Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee

05/10/2024

The Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee is honored to be a co-sponsor of The joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day Ceremony. Organized by Combatants for Peace and The Parents Circle Families Forum, the ceremony creates a desperately needed space for Palestinians and Israelis to grieve together and stand together calling for the end of the war and all violence. We will stand strong in demonstrating that another way is possible, that the zero-sum game is not leading us to the future we hope for. Join us to mourn, and join us to build hope!

Register to attend the in-person event in Brooklyn where we will hear from local leaders and stream the main event: https://secure.everyaction.com/DwJMdmYuMEWMzFxEdk4ffA2

10/05/2022

Hello friends! We know that it has been quite a while since we last posted something...but with the beginning of the Jewish New Year (Rosh HaShanah), MJSC would like to share some inspirational words from our Director of Educational Experiences & Programming, Ruben Shimonov:

“Tonight, ten days after Rosh Hashanah, Jews all over the world will be observing the holiest day of the Jewish year: Yom Kippur — the Day of Atonement. In both Hebrew and Arabic, the words for “atonement” are quite similar: Kapparah (‏כפרה) and Kaffārah (‏كفارة), respectively. While they have different jurisprudential implications in each faith, at the core of both of these words is the act of making amends or reparation for wrongdoing. Yom Kippur is often seen as a solemn and sad day, but the Jewish tradition actually teaches us that “never were there for the Jewish people days of greater festivity than the 15th of [the month of] Av and Yom Kippur” (Mishnah, Ta’anit 4:8). The Talmud then expounds on this by stating that “We can understand why Yom Kippur is the ultimate day of joy, because it has the elements of pardon and forgiveness” (Talmud Bavli, Ta’anit 30b). This teaches us that there is great happiness and liberation in genuinely making amends, forgiving, and being forgiven. How might we be able to apply this lesson to our own lives—to our community-building work, to our interpersonal relationships, and to forgiving and healing our selves? Holding this intention, I share with you a calligraphy piece that I made combining the words Kapparah (‏כפרה) and Kaffārah (‏كفارة). Peace and blessings / Salaam waBarakaat / Shalom veBerakhot to everyone.”

10/04/2022

Hello friends! We know that it has been quite a while since we last posted something...but with the beginning of the Jewish New Year (Rosh HaShanah), MJSC would like to share some inspirational words from our Director of Educational Experiences & Programming, Ruben Shimonov:

“Tonight, ten days after Rosh Hashanah, Jews all over the world will be observing the holiest day of the Jewish year: Yom Kippur — the Day of Atonement. In both Hebrew and Arabic, the words for “atonement” are quite similar: Kappārā (‏ (כַּפָּרָהand Kaffāra (‏كفارة), respectively. While they have different jurisprudential implications in each faith, at the core of both of these words is the act of making amends or reparation for wrongdoing.

Yom Kippur is often seen as a solemn and sad day, but the Jewish tradition actually teaches us that “never were there for the Jewish people days of greater festivity than the 15th of [the month of] Av and Yom Kippur” (Mishnah, Ta’anit 4:8). The Talmud then expounds on this by stating: “We can understand why Yom Kippur is the ultimate day of joy, because it has the elements of pardon and forgiveness” (Talmud Bavli, Ta’anit 30b). This teaches us that there is great happiness and liberation in genuinely making amends, forgiving, and being forgiven. How might we be able to apply this lesson to our own lives—to our community-building work, to our interpersonal relationships, and to forgiving and healing our selves?

Holding this intention, I share with you a calligraphy piece that I made combining the words Kapparah (‏כּפּרה) and Kaffārah (‏كفارة). Peace and blessings / Salaam waBarakaat / Shalom veBerakhot to everyone.”

05/18/2022

What if, away from tensions around questions of identity and the fear of others, we had found other realities? What if we had stories to tell of audacious ci...

05/17/2022

The mass murders in Buffalo this past Saturday left our hearts shattered and outraged, it is impossible to comprehend hate so intense that it justifies the deliberate intent to cause so much pain. We grieve for the victims and their loved ones as we ask ourselves again - what can we do? how can we help bring real change? how do we prevent this from ever happening again? - we all continuously wrestle with these questions as we so desperately want to find some answers and hope.

We found some inspiration in the film All of Us by Pierre Pirard. The Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee was invited this week to be a partner in the launch of the film, a documentary that features the stories of people who didn't cower in the face of difference and conflict. Instead, they set out to take the brave step of leaving their comfort zones to lead the way to build bridges between people.

We invite you to watch the film, it is available now through Sunday, May 22, on YouTube.

We hope it brings you some hope and inspiration as it did for us.

What if, away from tensions around questions of identity and the fear of others, we had found other realities? What if we had stories to tell of audacious ci...

04/03/2022

Wishing all a blessed Ramadan. May the holy month be a time of prayer and reflection, connection and community.

This year Ramadan coincides with the Hebrew month of Nissan, the month of spring and renewal, and as we endeavor to move on from the challenges of the past two years, let this be a time when we all open our hearts to creating new bonds and rediscovering old ones, a time to reengage and recommit, a time to heal, and a time to call for and demand peace for all.



Artwork by Ruben Shimonov

01/19/2022

Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee statement regarding Texas Synagogue hostage situation:

We breathed a sigh of relief when all hostages were freed at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, and are thankful they were able to reunite with their families unharmed. Yet, at this moment of joyful relief, we note a quote from Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker’s statement after his release "Over the years, my congregation and I have participated in multiple security courses from the Colleyville Police Department, the FBI, the Anti-Defamation League, and Secure Community Network." It is saddening and horrifying that antisemitism has become so prominent in the United States that these measures had to be taken and this attack was expected.

We are not discouraged. Following the day celebrating Martin Luther King JR, we remember his words “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends” but our friends are loud, and our friends took action! The prayers, vigils, and support that the Jewish community has received from the interfaith community during this terrifying ordeal remind us that although antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other hate attacks are on the rise, our bonds are stronger than ever and our commitment to stand up for each other is unwavering.

Sabeeha Rehman, Author and MJSC Board Member reminded us of this at a rally this Sunday morning:

“In this moment of horror and terror, spiritual leaders across the faiths came together and worked together with law enforcement, to overcome the crisis. When the perpetrator attacked the synagogue; he attacked our values and what we stand for. Peace and solidarity. He attacked the bridges that unite our faith communities. When he took our Jewish brethren hostage, he took our faith hostage; he took us all hostage. And he failed. He failed because we came together, prayed together, worked together and took action.”

12/21/2021

Check out this article written by MJSC Emerging Leaders Fellow Mirushe Zylali about the multilingual Arabic & Hebrew calligraphy of MJSC’s Director of Educational Experiences Ruben Shimonov. Ruben’s first interfaith calligraphy workshop was in fact an MJSC event in 2018! Understanding the central role that Arabic and Hebrew play in Islam and Judaism respectively, he wanted to create a space where Muslims and Jews could explore these two sacred languages through spiritual, linguistic and artistic lenses. He facilitated that first gathering with another MJSC community member Sherif Buxari (www.urduvoa.com/a/similarities-between-muslims-and-jews-workshop-by-solidarity-committee-in-new-york/4236447.html). Since then, Ruben has led the workshop multiple times for the Muslim Jewish Solidarity Committee. If you’d like to take a deeper dive into Ruben’s multilingual calligraphy, please visit his newly launched Instagram page: Instagram.com/_WordsInMotion_

In Ruben Shimonov’s “rimon | ruman,” the right hip of a pomegranate serves as two Rs simultaneously: one in Hebrew script, the other in Arabic. This is one of many of Ruben Shimonov’s calligraphic creations, which incorporate Arabic, Hebrew and Persian. Born in Uzbekistan and raised there un...