* hide not yourself from your own flesh.

This is good and acceptable, but what about the command to “heal the earth”? It is absent. God promises in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that He will heal His people’s land Himself if they follow the command to “humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways.” God’s people are those called by His name, as expressed earlier in the same verse. Being a Rabbi, the writer will know that YHWH is speaking in this passage of Scripture. Those called by YHWH’s name are His people. Yet the Muslims worship another god rather than the true Lord of the Bible, in that Allah was already worshiped by an idolatrous religion before Muhammed founded Islam. Only the biblical, original Judeo-Christian ethic teaches true worship of YHWH (manifest as Jesus according to Christianity) as He truly is. I know not what course others may take, but the God of the Bible is the only way if He is to be believed at all. “I the LORD [YHWH] thy God am a jealous God,” He says in Exo. 20:5 and Deut 5:9 (see also Exo. 34:14, Deut. 4:24). He will not share His glory with the gods of other faiths (see Isaiah 42:8). I know that you are trying to promote peace between people, but God’s prophets preached persuasion when the people turned to other gods. This was not done out of intolerance, but because of a deep love and concern for the souls of their fellowhumans. I believe it is not exclusive to say that Jesus Christ (YHWH) is the only way, because the Bible teaches that converts should be treated just as though they had always been God’s people. Although Orthodox Jews do not believe the books of the New Testament to be God’s Word, I hope that you will understand how the following verses harmonize with the Old Testament message: “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?…as God hath said, ‘I will dwell in them [meaning in God’s people], and walk in them…’ Wherefore come out from among them [the heathen], and be ye separatem saith the Lord…” (taken from 2 Corinthians 6:16-17). This does not mean to disassociate with everyone who is not of our faith, but it means rather to be separate (i.e., different) from them and not to form our closest relationships (such as marriage and other close unions) with them. Jesus Christ ate with sinners and showed compassion on them. Many people whom He healed never converted to His religion. Yet he still healed them and loved them. I don’t believe in interfaithism, but I do believe in reaching out in LOVE, rather than violence, to share my faith in Jesus.