“Jewish Schindler reaches goal of saving more than 1,200 Muslim and Christian refugees. 60 imams and rabbis unite in Washington to promote peace. Muslims and Christians pray for peace in Nigeria
Headlines with good news are often buried in periodicals worlwide behind front page stories of tragedy and death. The reporter’s adage, “If it bleeds, it leads,” has become standard practice in many newsrooms internationally as editors seek to satiate the interest of the public at large. After all, no one wants to read about a train that arrives on time at its proper destination. If it crashes, on the other hand, or if it is delayed by a strike, people want details.
I recall a discussion in a journalism class at the University of Southern California in which a professor said the challenge of “peace journalism” was to find stories that people find interesting. We are naturally drawn to tales that contain conflict narratives. Unfortunately, our interest in conflict narratives can lead media consumers to develop a skewed perspective when reading stories or watching broadcasts about matters of faith. Westerners may come to believe that most Muslims and Christians in Egypt, Nigeria, and the Central African Republic are at odds with one another and that most Middle Easterners support terrorism. Similarly, Muslims in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa may come to believe
by MARIO TONEGUZZI, Calgary Herald — 28 November 2014
CALGARY, Alberta — A day doesn’t seem to pass in the world without some conflict erupting among people of different faiths. But in Calgary recently, Jewish and Muslim leaders have been coming together in dialogue. A series of meetings have led to the formation of the Calgary Jewish-Muslim Council. “The direct impetus for the CJMC was concern about the lack of civility and respect during last summer’s demonstrations regarding the Israel-Palestinian conflict,” say the groups in a joint statement. “After … calling for peaceful
by JO-ANN JENNINGS, Broken Arrow Ledger — 27 November 2014
BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — Thursday, Nov. 14, the Raindrop Foundation hosted an early Thanksgiving and interfaith dialogue dinner at the Turkish Cultural Center in Broken Arrow.“It was a very special event for all of us,” said Yusuf Dundar, executive director of the Turkish Cultural Center. “We shared Thanksgiving dinner with the sisters from St. Joseph Monastery in Tulsa. Not only did we share our meal but also
by PARADISE AFSHAR, Special to the Miami Herald — 26 November 2014
MIAMI — You know that Thanksgiving tradition where everyone goes around the table saying what they’re thankful for? Well, Kelli Romano and her family do something similar every night. “It’s something we actually do with our daughter. Every night, as a family, we say one thing that we’re grateful for from that day,” said Romano, 34, of Biscayne Park. “It’s something we’ve done every night since she could talk.” The Romanos’ nighttime ritual was a topic of discussion during an interfaith Thanksgiving dinner Sunday night. Some 85
by SHAHID AKHTAR and BARBARA LANDAU, Special to The Canadian Jewish News — 26 November 2014
TORONTO — Jews and Muslims around the world are reeling from the escalating violence that is distorting the teaching of both our faith communities. Once again we find ourselves condemning a brutal act of violence in the Holy Land. Once again we see Jews and Muslims struggling to come to grips with events occurring half a world away, yet impacting us in Canada as if these were taking place in our own places of worships. In this emotionally charged atmosphere, opinions are polarized and feelings are raw. Jews call it a massacre and put the blame squarely on the shoulders of Palestinians and Muslim
by LAUREN MARKOE, Religion News Service — 24 November 2014
WASHINGTON — Frustrated by dangerously high tensions between Jews and Muslims in the Holy Land, 60 imams and rabbis gathered Sunday (Nov. 23) to hatch concrete plans to bridge the gulf between their communities, minus the kumbaya. The “2014 Summit of Washington Area Imams and Rabbis,” its organizers hope, will be the first of many such gatherings of Jewish and Muslim clergy in cities across the U.S. After prayers and a kosher-halal lunch at a Washington synagogue, the clergy resolved to limit the feel-good
by MELANIE LIDMAN, The Times of Israel — 17 November 2014
MBALE, Uganda — November is the season for harvesting coffee in eastern Uganda. The rains are ending, but the rolling hills around Mount Elgon are still bursting with green. When the coffee beans are ripe they turn bright red, contrasting against the leaves. The harvest comes at a good time for the farmers because there are no major holidays for Muslims, Christians or Jews during this busy period. This is a good
EXCELSIOR, Minn. - Tough conversations about religion, communication and outreach are underway in Minneapolis as part of a two-day conference designed to build bridges between Christians and Muslims. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America is sponsoring the
by HARRY BRUINUS, Christian Science Monitor — 14 November 2014
WASHINGTON — Prayer carpets for a Muslim Jumuah service have been spread out in a transept wing of the Washington National Cathedral Friday as religious leaders prepare to host the church’s first-ever Muslim-led prayers. The carpets have been arranged diagonally to face Mecca, as is required for prostrate Muslim prayers, and now lie under the grand Gothic arches of the National Cathedral,
by ANDREA GAGLIARDUCCI, Catholic News Agency — 13 November 2014
VATICAN CITY — In a joint statement delivered Thursday, the Catholic-Muslim Forum condemned acts of terrorism, oppression, and violence, affirming it is never acceptable to use religion to justify such acts. The Catholic-Muslim Forum was held Nov. 11-13 in Rome. It was established in 2008 for dialogue between the religions, and it meets every three years to harvest the fruit of more grassroots dialogue pursued between the forums. The group met on Wednesday with Pope Francis,
Growing up in a post-9/11 America, Sierra heard many negative things about Muslims. “Looking at the news,” she said, “I saw all the dangers, and people being killed. It was frightening.” But when she was 11 years old, her parents began bringing her to AAi compassion events and her view of Muslims quickly changed. During the first event she attended in Gilroy, Sierra buddied up with a Muslim girl of similar age named Noor.
“We just clicked,” Sierra said. “I remember telling each other a lot of jokes ... and, of course, we enjoyed serving [a meal to] poor neighbors together.”
That opened the door for Sierra to see Muslims as people, even incredibly kind people who were nothing at all like she’d heard.
In addition to her personal experiences at several AAi compassion events, Sierra credits AAi’s seminar, Loving Muslim Neighbors, with removing numerous misconceptions about Muslims and Islam that are popular among Christians, and with illuminating the immense common ground shared.
Headlines with good news are often buried in periodicals worlwide behind front page stories of tragedy and death. The reporter’s adage, “If it bleeds, it leads,” has become standard practice in many newsrooms internationally as editors seek to satiate the interest of the public at large. After all, no one wants to read about a train that arrives on time at its proper destination. If it crashes, on the other hand, or if it is delayed by a strike, people want details.
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