Speaking For Peace

By Jonathan Partridge Televised scenes of crumbling buildings, thunderous explosions, and white phosphorous smoke played throughout the world earlier this year during Israel's 22-day invasion of the Gaza Strip. The incursion in January and late December came after Palestinian militants had fired a slew of rockets into southern Israel, following an Israeli blockade of the region. When it was all over, outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said his country had exceeded its goals, while more than 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were dead according to some counts. More than 7,500 miles away, Ali Malik participated in a Jan. 8 campus protest against the invasion with other members of University of California, Irvine's Muslim Student Union, while senior Isaac Yerushalmi helped run a counter-protest of pro-Israeli Jewish students against Hamas. Tensions at the university over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have become well known. MSU's annual Palestinian Awareness Week each spring has garnered protests from local students and other Jewish groups in part because of a display of the "apartheid wall" -- or "security fence" as Israeli government officials prefer to call it -- that divides Israel from the West Bank and cuts through parts of the occupied territory. But a change in Jewish-Muslim student relations may be taking place. Less than a week after the Gaza protest, Malik and Yerushalmi joined other speakers to discuss a trip that they and thirteen other students had taken to Israel and the West Bank the previous summer through the university's Olive Tree Initiative program founded in March 2007. Students involved with the program continued to communicate with one another throughout the invasion, even while holding vastly different opinions about the military campaign. "The big issue is to continue this initiative," said Malik, as he discussed the ongoing dialogue process among group members. "You can't let one flashpoint ruin the whole peace process." While Israeli and Palestinian officials continue to struggle in their quest to bring about Middle East peace, dozens of programs like the Olive Tree Initiative are conducting their own reconciliation work. Cynics often question the merits of such endeavors, picturing small groups of people holding hands and exchanging niceties while people are slaughtered in conflict. In fact, some dialogue groups fail to weather the tension during cataclysmic events such as the Gaza invasion. Other groups not only pull through the strain; their discussions about the tragedy help strengthen bonds and create deeper understanding. It all comes down to a matter of faith: a belief that discussion and meaningful relationships can enhance world peace, even if only in small ways. "The point is to grapple with disagreements and still recognize the other's humanity," said Brie Loskota, managing director of the University of Southern California's Center for Religion and Civic Culture, who has studied interfaith dialogue extensively and has helped start several initiatives. It's a fine line that many groups engaged in reconciliation work must tread carefully. Beyond ‘Kum Ba Yah' The mere mention of the words "interfaith dialogue" elicits derision from many people who deem the practice to be a meaningless gesture. It's a constant frustration for Loskota. She has seen positive impacts of dialogue through her past work with Seeking Common Ground, a Colorado-based organization that brings together people from regions of conflict, including Israel and the Palestinian territories. Yet Loskota is aware that the dialogue label often has negative connotations. "People think it's about inaction. They think it's about just talk." Jacob Rich, a second-year law student at USC, is among those who are cynical of at least some types of dialogue. Rich, who regularly attends Shabbat services at USC's Chabad House, inadvertently walked into a Muslim-Jewish event there last November, and was not particularly impressed. A speaker at the event stressed that Jewish people need to help combat Islamophobia in the United States, but Rich felt that was an impossible task for Jewish Americans to accomplish on their own and should be addressed by Muslims themselves. While Rich said dialogue is important, he believes rhetoric alone is insufficient. "I don't care about words," Rich said. "I care about action." Some critics believe that certain types of dialogue can even be harmful. George Bisharat, a Palestinian Christian and prominent advocate for Palestinian rights, said dialogue groups that help enhance understanding among people of different faiths might be helpful; however, he thinks such efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are detrimental in the context of war and occupation. He compared the dynamic within Israeli-Palestinian dialogue groups with that of rape victims conversing with their rapists or robbery victims dialoging with thieves who stole from them. "People who are being bombed don't want to dialogue with the bombers," he said. Many other people are not opposed to interfaith discussion, but they consider it to be a waste of time. Gustav Niebuhr, an interfaith dialogue advocate who is a Syracuse University professor, former New York Times religion reporter, and author of the book Beyond Tolerance: Searching for Interfaith Understanding in America, has noted that the stereotype of interfaith dialogue often involves sitting in a circle, singing "Kum Ba Yah." Ironically, he says people within the interfaith community do not use that term, which literally is a request for the Lord to "Come By Here." Niebuhr has heard people claim that those who engage in interfaith dialogue are often the same people who tend to be more open to other faiths anyway, but he said those people also have friends and family who don't necessarily see the world the same way they do. Their involvement in such groups can have a ripple effect, he said. "I don't think it's just talk," Niebuhr said. "I think it serves a purpose." Dialogue proponents list a host of reasons for inter-religious conversation. Those include doing away with stereotypes and sometimes even getting a better grasp of one's own beliefs as they compare them with others. Dialogue allows for people to form relationships and to strengthen community ties among people of different faiths. In countries where political violence is commonplace, Loskota notes that it is often revolutionary for people from different sides of a conflict to meet together to converse. While she says criticism should not be brushed aside, she theorizes that some people deride dialogue groups because they are afraid to participate in them. People may be intimidated by the process because they are conflict-averse or in some cases may want to avoid certain groups that have a "touchy-feely" approach, she said. Still, she believes that even groups that engage in softer forms of dialogue, such as a group of Muslim and Jewish women in Georgia that gathers together to bake family recipes, serve a purpose. "If that group makes someone more learned and more committed to a world that embraces pluralism, that's great." Differing approaches Interfaith dialogue can appear threatening to some believers, who fear it leads participants to compromise their convictions. Yet several people who take part in such discussions say it can cause them to grow stronger in their faith by helping them to better define it. Judith Rivin, who regularly meets with a group of Muslim and Jewish women called the West Los Angeles Cousins Club, said her involvement has encouraged her to think deeply about her religious experiences and to describe them in ways that she normally doesn't with fellow Jews. "Listening to others describe their experiences and having others listen to me has deepened my faith because it's helped me to discern what's really true for me - what nurtures my soul," she said. Others say that traditional religious practices can change in a multi-faith setting, even if that is not the intention. Roger Eaton, a Culver City resident who has coordinated online dialogue sessions between Jews and Muslims through special software that he has created, said he has attended events in which people of various creeds pray together while avoiding specific terms about God. At times, participants verge on creating a homogenous faith to avoid offending each other, although Eaton added that most interfaith participants "don't want to go down that road." At the other end of the spectrum is a form of hyper-pluralism. Noor-Malika Chishti, a Muslim from the mystical Sufi tradition and a member of the West Los Angeles Cousins Club, has participated in worship services that contain sacred music and prayers from various faith traditions. "It's not to mesh everything into one religion," she said. "It's to say, ‘These are some of the ways that God speaks to us.'... To me this is pure Qur'an - not to hold one prophet over another. " Plenty of Muslims disagree with that interpretation, and people from various faith traditions can be uncomfortable with such universalistic practices. Still, that does not mean that religious conservatives are not found in interfaith circles. Loskota recalled a time in 2003 when a Christian participant in a USC-sponsored interfaith event hoped to lead fellow attendees to become Christians. Loskota encouraged him to be upfront with the group about his intentions, and he did so with trepidation. While the student expected that members would feel offended, one Muslim participant actually expressed gratitude that the Christian student cared that she not end up in hell. "It really moved me," Loskota said. "I thought everyone would be insulted." It's an illustration of how there is no cookie-cutter model for a successful interfaith encounter, although some formats tend to work better than others. Leonard Swidler, a professor of Catholic thought and interreligious dialogue at Temple University, has listed a set of typical dialogue "ground rules" in his writings on interfaith discussion. For instance, he advocates that groups avoid syncretism -- or merging together aspects of different faiths to create an entirely new faith -- to ensure the integrity of the religions that are involved. He also says people involved in interfaith dialogue should not think of other participating religions as inferior. The goal is to listen to "the other" and to avoid a lopsided relationship, he said. Still, Swidler says, most dialogue groups don't necessarily meet all of his criteria, and every encounter is different. Talking politics One rule of thumb that many groups try to maintain is to be sensitive when discussing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While some Muslim-Jewish dialogue groups in the United States do not discuss the combat at all, most groups eventually must deal with tensions between American Muslims and Jews that result from the ongoing violence. Reuven Firestone, a professor at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles, noted that Muslim and Jewish dialogue is often structured around "issues," such as conflict and peace. By contrast, Jewish-Christian dialogue tends to focus on theology, he said, as Judaism and Christianity have fewer types of religious practices in common, such as dietary laws, than Judaism and Islam. Jews and Muslims sometimes discuss their status as religious minorities or similarities in religious observances, but many groups also deal with fear and distrust because of hostilities in the Middle East. It is important to distinguish between religious issues and political topics, such as the nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Firestone said. At the same time, those issues can be intertwined. Firestone noted that Muslim-Jewish dialogue increased substantially in the United States after the Sept. 11 attacks. Even groups that intentionally aim to address the Middle East conflict sometimes try to avoid talking about the issue right off the bat. If dialoguers are not careful, such discussion can shut down discourse before trust has developed between members. A heated debate quickly can degenerate into a blame game in which Jews and Muslims compare the tragedies that have befallen fellow adherents of their faiths. Loskota of USC noted that many people who live outside of conflict zones shy from talking about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict because they have the luxury of doing so. "Piling up dead bodies in conversation is not necessarily a good way to spend an afternoon," she said. Still, that does not prevent the ongoing conflict from creeping into conversation, even at events that are not intended to deal with Middle East violence. A case in point was the November 2008 West Coast kickoff to the international Weekend of Twinning campaign at Temple Emanuel in Beverly Hills. The first-time event paired off 44 mosques and synagogues and six groupings of university religious groups in an attempt to bring congregants together to jointly speak out against anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Hints of ongoing Jewish-Muslim tension throughout the world were apparent from the start of the Twinning event, as security guards scoured each car that arrived in a parking lot across the street from the synagogue. Rabbi Laura Geller of Temple Emanuel said she was advised to take extra precautions to protect Jewish and Muslim participants alike. Before the event even started, she said she had received more than 30 emails from people who told her to cancel the assembly, saying that she was being naïve for wanting to engage in dialogue with Muslims. Walter Ruby, coordinator of the Twinning campaign, likened such tactics from naysayers to the Red Scare of the 1950s. "To me, much of that is McCarthyism, pure and simple," he said. "There are people out there who have an agenda to try to prevent what we are doing." Discussion of political conflict often can serve as the death knell for dialogue groups. Sumaya Abubaker, who participated in the Los Angeles-based Jewish-Muslim group New Ground, said another interfaith group she had joined in the past had quickly fizzled out in part because it lacked structure and too quickly moved into discussions about volatile topics. By contrast, New Ground participants met regularly for some time before they talked about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Abubaker said, eventually discussing the subject at a retreat. By then, members had gotten to know each other and they had practiced using communication skills they had learned. The retreat was carefully organized, with one session focused solely on discussing disputed terms, such as "terrorist" and "apartheid." Abubaker said she has found her overall experience with New Ground to be life-changing. "Before, when I heard the word Israel, the first thing that came to mind was the (Palestinian-Israeli) conflict," she said. "Now, what comes to mind is Jewish friends." Humans together Like many dialogue groups, the West Los Angeles Cousins Club indirectly got its initial boost from the Sept. 11 attacks, as it branched off from another group that formed during that time. Members of the Cousins group have studied books that correspond with their faith traditions and they regularly talk about their own spiritual experiences. They also pray together, have special events during religious occasions such as Ramadan and the Jewish high holidays, and discuss what is going on in their daily lives. Chishti recounted how a Jewish member of the group phoned her after her mother had died. "I can't tell you how profound it was that she wanted to know about my mother in such a sincere way," Chishti said. On some occasions, such as during the recent Gaza invasion, the group will discuss aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but it is never to debate who is wrong and who is right. During their January meeting, the women decided to collect money afterward to help the families of those who live in Gaza. Normally, the women collect money for Jewish World Watch to help victims in the Darfur conflict. By discussing matters of faith, members say they have grown spiritually. Member Judith Rivin noted that she had learned about the concept of surrender to God from Muslims, while Chishti said she had learned about "yelling at God" from Jewish women in the group. Both Rivin and Chishti noted that peaceful coexistence between Muslims, Christians and Jews thrived in Spain during certain periods of the Middle Ages. In a sense, they say they are just reviving the tradition. That does not mean that such relationships come without challenges. One member of the Cousins group is an Orthodox Jew, and fellow believers have told her that it is a sin to participate in the interfaith group. Likewise, some Muslim women in the group attend mosques where people question their reasons for meeting with Jews. Such friendships can be even more shocking to those in other parts of the world. Rivin recalls meeting up with a Jewish woman from Kazakhstan and telling her that many of her new friends were Muslims. The Kazakhstani woman's jaw dropped, and she asked, "What do you mean, friends?" Religious minorities in Kazakhstan, including Jewish people, have suffered persecution, Rivin explained. By contrast, she told the woman how Muslim members of the group had nurtured her. Finally, the Kazakhstani woman's eyes lit up, and she understood. "Oh, you mean you're humans together," she replied. Perhaps that statement sums up the work of the group: bringing together women from Islam and Judaism for community and conversation. The Future of Dialogue While Gustav Niebuhr and Leonard Swidler say Muslim-Jewish dialogue is on the rise, Loskota says it is hard to tell. Some people see dialogue as innovative, while for others it is something they tried a long time ago. Certainly, there is nothing new about interactions between people of the two faiths. Jews and Muslims have been in conversation - albeit not always with the intention of listening to one another - since the days of Mohammed, when the Qur'an recognized Jews as "people of the book." Still, a few emerging trends appear to be developing. For instance, Chishti said much has changed with the advent of the Internet, as it has allowed those who are interested in dialogue to network much more easily than in the past. Another recurring trend is for more Muslim-Jewish dialogue groups to be coordinated on a civic level, Loskota said. In addition, the National Weekend of Twinning was a new kind of event in that it happened on such a grand scale. Indeed, optimism seemed to well within the halls of Temple Emanuel during the Weekend of Twinning kickoff event, as local and national leaders made grand statements about the need for Jews and Muslims to work together to fight stereotypes. "The truth is simple," said Usman Madha, community liaison for King Fahd Mosque in Culver City. "We can work together or somewhere down the line we can perish together. "Let this be the beginning and not the end. Inshallah, (God willing) we'll move forward." Still, tension among some of USC's Jewish and Muslim students has increased following the Gaza invasion. The university's Students for Justice in Palestine chapter organized a protest against the Gaza invasion in early February. Later in the semester, it protested the separation barrier and called for divestment from Israel. The campus' USC Students for Israel responded with counter-protests during those events and hosted a celebration of Israel's anniversary in late April, which Students for Justice in Palestine protested. "My take away from that day and those rallies was that protests are really only good for gaining attention and publicizing an issue, but they're really bad for explaining the issues or controversies," Jewish student Nili Schneidman said about a week after a protest during the Gaza invasion. As Muslims and Jews continue to ponder ways to engage in dialogue at USC, some participants in the Olive Tree Initiative trip believe the organization gives them hope for improved relations at UCI. The group's efforts also appear to have brought about at least one small change in Israel and Palestine. Ali Malik recalls how the group met with an Israeli settler in the summer of 2008 who was particularly moved by his conversation with the group. The settler, who lived near Bethlehem, later was introduced to a Palestinian activist who lived in the area, and he learned that the Palestinian had never been to the beach. The settler talked to his brother, an official in the Israeli Defense Forces, who got the man a permit to cross into Israel and visit the ocean. Other worldwide dialogue efforts also seem to be having an effect. For example, Weekend of Twinning organizers plan to expand their campaign into Europe this year and will include about nearly 100 synagogues and mosques, up from about 50 last year. Program coordinator Walter Ruby hopes to get even more pairs of Muslim and Jewish groups to participate. The theme for this year's Weekend of Twinning campaign, slated to take place from Nov. 13 to 15, is "Building a Common Agenda." Ruby said the Gaza invasion was a temporary setback, but most of the Muslims and Jews involved in the campaign expressed a desire to move forward even as the invasion was taking place. "The people were really moved," he said of last year's Twinning participants. "There was kind of a joy of mutual discovery." Ruby expressed hope that American Muslim-Jewish relations ultimately could serve as a model for residents of Israel-Palestine. In the meantime, many changes are happening across the U.S. on a smaller scale. Ramin Nematollahi, who has participated in New Ground, said he has been able to expand his perspective through participation in the group, which works predominately with Jews and Muslims in their 20s and 30s. He noted that he no longer has certain stereotypes of Jewish people. For instance, he did not realize the diversity of Jewish opinions regarding Israeli policies until he joined the group. "Not only were my misconceptions shattered, but also the foundations were shattered," he said. Such individual transformations may sound insignificant in light of the conflict facing Jews and Muslims in the Middle East today, but dialogue advocates hope these varied encounters will contribute to a more peaceful planet. President Obama expressed those hopes when he spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast in February. He said the U.S. must reach out to leaders and scholars around the world to foster peaceful dialogue regarding faith: I don't expect divisions to disappear overnight, nor do I believe that long-held views and conflicts will suddenly vanish. But I do believe that if we talk to one another openly and honestly, then perhaps old rifts will start to mend and new partnerships will begin to emerge. In a world that grows smaller by the day, perhaps we can crowd out the destructive forces of zealotry and make room for the healing power of understanding. President Obama put that rhetoric into action on March 20 when he sent a Persian New Year message to the people and leaders of Iran. In the end, it may not be possible to say quantitatively whether Muslim-Jewish dialogue events and groups enhance overall world peace, Loskota said. Loskota maintains that someone needs to conduct a systematic analysis of the interfaith dialogue movement that tracks people after they have participated in peace-building programs. Nevertheless, she said she can cite anecdotal examples of people whose lives have changed as a result of their experiences with dialogue. "The reality is (that these groups are) moving in the right direction," Loskota said. Professor Gustav Niebuhr said the difficulty of quantification is one of the reasons that interfaith efforts tend to fly "under the radar." A shortage of journalists who cover religion in depth also contributes to the problem, he said. It may take years for change to occur on a universal scale, and religious and cultural tensions continue to wreak havoc throughout parts of the world. Nevertheless, dialogue advocates remain optimistic. "I think change is possible because I simply don't think people are beyond redemption," Niebuhr said. Jonathan Partridge lives in Gilroy, CA where he works as a staff writer for the Gilroy Dispatch. He has spent an extensive amount of time in Israel and Palestine, including a year-long stint as a volunteer with the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, where he became passionate about Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation efforts. Partridge studied news coverage of religion while earning his master's degree in specialized journalism this past spring at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

Speaking for Peace