Jewish/Muslim Fast for Peace July 15th

by Sheila Musaji

The Jewish Daily Forwarded reported on July 6th Families of Slain Israeli and Palestinian Teens Turn to Each Other for Comfort That article noted: ”... The Palestinian visitors also mentioned an initiative spearheaded by Jews and Muslims to transform July 15, the Jewish fast day known as 17 Tammuz, into a joint fast day for people of both religions who wish to express their desire to end violence in the region.”

On July 8th, The American Muslim (TAM) published Can Jews & Muslims Join In 17 Tammuz/ Ramadan Fast July 15 In “Hunger Strike Against Violence by Rabbi Arthur Waskow

On July 9th, we added a Facebook Page Fasting for Peace - Hunger Strike Against Violence and a page on The Shalom Center One Day Jewish-Muslim Fast for Peace which included our statement of purpose:

One-Day Jewish-Muslim Fast for Peace - “Hunger Strike Against Violence”: July 15

In the wake of horrifying murders and continuing violence, Israelis & Palestinians have joined in supporting a proposal put forward by Eliaz Cohen (a poet/ settler in Gush Etzion):

That the traditional Jewish fast day of 17 Tammuz, which coincides this year with a day in the month-long Muslim fast of Ramadan, be set aside on Tuesday, July 15, as a “Hunger Strike Against Violence.” American Jews and Muslims are also joining in both the dawn-to-dusk Fast that day and where possible, in sharing Iftar (break-fast) that evening. 

If you are interested in joining in this Fast and publicly adding your name, please fill in the items below.

Shalom, salaam, peace — Sheila Musaji, editor, The American Muslim, and Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director, The Shalom Center.

The idea began to spread, and other people created their own pages, or local events, e.g.:
—A group of Muslim and Jewish friends created #FastForPeace on July 15th with a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/669871639766639/ and a website at http://fastforpeacejuly15.wordpress.com/
—Ariana Mentzel is hosting Fast on July 15 for Unity Against Violence https://www.facebook.com/events/690801804307589/
—The Southern California Muslim-Jewish Forum is organizing a Day of Prayer and Fasting for Our Children: Tuesday: July 15 at All Saints Church in Pasadena
https://www.facebook.com/events/628470873927246/
—Sef Townsend set up a Facebook Page Joint Fasting in Solidarity with Bereaved Parents https://www.facebook.com/events/1502205130011662/
- A group called Choose Life set up a page to collect all of the events being planned anywhere at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Spv7rxWQ1FeQPH8OYWVqXx_JS9C18qiosujsLsHEzJk/viewform and a page to list the events submitted at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iuENIcxY26ct8F71phHvPUKV0gAdkBA7dcX4Jz5u-9M/pubhtml
- A group in Austin, Texas organized a Jewish-Muslim Fast in Solidarity with Grieving Families https://www.facebook.com/events/584384715011422/
- In Philadelphia, the Interfaith Walk for Peace and Reconciliation http://www.interfaithpeacewalk.org/ will host a gathering for dialogue at the Al Aqsa Mosque, followed by Iftar.

There may be many more efforts that we don’t know about - but it is clear that individuals and organizations, mosques, synagogues, and churches around the world are joining together to mark this day as a fast for peace.  There will be interfaith Iftars, prayers, etc.  And, on these various sites, thousands of people have signed up to say that they will participate.

There are many other groups attempting to build bridges between the Muslim and Jewish Communities, e.g.:
—Abrahamic Alliance International http://www.abrahamicalliance.org/aai/
—Abrahamic Forum http://www.iccj.org/Abrahamic-Forum.3410.0.html
—Center for Muslim Jewish Engagement http://www.usc.edu/org/cmje/
—Global Jewish Muslim Friendship Forum https://www.facebook.com/groups/179800982079692/
—Jewish Muslim Friendship Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/jewish.muslim.friendship/
—Jews and Muslims for Peace https://www.facebook.com/groups/2204606363/
—Muslims and Jews breaking the Ramadan fast together, Lauren Markoe http://www.religionnews.com/2014/07/10/breaking-ramadan-fast-company-jews/
—Peace, not Vengeance Community on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/peacenotrevenge 

The finger pointing (they started it) blame game will not solve anything.  This is fruitless and each side can find a grievance a little further back in time to justify their “retaliation”.  As this brilliant video This Land Is Mine by Nina Paley shows, we can take this back to the cave man.  The endless cycle of retaliation and revenge is fruitless.  Right now, human beings are suffering and dying, and we must work together to find a solution that will bring peace with justice for all.

 
ARTICLES:

A Call to Bridge the Abrahamic Faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, Ph. D.
http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/a_call_to_bridge_the_abrahamic_faiths_judaism_christianity_and_islam/

As a Jew living in America, the past week has changed me forever, David Harris Gershon http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/06/1311721/-As-a-Jew-living-in-America-the-past-week-has-changed-me-forever#

Can Jews & Muslims Join In 17 Tammuz/ Ramadan Fast July 15 In “Hunger Strike Against Violence, Rabbi Arthur Waskow http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/as-war-looms-can-jews-muslims-join-in-17-tammuz-ramadan-fast-july-15-in-hun/0020212

Many Chances for a Different Future—Thrown Away, Thrown Away; But We Can Start the Healing, Rabbi Arthur Waskow http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/many-chances-for-a-different-future-thrown-away/0020214

Mercy over Vengeance: Israeli Jews and Palestinians, Warren Blumenfeld http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2014/07/08/mercy-over-vengeance-israeli-jews-and-palestinians/

Muslim Voices Promoting Islamic Non Violent Solutions (with a lengthy article collection) http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/promoting_islamic_non_violent_solutions

‘Palestine’ is an ancient name, for a land of many cultures. Martin Hughes http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/palestine-is-an-ancient-name-for-a-land-of-many-cultures/0020213

Time for United Nations Intervention, Dr. James Zogby http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/time-for-united-nations-intervention/0020209

To heal the world, start with the truth, Robert Gelbach & Shelly Altman http://www.nhregister.com/opinion/20140707/forum-to-heal-the-world-start-with-the-truth  ”... There can be peace and reconciliation in the Holy Land, but only when there is justice, and justice begins by facing the truth.”

What are Israel and Palestine? Why are they fighting?  http://www.vox.com/cards/israel-palestine/zionism