Community Building
We Live The Sacred Commandment To Love Your Neighbor
Our lived experiences teach us that diversity strengthens, not threatens, our identities. We are vocally committed to redefining and showing what community can represent. Communities and neighborhoods grow, change, and develop as time passes and norms shift. We don’t make assumptions about who our communities and who our neighbors are. Communities don’t have to be homogenous or based on stereotypical definitions of who is Muslim, Jewish, Christian, etc. We can come from different racial, ethnic, generational, and class backgrounds, practice different faiths, and still build a new community together. We learn from the diversity that surrounds us and embrace our community with love. We keep our arms open to all faith identities and levels of religious practice. We believe that each individual should be safe, supported, and welcomed in their complex identities.
Programs:
Multifaith Holiday Celebrations
Sharing our holidays and customs with one another in unique and creative ways has proven to be one of the most joyful ways to learn about each other’s faith traditions, expand our awareness, and debunk harmful myths and stereotypes. In fact, our first Iftar in a Synagogue in 2015 went viral on social media, leading to rapid growth and increased awareness of the MJSC. Hundreds of New Yorkers flocked to our sold out event, inspiring us to create more programming like it, and expand our reach as an organization.
We now host Iftar in a Synagogue, a Mimouna, and Passover in a Mosque annually as our flagship events. Words can’t describe the warmth, pride, and camaraderie felt when we come together to celebrate the richness and vibrancy of our cultures.
Throughout the year, we celebrate a variety of holidays and traditions, in addition to our larger flagship programs. If there is a holiday, tradition, or custom you would like to celebrate with our community, please contact us at info@muslimjewishsolidarity.org.
Interfeasts
Interfeasts are small themed meals hosted by our community members in private homes, parks, restaurants, community spaces—anywhere! Interfeasts, varying between 8-30 attendees, provide a unique opportunity to bring our diverse community together to create new friendships and have engaging conversations in an intimate and inclusive environment. Attendees have an opportunity to share and learn from one another over a meal and structured conversation. Past Interfeast topics include a Women’s Interfeast, Afghan food & culture, Ramadan iftars, holiday feasts, bread baking and dip making, discussion of NYC housing crisis, and more.
We are always looking for new Interfeast hosts! We’ll help you plan the meal and conversation, and take care of promotion and registration. If you would like to take a stand against hate and foster understanding by opening your heart and home, please fill out our Interfeast host form.
Faith to Faith
Faith to Faith is a brand new program, launched in early 2019, with the goal of diving deeper into our respective faith traditions. Together, we explore our texts, rituals, and customs through interactive events like Hebrew and Arabic calligraphy workshops, a discussion of fasting practices, Shabbat and Jummah events, sacred text studies, and more. This program, based on our shared values of charity, learning, and giving back, also aims to highlight the pursuit of all faiths for social justice, peace, and love.
SHALOM/SALAAM
CREATIVE RETREAT
The Shalom/Salaam Creative Retreat was founded by the Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee and the International Human Rights Arts Festival. It offers a full-day creative exploration around the shared history of Muslim and Jewish cultural, artistic, and spiritual relationships, and our common lived experiences. We feature interactive learning opportunities – from hands-on poetry workshops to stand up comedy, musician and dance performances to sacred text and primary source study. We welcome any method of intellectual or artistic exploration to open a space for learning, conversation, reflection, healing and enjoyment.
This full day of activity highlights the strong, complex, but little known positive relationship between Muslims and Jews throughout history across the globe. It aims to effectively educate, challenge, and dismantle stereotypes about Muslims and Jews as eternal enemies.
The Shalom/Salaam Creative Retreat began in New York City and is now expanding into other cities. We work with partner organizations to identify local artists, academics and like-minded thought leaders. If you are interested in bringing the Shalom/Salaam Creative Retreat to your city please contact info@muslimjewishsolidarity.org.
Scriptural Reasoning
Scriptural Reasoning is an innovative program where Muslims, Jews, and Christians gather to read short-themed passages from their three scriptures while building fellowship and understanding across the faiths.
Each month a new topic is selected and relevant text from scriptures of the three faiths are discussed by the Participants who work in breakout groups of 9-12, led by facilitators skilled in guiding the discussion in a productive and respectful fashion.