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RSJI: JEWISH-MUSLIM RELATIONS

And Abraham expired and died in a good old age, old and satisfied, and he was gathered to his people. And Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the Cave of Machpelah. (Gen. 25:8-10)

Group Chair: Doug Pike                                                Clergy Liaison: Rabbi Peter Berg

The Temple's RSJI Jewish-Muslim Relations group was established to continue to promote positive and mutual relationships with the Muslim communities of Atlanta. Through education and programmatic encounters, we hope to breakdown stereotypes held by both Jews and Muslims and find common ground. Please join us by emailing our chair!

UPCOMING EVENTS

 

We Refuse to Be Enemies: How Muslims and Jews Can Make Peace

An informative and enlightening event - All are welcome to register and attend. 

Tuesday May 5, 2022 from 7:00-8:30pm

Join the Temple Rothschild Social Justice Institute and the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta as we host the authors of We Refuse To Be Enemies and learn from their journey. 

We Refuse To Be Enemies is the product of four years of collaborative effort between Walter Ruby a long time advocate of Muslim Jewish relations and Sabeeha Rehman, the acclaimed author of Threading My Prayer Rug: One Woman’s Journey from Pakistani Muslim to Muslim American. The book elucidates the largely untold story of the building of a Muslim-Jewish alliance in America, as well as Europe, over the past two decades in which the two of them have been deeply involved.

Rehman's book also serves as a manifesto for 2021 and beyond; asserting the importance of our two communities standing up for each other and defending diversity and mutual acceptance in America at a time when, despite the change of Administrations, a toxic blend of bigotry, conspiracy theories and white nationalism remains rampant in the land.

This is a virtual event, free of charge.  Link will be provided upon registration.  Follow this link to register.

Our goals are:
  • To foster relationships with individuals and clergy in the Muslim community of Atlanta for the sake of mutual understanding and support, as both religions represent minorities under threat in the United States today.
  • To raise awareness of our Temple community about issues facing the Muslim communities in our area.
How we accomplished these goals:
  • Together, the Muslim and Jewish community have hosted a number of different events, including a gathering for the teens of both communities, a series of encounters prompted by a film documenting the long (and mostly positive) history between these two communities, and a Passover seder in which our Muslim neighbors were our honored guests.
  • When the city's dignitaries hosts a public event, The Temple is proud to speak alongside our Muslim clergy and community members.
  • The women of The Temple, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and the Atlanta Masjid engaged in a series of conversations about the issues that mattered most to us and offered the women a chance to be deeply heard and held by one another. 
Wed, November 29 2023 16 Kislev 5784