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Jeruslaem, Israel- The
Interfaith Encounter Association MCC (IEA)-Reut Sadaqa meets monthly to discuss
various topics related to inter-religious dialogue and peacebuilding. So far in
2007, they have met relating to the following:
January meeting: On January 22, the group met to discuss the
theme of “Communication” in their various traditions.
The meeting was facilitated by Hadassah Haskale who gave a presentation from
the Jewish tradition. Hadassah also shared with the group Buber’s teaching,
“The chief prerequisite for the rise of genuine dialogue is that each should
regard his/her partner as the very one he/she is. I become aware of that
individual, aware that he is different, essentially different from myself,…and
I accept whom I see, so that in full earnestness I can direct what I say to him
as the person he is.” She also gave examples from the Old Testament with the
stories of Jacob and Esau as to how communication can be used in making peace
and with the story of Joseph and his brothers as an example of how certain communication
can provoke violence.
Karmela shared the Christian point of view and the use of social communications
media. The Catholic church holds an annual “Communications Day” on the 24th
of January, the feast of St. Francis de Sales, who is the patron saint of
communications. Vatican II makes it clear that users of communication media
should practice moderation and discipline in their approach to the mass media.
They will want to form enlightened and correct consciences to more easily
resist unwholesome influences.
There were no Moslems present during the meeting, so they were forced to forego
the Moslem presentation.
They broke up into groups to discuss the topic further and each small group
shared with the larger group what they discussed.
This presentation report was written by
Leah Lublin, in consultation with Karmela Farrugia and Hadassah Haskale.
February Meeting:
On February 19th the group once again met at the Swedish
Theological Institute and discussed the theme of “hospitality.” Esther Golan
gave the Jewish perspective and spoke about Abraham who was hospitable to
strangers, which is the roots of the Jewish religion. Event Lot, his nephew,
under Abraham’s influence, still kept up being hospitable, even in the
inhospitable city of Sodom.
The Jews have three holidays where pilgrimages are made to Jerusalem. People living in Jerusalem
had to be hospitable to people coming in from outside Jerusalem. During the holiday of Succot- Jews
welcome the “ushpizim” biblical guests for each of the evenings to join them in
their sukkah. Esther noted that the word “hospice” comes from “ushpiz.”
Greeting a guest is so important that one should even interrupt Torah study,
which generally should be uninterrupted, for this. Today, in modern-day Israel, there
are programs to welcome lone soldiers, soldiers who have no family in the
country, into homes. New immigrants are matched up with “old-timers” in a
program called “meet the Israeli at home.”
Karmela gave the Christian perspective, saying that Christianity retains all
that is in the Hebrew Bible. In the New Testament, hospitability became more of
a social virtue. There is the story of the Good Samaritan- which stands for all
ages as an example of what hospitality should be about. A man going to Jericho was attacked and
a Samaritan passed by. Even though the man was different than the Samaritan, it
didn’t matter and he still took him to the nearest inn and told them to take
care of him. This was at a time when people would only take care of each other,
provided they were of the same ilk. Neglect of Christ is symbolized by
inhospitality: “I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did
not clothe me, sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.”
Rafiqa gave the Moslem tradition’s position on hospitality and explained that
there is nothing in the Moslem faith regarding hospitality. However, it is in
the Moslem tradition that if someone comes to your home, you don’t let him
leave without offering him something to eat. If someone asks for protection,
you must give this to him. One has to always smile at guests. If you are poor,
you have to give a guest at least a cup of coffee or your time. The Bedouin put
up one side of their tent so that anyone who passes by may drop in. Guests
should not stay by their hosts for more than three days. There are differences
in the way hospitality is practiced in an Arab village to that of an Arab city-
in a village you may just drop in; the city is much more formal.
They
broke up into groups to discuss the topic further and each small group shared
with the larger group what they discussed.
This presentation report was written by
Leah Lublin, in consultation with Karmela Farrugia and Rafiqa Othman, the
Christian and Moslem coordinators respectively.
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