Jews, Muslims promote unity in Ukraine
Major conference of clerics from both faiths convenes in Kiev to explore mutual cooperation in wake of bin Laden's killing. 'This is a historic opportunity for the forces of moderation,' says Rabbi Marc Schneier
Largely perceived as the most prominent global figure using Islam to encourage and justify international terrorism, bin Laden’s death is being heralded as an opportunity to promote the moderate elements within the Muslim faith.
He said that the Muslim world views bin Laden’s death as a welcome chance to promote partnerships with other world religions.
“The fact that the person who the world has always associated with violence in the name of Islam is no longer living should be understood as a major opportunity for the forces of moderation,” Rabbi Schneier said.
“Bin Laden’s death serves as a definitive test for Muslims as to where their true loyalties lie but I’m confident it will encourage more and more people to say no to terrorism and yes to tolerance.”
The conference, entitled “Muslims and Jews United against Hatred and Extremism”, is one of the first such gatherings of its kind in the Ukraine.
The event is co-sponsored by the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, the Ukrainian Jewish Committee and the Institute of Human Rights and the Prevention of Xenophobia and Extremism. The founder of the latter two Kiev-based organizations is Member of Parliament Oleksandr Feldman, one of the top Jewish leaders in Ukraine.
Keynote addresses at the conference were presented by Rabbi Schneier as well as MP Feldman and by Member of Parliament Mustafa Djemilev, the leader of the Majlis (Council of Crimean Tatars). MP Djemilev is an advocate for human rights in the former Soviet Union dating back to the 1960´s and was imprisoned by the KGB for many years.
Jewish representatives at the conference expressed their solidarity with Muslims, including the Crimean Tatars in the Ukraine and Caucasian and Central Asian Muslims in Russia, who have been discriminated against in recent years, including enduring physical attacks by skinheads, neo-Nazis and racists.
At the same time, the Muslim leaders denounced anti-Semitism, which continues to persist as a serious problem in the FSU.
'Growing trend in favor of tolerance'
This gathering is one of a series of Muslim-Jewish events in nine European countries during May initiated by the FFEU, World Jewish Congress, European Jewish Congress, the World Conference of Muslims for Interfaith Relations and the Muslim-Jewish Conference marking Europe Day-Victory Day and declaring that the two communities will stand together against manifestations of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism and xenophobia. Additional events are taking place in Britain, France, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Austria.
Over 80 clerics were in attendance for the conference to speak out against Islamaphobia, anti-Semitism, racism and xenophobia.
“A gathering of this scope in a country that has a painful history dealing with hatred and discrimination is quite remarkable and speaks to a growing trend in favor of tolerance across Europe and around the world,” Rabbi Schneier said.
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