Salaam Shalom: Muslim and Jewish women start a movement to thwart religious bigotry

[PragmaticDem]

By Sheryl Olitzky | January 5, 2018


(RNS) — When my friend Atiya Aftab and I started the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom in 2010, we could never have envisioned the need for, or the exponential growth of, what began as a dozen women in New Jersey.

The Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom is the only national group of Muslim and Jewish women in the United States committed to building trust and respect through the development of relationships with one another.


The women join SOSS as strangers, develop into friends and evolve into sisters. They commit to protecting one another and standing up for each other’s communities. SOSS grew from our group of a dozen women in 2010 to thousands of women in communities large and small across the United States and Canada.

http://religionnews.com/2018/01/05/salaam-shalom-muslim-and-jewish-women-start-a-movement-to-thwart-religious-bigotry/

[Gothmog]

1. Jews and Muslims have a great deal in common

I am Jewish precinct chair in my county and I have more in common with the Muslim precinct chairs than with some other chairs

[PragmaticDem]

2. Indeed!

[guillaumeb]

5. Would you care to elaborate? eom

[Gothmog]

6. We are both members of minority religions and are outnumbered by members of the majority faith

The hatred of Muslims by trump and the Islamaphobes reminds me of the same hatred shown to Jews both today and in the past. Under Trump there has been increase in hate crimes against members of both religions. Some Christians only support Israel and Jews because of their desire to hasten the "second" coming (as a Jew, I am still waking for the first coming of the Messiah). I am deeply concerned about the incidents of attacks on Muslims and to a lesser degree Jews under Trump. My friends at the ADL are busy trying to protect members of both faiths from acts of hatred.

My youngest child's best friend is an observant Muslim. Jewish and Muslim children often compare notes as to where to eat in that Halal and Kosher rules are essentially interchangeable. My daughter's best friend is a nice young lady and I admire her greatly. I know that she has been insulted for wearing traditional clothing.

My county sent two delegates to the Philadelphia national convention. My other delegate was a Muslim and we sat together during the convention and I ate with him a couple of times during the convention.

I can go on.

[guillaumeb]

7. You have made your point very well.

In Chicago, Jews and Muslims are working together on combatting intolerance. And yes, authoritarian regimes always need an easily identifiable "other" to hold up as the enemy. Jews have often been that "other", and Muslims have also been that "other" since September 11, 2001.

[Gothmog]

8. I live in deep red Texas where both Jews and Muslims have been the subject of hate

I really believe that I have far more in common with the Muslim precinct chairs in my county than I do with some of the precinct chairs who are from the majority faith. I have seen reports of people telling Muslims to go back to the home country even though they wee born in the US. The ADL and the SPLC are busy monitoring incidents of hate towards both Muslims and Jews which have increased under trump. It is scary to see the RWNJ and hate mongers being more active because they have one of their own in the White House

[AtheistCrusader]

3. I haven't seen any hostility locally, but I could see how this is necessary nation-wide.

Tough world out there. Good to see people building bridges.

[guillaumeb]

4. Recommended.

Interfaith alliances are excellent things to see. In the Chicago area, a number of area churches are working with local Muslim groups on social justice issues.