I am proud to be hosting a groundbreaking workshop on Judaism and Islam this week at The Jewish Theological Seminary, in partnership with the Islamic Society of North America and Hartford Seminary, because I believe, as a religious Jew, that there is no more urgent issue for individuals and communities of faith at this moment than to find our way to genuine cooperation, tolerance and mutual respect. This is a time when the fate of the planet and its inhabitants hangs in the balance as never before, and when religion, for better or worse, holds sway more than any other force over the hearts and minds of the world’s peoples. More religious leaders, therefore, have an obligation to make sure that they speak a language of respect, cooperation, justice, and humility, rather than of intolerance, persecution and violence. The moderates of all faiths have to talk often and well, lest the extremists carry the day. The stakes of not doing so are simply too high to countenance.
