Jewish and Muslim Partnership commemorate Anniversary of Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting
FOUNDATION FOR ETHNIC UNDERSTANDING & MUSLIM WORLD LEAGUE JOIN TOGETHER FOR SEASON OF TWINNING PROGRAM
As the first anniversary of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting approaches, The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding (FFEU) and the Muslim World League announced an historic partnership for an innovative Season of Twinning program that will bring together rabbis and imams and their synagogues and mosques.
For a decade, the FFEU’s Season of Twinning has brought together thousands of Muslims and Jews in an effort to create more opportunities for interfaith dialogue. This year, more than 50 events will take place in 35 countries, on five continents. Events will be held between November 2019 and January 2020. Programs include pulpit exchanges among rabbis and imams, and events geared toward Muslim and Jewish student groups, young leadership bodies, families and children. Events focus on celebrating commonalities in the two faith traditions. Together, they show their support in combatting Islamophobia and anti-Semitism by performing acts of social service together in recognition of the common moral imperative in both Islam and Judaism to help those in need.
“As Muslims and Jews, we share a common faith and a common fate, and it is our single destiny to strengthen our bond and to stand up for one another as anti-Semitism and Islamophobia continue to increase around the world, especially here in the United States,” said FFEU President Rabbi Marc Schneier. “As the first anniversary of the Pittsburgh shooting approaches, we are reminded of how important this partnership is and appreciate the Muslim community’s support after the massacre took place last year.”
“Whether it was the attacks on Jews in Pittsburgh or in Germany, Muslims in New Zealand, or on Christians in Sri Lanka, we have seen our houses of worship targeted, the sanctity of our communities violated, and the basis of peaceful and collaborative coexistence threatened,” said Muslim World League Secretary General Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa. “To defeat hate, we must speak and listen to one another, learn from one another and unite with one another.”
“We must take this tragedy and create something positive out of it and so, together with Dr. Mohammad Al-Issa and the Muslim World League, we’re partnering with 50 organizations around the world to create program for further fortify this close bond between Muslims and Jews,” added Schneier.
Founded in 1989, the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding is the global address for Muslim-Jewish relations. FFEU President Rabbi Marc Schneier co-authored Sons of Abraham: A Candid Conversation about the Issues That Divide and Unite Jews and Muslims. For more information, visit https://ffeu.org/.
The Muslim World League, based in the Holy City of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is a non-governmental organization based in the Holy City of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, that is committed to articulating the true and moderate Islam. Dr. Al-Issa, whose interfaith efforts include historic agreements with the Vatican and evangelical Christian organizations, will meet the senior leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints next month in Salt Lake City. He also plans to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in January. For more information, visit https://themwl.org/en/.
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
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It is good to see individuals of different religions rise up above politics and come together to respect each other’s religions and to promote interfaith cooperation.