We were set up on a blind date.Two UCLA grads whose paths had never crossed were unexpectedly brought together by a pair of well-meaning Executive Directors who thought a younger level of Muslim-Jewish dialogue was worth exploring.
As we ate our chana masala and chicken vindaloo, we reflected on our unique yet parallel experiences working with organizations continuously navigating complex community challenges. We shared a passion for improving Muslim-Jewish relationships and bemoaned previous efforts that never seemed to fulfill our expectations.
“Kumbaya is not enough!” we said. We need to go further than, “You eat
hummus? We eat hummus!”
One year later, we sneak away from our jobs to catch up on each other’s lives and work. Together, we are figuring out how to foster a renewed belief that meaningful relationships between our communities – on a large scale – are possible. What we’ve learned is that this work is an evolving process, that with every discovery comes a new challenge, and that our commitment to creating a new approach to Muslim-Jewish community building becomes stronger everyday.
Margaret Mead once wrote, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Doubt it? Heck, we’re counting on it.
Jaime Rapaport is the program director of the Progressive Jewish Alliance.
www.pjalliance.org
Edina Lekovic is the communications director of the Muslim Public Affairs Committee.
www.mpac.org
