InterfaithNews.Net

With the latest tragedies in Israel and Palestine threatening to shatter
the uneasy truce of the past year, it feels heartening to read stories of
Muslims, Jews, and Christians engaging in constructive face-to-face dialogue
and action. The Interfaith Encounter Association is a network of a dozen or
so "encounter" groups in Israel, including the Jerusalem Youth
Interfaith Encounter. This spring, these youth struck upon a unique service
project: gathering leaven from Jewish households that would otherwise go
unused during Pesach and distributing it to Arab families.

Meeting from March 20 through 22nd, a group of 150 Jewish Rabbis and Islamic Imams gathered in Seville, Spain for dialogue and collaborative action planning, with the theme of "Islam and Judaism as instruments of peace - recognition and respect of others." Two of the participants, Co-Executive Directors of Children of Abraham, share their personal experiences of the conference, its conflicts, means, and results.

The need for a continuing dialogue between Jews and Muslims is all too
apparent in the world's news. Professors Judea Pearl, father of slain
journalist Daniel Pearl, and Akbar Ahmed share some of the findings from
their three-nation tour of "The Daniel Pearl Dialogue for Muslim-Jewish
Understanding," which show a path ahead for productive and meaningful
dialogue between members of these two great religions.

Professor Mohammed Abu-Nimer of the American University in Washington, DC writes about the important, though as yet largely potential, role for interfaith dialogue in the continuing Middle East peace process. One interfaith organization making real strides in bringing together the region’s religions is the Interfaith Encounter Assocation, as recognized in their receipt of the Immortal Chaplains Foundation’s Prize for Humanity (also covered this month).

Egyptian activist and URI Global Council member Dr. Mohamed
Mosaad critiques attempts at fighting "fundamentalism" by shutting
down discourse. Instead he proposes that fundamentalism, in particular Islamic
fundamentalism that promotes violence between religions, should be countered
by likewise returning to the holy books (the fundamentals) in true
intra-religious dialogue.

Can a group of passionate activists from a small town in California
really do anything about the retributions, recrimnations, and violence in
the Middle East? An initiative called “Hands Across the Jordan” seeks to
find out. Their intention is to build a bridge of peace across the Jordan
River, with help from all around the world, to help unite the people of
Israel and Jordan in a grassroots effort. Here is their statement.

Beginning June 27, 2004, teens from several conflict-ridden areas gathered for a program
called Face to Face/Faith to Faith. The program, which runs through July 12 in
New York City, seeks to establish the a groundwork for positive inter-faith interaction
and resolution of religiously-motivated conflict. Face to Face is sponsored by
the Auburn Theological Seminary of New York and Seeking Common Ground from Denver.

The Institute on Religion and Public Policy applauds a statement released by the Saudi Council of Senior Clerics condemning violence by Islamic militants and deeming helping terrorists as “one of the greatest sins.” The statement went on to say that participating in acts of terror is “a dangerous criminal act punishable by Islamic law.”