TORONTO (Press Release)–The eighth in a series of very successful Moslem-Jewish Dialogues (MJD)was held in a Toronto community centre on the afternoon of Sunday June 9th. The humbling majesty of respectful, good-natured dialogue was in full display as high school students met with their peers separate from adults, who met in circles. Stereotypes were acknowledged with smiles
and genuine friendships and through discussion mutual respect developed.
Participants were fully engaged for two and a half hours, eating and talking. They had to be reminded at program’s end that it was time to go home, because that day’s MJD was finished.
The adults’ questions and answers were deep. What are attitudes toward blasphemy in Islam versus Judaism, both religiously and politically? Why don’t Jews believe you have to be Jewish to be a good person, with life for rectitude in the hereafter? Why is the Palestinian-Israeli conflict a minor issue in the history and lives lost in conflicts in the Middle East, despite press reports to the contrary?
Others were: What are the similarities and differences in prejudices Jews and Muslims have to overcome here in Canada? Why was Israel such a world leader in after-disaster rescue and
international aid? What role do politics play in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh in terms of religious tolerance, ability to convert to another faith, or citizens being prohibited from direct flights to and from the Jewish state? What is the significance in the early or late canonization of religion in Judaism (hundreds of years for the Talmud) versus Islam (within forty years of the Prophet’s death)? Why is the diversity of interpretations of Islamic faith and norms so badly
misunderstood?
Participants in the high school peer group talked about cultural points of interest: music, dance, after school religious studies, and alcohol in daily life. The Dialogue has received attention across the globe and efforts to mount similar programs are underway in various other countries. The last four Toronto MJDs have been accompanied by a same day, invitation-only Press Dialogue where Jewish MJD participants in Toronto (author Judie Oron, executive Andria Spindel and ethicist David Nitkin) are interviewed by journalists from the US, Pakistan, India,
Bangladesh, Israel and other countries.
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Preceding provided by Tariq Khan