AJCMA PRESS RELEASE ON AJCMA EVENTS
(American Jewish Muslim Alliance) meeting with New Jersey Synagogues

A meeting of Jews and Muslims was held in the Jewish Community Center in Flemington, NJ on Friday April 25th, 2003 under  the auspices of AJMA (American Jewish Muslim Alliance). The meeting was initiated by Pakistani Muslims who are visiting all the Synagogues in New Jersey. Rabbi Jaffi of the Flemington Synagogue, along with some American Muslims and American Jews facilitated a dialogue to promote tolerance. There were more than 100 participants including Muslims from the Boonton Mosque. The Muslims were graciously welcomed and enthusiastically approached. There were a lot of questions.

The Muslims held their own service in the basement, where they held their "Maghrib" (dusk) prayers, and they appreciated that.

Mr. Moin Ansari (American Muslim) and Mr. Allan Shapiro (American Jew) spoke for about 20 minutes with about 15 minutes of Q&A...almost everyone had a question or two. Later, the guests were invited to the evening  "Onag" (high Tea).

Mr. Moin Ansari spoke about focusing on the commonalties of both the monotheistic religions, and telling them about the positive aspects of Islam and their common nourishment and growth in Spain and in the Ottoman Empire. He told them that when the Muslim armies had captured Jerusalem under Caliph Omar, he let the Jews back into Jerusalem. Someone asked Caliph to pray at the 2nd temple but he refused to do so telling his audience that Muslims would build a Mosque on this site. He told them that the progeny of Abraham (Ishmael and Isaac) had a real estate problem that to this day needs to be resolved.  However, the Jewish and Muslim  faiths have many beliefs and practices in common . Moin informed them that Muslims worshipped ONE G_D and did not allow any graven images. Islam considers Christians and Jews as "people of the Book" to be honored and respected. He told them that Muslims were not Muslims if they did not believe in the Torah (Old Testament) and the Christian Bible (New Testament), and that the Quran (Muslim holy book) constantly refers to the other holy texts. He read a verse from the Quran where Jews and Christians (Sabians) would go to paradise. Mr. Moin Ansari also spoke about "Kama salata ibraheema wala alay ibraheema"..telling them that we send blessing to the progeny of Abraham every day and during every “rakat” of every prayer five times day.

Responding to a question, Mr. Ansari told the audience that the dastardly and cowardly acts of 9/11 were universally condemned by the OIC (Organization of Islamic Conferences) and by American Muslim leaders in LA, NY and across the USA. It was also condemned across the Muslim world from Gaza (Palestine), to Cairo (Egypt), to Karachi to Jakarta (Indonesia) to Dhaka (Bangladesh).

In answer to a question on suicide bombing, Mr. Ansari informed the audience that suicide was prohibited in all the religions of the world including Islam, and told them that clear distinction is made between combatants and the soldiers. He then spoke about the battle between King Richard and Saladin where King Richard's  horse had fallen and Saladin gave King Richard his horse.

A member of the audience informed the congregation that Caliph Omar in Jerusalem appointed the Jewish Rabbi to run the Kosher certification for Halal and Kosher meats

Mr. Allan Shapiro says that the world stands on three things - Torah, Service of Hashem (Gd), and Generosity toward others. He is building bridges with Muslims.

Rabbi Jaffi was enthusiastically listening to the 500 year long Jewish-Muslim Symbiosis in Andalusia (Spain) that created  wonderful confluence of three culture cultures, where Jews held high positions in the “Ummayad” Muslim empire of Cardoba. After the fall of Cardoba to the Christians in 1492, all Muslims and Jews were expelled from Spain and they found refuge with the Ottomans in Istanbul.

The Flemington congregation was invited to the Boonton Mosque, and Rabbi Jaffe accepted the Muslim invitation to come to the Mosque and speak to the Boonton congregation.

Mr. Allan Shapiro is arranging the following with the Boonton Mosque-getting the teens involved in different groups.

 

First are the high school students.  Contacts will be set up on both ends so that the kids can contact someone to set up and structure joint participation to share ideas and concepts.

Second are junior high parents. The Junior High parents would like to meet with Muslim Junior High Parents to set up a get together

Third are the adults. They would like to have an open discussion of pathways,  concepts and potentially a marriage of ideas.

A fourth group that would like to implement something is our elementary school program.

 

Mr. Allan Shapiro has created a list of the similarities in concepts, beliefs, and prayers. AJMA is growing by leaps and bounds. Those who wish to contact AJMA, please send Mr. Moin Ansari an e-mail to AJCMA786@aol.com or call 973-463-1260

Hear the other side                                 Reach out                                                  Make a difference

As American citizens ,we  strive to  develop common strategies on events that shape our daily lives in America
To educate each other on the positive aspects of our monotheistic faiths and focus on the commonalities. 
“Overcoming prejudice and bigotry is the best reward”