Faiths build bridges in Berlin
DELEGATES from more than 40 countries attending the sixth annual Muslim Jewish Conference (MJC) in Berlin recently were exposed to unique interfaith experiences of Australia and the Asia/Pacific region, presented by the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council’s (AIJAC) Jeremy Jones.
DELEGATES from more than 40 countries attending the sixth annual Muslim Jewish Conference (MJC) in Berlin recently were exposed to unique interfaith experiences of Australia and the Asia/Pacific region, presented by the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council’s (AIJAC) Jeremy Jones.
The week-long conference, which brings together key representatives and young leaders from both the Muslim and Jewish communities, focused on correcting misconceptions, breaking down stereotypes and finding areas for common endeavour.
Muslim delegates from countries as diverse as Sudan, Pakistan, Argentina, Malaysia, Finland and Turkey engaged with Jewish participants from six continents; countries included Switzerland, Morocco, Azerbaijan and Brazil, with a broad array of religious affiliation and cultural heritage.
Israelis and Palestinians included Jewish residents of both sides of the Green Line, and Muslims from Jerusalem, Nazareth, Ramallah and elsewhere.
Most of the program was conducted by and for the participants, guided by a team of expert educators, program designers and innovative thinkers who had been involved in earlier MJC events.
Jones, AIJAC’s director of international and community affairs, together with Sheikh Ibrahim Hussain from Toronto, led two sessions – the first on interfaith dialogue and the second dealing with tough questions from participants, on subjects covering a broad range of matters such as the place of Jerusalem in Judaism, the role of women in religion, and similarities and differences between streams of Judaism and Islam.
“From the opening ice-breaking activities until the conclusion with a joint celebration of havdalah, participants were challenged and engaged, with seemingly boundless energy, enthusiasm and motivation to learn,” Jones said.
“For the impressive, extraordinary young people who devoted the week to the MJC, it was a unique, sometimes their first, opportunity to engage with ‘the other’.
“A number of those present had taken risks in the past in pursuit of ideals, including dialogue, and their courage and commitment contributed greatly to the proceedings.”
Jones said in addition to answering “a seemingly endless stream of questions”, his key role was to share his positive experiences of interfaith dialogue in Australia and throughout the Asia/Pacific region, as well as to “help place the activity of this impressive constellation of young leaders in the context of Jewish-Muslim relations globally”.
“Every person present contributed to helping others learn, to change, to transform – and to be better prepared for the work of addressing a vast array of challenges in each country and globally,” he said.
AJN STAFF
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