Muslims and Jews are coming together for a series of interfaith dinners in the New York City area. The goal of these events is the form friendships between members of the two community and to find ways to work together against both antisemitism and Islamophobia. According to one participant, getting to know people of other faiths is crucial for building empathy and inspiring advocacy: "When you have a natural affiliation with people, you can advocate for them effortlessly... It's like you don't ...
Muslims Schools Reach Out to their Neighbors
This fall, nearly 80 Islamic elementary, middle, and high schools across the United States will take part in a new initiative designed to bring Muslim and non-Muslim children together to learn about one another and break down misconceptions. At one event in Huntington, New York, students from a Muslim school had lunch at a local Catholic school. According to one of the Catholic school students, the event had a positive impact and could help more Americans get to know their Muslim neighbors: "I ...
“A Dinner with Your Muslim Neighbor”
Cook Amanda Saab and her husband wanted to do something to help build bridges between Muslims and non-Muslims. So, they began inviting strangers to dinner in order to form friendships, hold discussions, and counter the negative perceptions of Muslims and Islam many people hold. Their initiative, which they call "Dinner with Your Muslim Neighbor," became a regular event, bringing together diverse groups of guests. According to Saab's husband, Hussein, "We're not theologians... We're not ...
Coffee, Cake, and Islam
Learn more about Maleeha Choudhry, a young Muslim leader who is doing her part to change the conversation about Islam and Muslims through "Coffee, Cake, and Islam" interfaith gatherings. According to Choudhry, she does this work to help break down barriers and build bridges, saying, "To just walk up to a Muslim...that's not something that's easy for [many] Americans to do... So having this platform is really amazing because [it helps us] see that we have common ground." Read more (KCTS9) ...
Photo Exhibition Celebrates Diversity, Builds Bridges
A new photography exhibition, titled "I am Mohammed," features portraits of 14 people who all have one thing in common: They all bear the world's most common name—Mohammed (using one spelling or another). According to curator Narmeen Haider, the exhibition is meant to both celebrate the diversity within the Muslim community, with photos of Mohammeds hailing from Alaska to Afghanistan, and to help build bridges between Muslims and non-Muslims. "In your head," Haider says, "a Muslim looks so ...
