Spotlight on CLAL
Welcome to Spotlight on CLAL. Here you will find stories about what is
happening at CLAL and about the work that CLAL is doing across North America. Sometimes we
will focus on a program, or a special event, or upon a CLAL faculty member's work and
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Building Spiritual Capital
By Judy Epstein, Director of Public Affairs
CLAL’s reputation continues to grow as an important
player in connecting members of different faith communities and exploring
how they shape world events. Sought out as a key institution for
global bridge building, CLAL is increasingly seen as a central address for
fostering unity while celebrating religious integrity.
In September, Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, CLAL Vice President,
was invited to participate in two historic programs with Muslim Heads of
State. The first, in Washington, D.C, was a meeting initiated by His
Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan to discuss the future of Islam and
Judaism with a representative group of about 60 American rabbis.
In a moving address entitled “Islam and Judaism: Beyond
Tolerance,” His Majesty King Abdullah emphasized how Jews and Muslims are
tied together and their shared roots. He warned about the common
threat of religious extremism and underlined the importance of mutual
respect and cooperation. Noting that we must move beyond the language
of mere tolerance toward true acceptance, he expressed great hope for the
two faith traditions to work together in a mission towards peace, justice
and reconciliation.
Commenting on the remarks, Rabbi Hirschfield said that it
was encouraging to hear His Majesty King Abdullah’s recognition that to
“settle for mere tolerance is too little,” and that our “long-term
aspirations must go beyond not hurting each other.” “Ironically,”
Rabbi Hirschfield stated, “unless they do, we won’t be able to stop hurting
each other.”
The event, sponsored by the Embassy of Jordan, was
coordinated by the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict
Resolution of George Mason University, and by George Washington University.
The second program was with Pakistani President Pervez
Musharraf, who spoke before a group of American Jewish and Pakistani leaders
about ways of strengthening relations and issues around setting ties with
Israel. Sitting on the dais with the Pakistani leader were members of
the American Jewish community and Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations.
The Council for World Jewry sponsored the landmark event, which was held in
New York City.
In his address, President Musharraf talked about the need to
distinguish between terrorism and extremism. He said that terrorism
must be fought with military force, but that extremism is countered by
getting to the root causes. Sometimes extremism can turn into
terrorism, but if caught early enough can be prevented. He discussed
steps Israel would need to take in the Middle East that would help improve
relations with his country. While underscoring their importance, he also
addressed the changing culture of Pakistan.
Rabbi Hirschfield said that he was struck by the theme of
“enlightened moderation” in President Musharraf’s talk. While the
President affirmed the need for the military in the cases of violence, he
acknowledged the need to get at the root causes of the religious extremism
which justifies the violence.
“Often the left talks about root causes and the right
demands military force,” said Rabbi Hirschfield. “President Musharraf
said yes to both. He understood the partial truths of both positions
to form a unified approach.”
Noting the value of these kinds of interfaith encounters for
building pluralism and connection, Rabbi Hirschfield concluded, “These
discussions create new platforms upon which to build. They take the
conversation to the next level, where new relationships and new
possibilities for the future develop.”
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