Mosques and synagogues in North America and Europe twin

17 November 2009

A hundred mosques and synagogues throughout North America and Europe took part in the second edition of twinning. The annual event involves meetings between local Muslim and Jewish congregations aimed at launching joint activities. The New York-based Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, founded by Rabbi Marc Schneier, has been organizing the event, which this year focused on saving the environment, protecting immigrants, combating anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, and fighting poverty. The Islamic Society of North America, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, the World Jewish Congress and the Canadian Association of Jews and Muslims supported the initiative.

"For generations there have been a series of misunderstandings by Jews and Muslims on what the other religious community believes and practices," said Schneier, who also serves as chairman of the World Jewish Congress United States, pointed out. "These misperceptions and other societal and political factors have unfortunately led to tensions between our two communities.

“Not only do we share a common faith, but we share a common fate,” he said.

Earlier this year, Schneier’s foundation brought a mission of European imams and rabbis to the United States to promote inter-religious dialogue. A total of 28 imams and rabbis from Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia and Switzerland met with political and community leaders in New York and Washington and discussed ways to improve relations between the two faiths in their own communities.

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