Rabbis and Imams Discuss the Different Denominations of Judaism

The dynamics within the Jewish community was the topic of a lively discussion among religious leaders in the most recent Rabbi-Imam Dialogue, on December 4th.

Nearly 20 rabbis and imams from across the Chicago area, from a wide range of denominations, communities and ethnic backgrounds, met at the Downtown Islamic Center. This was the sixth meeting of this city-wide group, convened by the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, the Chicago Board of Rabbis and the Council of Islamic Organization of Greater Chicago.

Rabbi Memis-Foler (middle) with Humaira Basith (left) and Lena Kasi Touleimat (right)

The conversation focused on the similarities and differences among the Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform denominations within the Jewish community, and how each stream of Judaism interpreted questions ranging from “Who is a Jew” to Jewish law, and more.  Rabbi Michael Balinsky facilitated the discussion along with Rabbi Amy Memis-Foler, Rabbi Andrea London, and Rabbi Capers Funnye.

The discussion was engaging and the floor was open to questions and dialogue from both sides.  Muslim participants came out of the evening with a greater appreciation of the varied nature of the Jewish community, and a greater understanding of Judaism more broadly.

The next dialogue will be hosted by the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs in February, and will explore the intra-faith dynamics of the Muslim community.

For more information please contact Asaf Bar-Tura at asaf@jcua.org

Sharia Law in the American Context: A Rabbi-Imam Dialogue

From left: Rabbi Andrea London (Beth Emet), Rabbi Rachel Mikva (Chicago Theological Seminary), Karen Danielson (Muslim American Society).

Sharia law was the topic of a lively discussion among religious leaders in the most recent Rabbi-Imam Dialogue, on May 29.

Nearly 20 rabbis and imams from across the Chicago area, from a wide range of denominations, communities and ethnic backgrounds, met at the Downtown Islamic Center. This was the fourth meeting of this city-wide group, convened by the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, the Chicago Board of Rabbis and the Council of Islamic Organization of Greater Chicago.

Participants came to learn more from one another, deepen the dialogue between Muslim and Jewish clergy in Chicago, and specifically to learn more about Sharia Law in the American context.

The conversation was co-facilitated by Rabbi Michael Balinsky and Sheik Abdur Rahman Khan, after Sheik Khan gave a presentation about Sharia law. Many of the participants later described how they deepened their understanding of Sharia law as a moral code, and the ways in which it includes economics, politics, prayer and diet.

Imams and rabbis discuss Sharia law.

They also addressed some of the harder questions, related to Sharia law as a penal code. “Yes,” said Sheik Khan, “Sharia law includes the death penalty, but that is true for the penal codes of 139 countries around the world, including the United States.”