More Muslims living in Western countries are coming forward to condemn ISIS. The latest example is the Birmingham Islamic Society in Hoover, Alabama. The BIS released a statement to Al.com that reads: "The Birmingham Islamic Society would like to reiterate its condemnation of the un-Islamic and morally repugnant violence of the so-called extremist group ‘ISIS,’” the statement said. “Last month, BIS
By YARDAIN AMRON, The Jewish Daily Forward — 25 August 2014
OTISFIELD, MAINE — “My name is Mustafa, and I am from Gaza,” declared the 16-year-old perched, however improbably, on a picnic table near the shore of Pleasant Lake, Maine. His backdrop — just days after sheltering from the Israeli mortars exploding near his home — was New England’s White Mountains. “I lived 20 days in third war. I come to Seeds of Peace camp to share my suffering.” Despite his peach-fuzz mustache, Mustafa speaks with the responsibility of a
A Jewish family driving through a Palestinian village in the West Bank on Saturday night was pelted with rocks by the residents of the village. But after losing control of their car and flipping over, they were surprised to find that the passersby that came to offer them their help were also Palestinians. Yedaya Sharchaton, 25, and his wife Hadassah, 24, were traveling with their one-year-old daughter Nitzan from Jerusalem to their home in Yatir, south of Hebron. Shortly after midnight, while driving through the Palestinian village Beit Umar, Palestinians hurled large rocks at the family's car. One of the rocks, the size of a melon, broke through the windshield and hit Yedaya in the face as he drove. He lost control of the car that veered sideways, hitting the safety barrier, flipping
Faith leaders launch campaign of support to counter growing anti-Islam hostility. Christian and Jewish religious leaders in Australia have launched a campaign to express love and support for the country’s Muslim population. The campaign, called “We’ll love Muslims 100 years,” was initiated in response to a perception of growing anti-Islam hostility in Australia. The name is a riff off on a recent headline
by DEAN OBEIDALLAH, The Daily Beast — 14 August 2014
Criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza is one thing. But anti-Semitism is quite another. Keep it away. Far, far away. At a crowded Muslim-American event I attended Sunday in North Jersey, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), the first Muslim elected to Congress, spoke about a range of issues. The audience, many of whom have supported Ellison since he was first elected in 2006, cheered many of his comments, but the biggest applause line came when Ellison said: “There’s absolutely no place for anti-Semitism in discussing Israeli policy.” And that reaction is not atypical in my experience.
While the conflict between Israel and Hamas militants remains unresolved, a rabbi in Jerusalem says his hope for the region lies in the ability of Jews, Christians and Muslims to sincerely live out the humanistic values common to their respective faiths. “The hope that I see is in human beings… Jews, Christians, Muslims, offering sympathy and condolences, based on the humanistic values in our religions that we all share,” said Rabbi Ron Kronish. “That’s something we can all do and it’s important to do, even as the conflict goes on, to retain somehow our humanity, our religious sense of value for human life, despite the ongoing war.” Rabbi Kronish is a co-founder and the current director of the Jerusalem-based Interfaith Coordinating Council in Israel (ICCI). His nonprofit group includes more than 60 Jewish, Christian and Muslim organizations. Its goal is to promote peaceful co-existence between Muslims, Christians and
On Wednesday, the international Christian association Caritas Politica in conjunction with the University of Religions in the Iranian city of Qom organized a conference in Rome, entitled "Justice, Solidarity and Development in the three great monotheistic religions". The event was attended, among others, by Iran's ambassador to the Holy See, two members of the Iranian Parliament representing the Jewish and
ONTARIO — CTV News of Southwestern Ontario named Mennonites and Muslims “Local Heroes” on Feb. 15. CTV News found these “behind the scenes” people, according to the news report, through the MennoMedia documentary, Waging Peace: Muslim and Christian Alternatives. Part of the documentary was shot in part in Waterloo, Ontario. In addition to interviews with Mennonite and Muslim leaders, the news report video shows Mennonites and Muslims kneeling to pray. "We had a screening in the basement of the Islamic Center of Cambridge (Ont.) where this footage was shot," said Sheri Hartzler, Waging Peace executive
KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — On July 22, 76 people died in a bombing in Oslo and an attack on a Labor Party summer camp on the island of Utoya in Norway. The Guardian labeled the event “one of the worst atrocities in recent European history.” The Norwegian Anders Behring Breivik stands accused of both attacks, and yes, he admitted committing both crimes while also labeling them “atrocious” and “necessary.” Though media speculation suggested early on that the bombing in Oslo was an act of Muslim terrorism,
Growing up in a post-9/11 America, Sierra heard many negative things about Muslims. “Looking at the news,” she said, “I saw all the dangers, and people being killed. It was frightening.” But when she was 11 years old, her parents began bringing her to AAi compassion events and her view of Muslims quickly changed. During the first event she attended in Gilroy, Sierra buddied up with a Muslim girl of similar age named Noor.
“We just clicked,” Sierra said. “I remember telling each other a lot of jokes ... and, of course, we enjoyed serving [a meal to] poor neighbors together.”
That opened the door for Sierra to see Muslims as people, even incredibly kind people who were nothing at all like she’d heard.
In addition to her personal experiences at several AAi compassion events, Sierra credits AAi’s seminar, Loving Muslim Neighbors, with removing numerous misconceptions about Muslims and Islam that are popular among Christians, and with illuminating the immense common ground shared.
More Muslims living in Western countries are coming forward to condemn ISIS. The latest example is the Birmingham Islamic Society in Hoover, Alabama. The BIS released a statement to Al.com that reads: "The Birmingham Islamic Society would like to reiterate its condemnation of the un-Islamic and morally repugnant violence of the so-called extremist group ‘ISIS,’” the statement said. “Last month, BIS 
OTISFIELD, MAINE — “My name is Mustafa, and I am from Gaza,” declared the 16-year-old perched, however improbably, on a picnic table near the shore of Pleasant Lake, Maine. His backdrop — just days after sheltering from the Israeli mortars exploding near his home — was New England’s White Mountains. “I lived 20 days in third war. I come to Seeds of Peace camp to share my suffering.” Despite his peach-fuzz mustache, Mustafa speaks with the responsibility of a 
A Jewish family driving through a Palestinian village in the West Bank on Saturday night was pelted with rocks by the residents of the village. But after losing control of their car and flipping over, they were surprised to find that the passersby that came to offer them their help were also Palestinians. Yedaya Sharchaton, 25, and his wife Hadassah, 24, were traveling with their one-year-old daughter Nitzan from Jerusalem to their home in Yatir, south of Hebron. Shortly after midnight, while driving through the Palestinian village Beit Umar, Palestinians hurled large rocks at the family's car. One of the rocks, the size of a melon, broke through the windshield and hit Yedaya in the face as he drove. He lost control of the car that veered sideways, hitting the safety barrier, flipping 
Faith leaders launch campaign of support to counter growing anti-Islam hostility. Christian and Jewish religious leaders in Australia have launched a campaign to express love and support for the country’s Muslim population. The campaign, called “We’ll love Muslims 100 years,” was initiated in response to a perception of growing anti-Islam hostility in Australia. The name is a riff off on a recent headline 
Criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza is one thing. But anti-Semitism is quite another. Keep it away. Far, far away. At a crowded Muslim-American event I attended Sunday in North Jersey, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), the first Muslim elected to Congress, spoke about a range of issues. The audience, many of whom have supported Ellison since he was first elected in 2006, cheered many of his comments, but the biggest applause line came when Ellison said: “There’s absolutely no place for anti-Semitism in discussing Israeli policy.” And that reaction is not atypical in my experience. 
While the conflict between Israel and Hamas militants remains unresolved, a rabbi in Jerusalem says his hope for the region lies in the ability of Jews, Christians and Muslims to sincerely live out the humanistic values common to their respective faiths. “The hope that I see is in human beings… Jews, Christians, Muslims, offering sympathy and condolences, based on the humanistic values in our religions that we all share,” said Rabbi Ron Kronish. “That’s something we can all do and it’s important to do, even as the conflict goes on, to retain somehow our humanity, our religious sense of value for human life, despite the ongoing war.” Rabbi Kronish is a co-founder and the current director of the Jerusalem-based Interfaith Coordinating Council in Israel (ICCI). His nonprofit group includes more than 60 Jewish, Christian and Muslim organizations. Its goal is to promote peaceful co-existence between Muslims, Christians and 
On Wednesday, the international Christian association Caritas Politica in conjunction with the University of Religions in the Iranian city of Qom organized a conference in Rome, entitled "Justice, Solidarity and Development in the three great monotheistic religions". The event was attended, among others, by Iran's ambassador to the Holy See, two members of the Iranian Parliament representing the Jewish and 
