Workers’ Rights Examined in Jewish-Muslim Text Study

Reflections on Our Text Study on Workers’ Rights

By JMCBI

Just before May Day, the traditional celebration of workers’ rights, we came together to explore what Jewish and Muslim traditions contribute to the current discussion on labor.

Sponsored by JCUA’s Jewish-Muslim Community Building Initiative, this text study featured Rabbi Victor Mirelman and Muslim chaplain Abbas Chinoy who facilitated the event on a rainy Sunday evening in the comfortable Dollop Café in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood.

The need to contemplate labor issues has gained urgency around the Midwest. In Wisconsin, only a few months ago Gov. Scott Walker made it almost impossible for public employees to organize; and in Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is also changing the city’s relationship with its employees. It wasn’t even a month ago that Gov. Walker repealed the Equal Pay Enforcement Act that had offered legal avenues to fight wage discrimination based on race, age, disability, religion and sexual orientation.

Muslim chaplain Abbas Chinoy (at top, in photo at left); and Rabbi Victor Mirelman (in center of photo at right).

The evening began with this question: How have worker rights (or lack thereof) influenced peoples’ lives?

While one participant had very positive experiences with her union, another expressed her disappointment with the union of which she had been a member; she said she had been neither well informed or well cared for.

Iftar in the Synagogue 2011 a Huge Success

More than 400 Jews and Muslims attended this year’s Iftar in the Synagogue, an annual event of JCUA’s Jewish-Muslim Community Building Initiative. The evening’s theme, “Diverse Experiences. A Common Future,” invited both communities to explore how to truly see each other by sharing diverse religious and cultural experiences, engaging each other in conversation, and empowering each other to build a common future.

Learn more about JMCBI in this video.

Here are some photos from the event.

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Iftar in the Synagogue 2011: “Diverse Experiences, A Common Future”

Iftar in the Synagogue is a unique interfaith gathering that is held during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.  This is the seventh year JCUA is putting on this special event.  It is a chance for people of different religions to come together and share their diverse religious and cultural experiences, engage in conversation and empower each other to build a common future.

This year Iftar in the Synagogue is taking place on August 18 from 6-9:30 p.m at Temple Sholom, 3480 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago.  At this event there will be Jewish and Muslim prayers, speakers, conversation and a kosher/halal dinner.  We will also be collecting non-perishable food items to be donated to the Urban Minority Alliance (UMMA) Center.  This is a free event, but space is limited so please RSVP.

 If you are interested in volunteering at the event, or want to learn more, contact Asaf Bar-Tura at asaf@jcua.org.

Download the event flyer.

Iftar in the Synagogue 2011 is sponsored by the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, the Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals, the Muslim Women’s Alliance, Temple Sholom, and the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs.

Save the Date: Iftar in the Synagogue

We are pleased to announce details for Iftar in the Synagogue 2011.

When: Thursday, August 18, 6-9:30 p.m.

Where: Temple Sholom, 3480 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago (map it)

»See video of last year’s Iftar

VOLUNTEER: If you would like to be a part of planning Iftar in the Synagogue, or if you would like to help at the event, please contact Kayla (kayla@jcua.org).