Rabbis: We’ve been ‘the other’, October 21, 2010 We write to commend AJC leaders Rob Leikind and Michael Tichnor for their op-ed, “The Jewish Stake in Combating Anti-Muslim Bigotry,” in The Jewish Advocate (Oct. 8). We thank them for reminding us that our own Jewish people have known the painful experience of being cast as “the other” as Jews made their way to these shores, seeking to become a part of the “the American tapestry.” Many Jews faced hardships, discrimination and challenges in being accepted as part of the fabric of American society. Having lived the experience of being “other,” we especially should be open to those who, like our fathers and mothers once did, now seek refuge and freedom in this great nation. We live in the midst of contention with regard to how we should, as a Jewish community, approach and relate to the growing Muslim-American community in our midst. We agree with Leikind and Tichnor when they write that “For Jews in Boston and across the country, the stakes are high,” as we grapple with the question of how best to build healthy relationships with the Muslim-American community. We are mindful that there are legitimate questions and concerns that need to be addressed regarding funding sources, leadership and positions taken by leaders in Islamic community centers and mosques. We believe that it is wrong to assert that, as a community, we should keep our distance from the vast majority of Muslim- American centers and communities, and more importantly, their members, who are our neighbors. We wholeheartedly agree with the call for “a center to emerge that recognizes the harm caused by anti-Muslim bias” – one that at the same time not only allows for but encourages “non-polemical discourse about difficult issues.” Our Boston Jewish community is often held up as a model community in its approach to education, outreach, social justice and more. As rabbis, we know that our community is capable of rising to the challenge of asking the hard questions while toning down the hurtful and fearful rhetoric that prevents healthy interaction and discourse, so that we might ultimately build bridges of understanding. We will not answer the hard questions by building walls and separating ourselves from our Muslim neighbors. Only in the context of dialogue and relationship can we hope to build trust with our Muslim-American neighbors, by coming to understand them, their faith and their principles. We look forward to the emergence of thoughtful, committed leadership around this issue within the Jewish community, in which we are prepared to play our part, in order that we may pursue justice, build our community and seek peace.
RABBI NEAL D, GOLD RABBI RUTH LANGER RABBI BARBARA PENZNER |
Boston Rabbis Support AJC Stance on Combating Anti-Muslim Bigotry
