by Virginia L. Luppescu
Special to NJJN

June 23, 2009

Nearly 300 Jews, Christians, and Muslims took a journey of enlightenment and entertainment during the Three Faiths Event in Monmouth County on June 14. They traveled from a mosque to a temple to a church and finally to Monmouth University for a multicultural festival of music, art, and food.

Sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County and the university, the “Day of Cooperation and Trust” was the third in a series of events inspired by Rep. Rush Holt’s (D-Dist.12) statewide initiative to promote religious understanding and appreciation of diversity.

At the festival, Holt — who was presented with an award by Toby Shylit Mack, chair of the federation’s Community Relations Committee, for his “visionary work” — said that the turnout for this event was “beyond my wildest dreams.” He noted that his district is “remarkably diverse and by and large tolerant.” But, he added, “There are gaps in understanding which create walls of division. Our goal is to educate each other in order to build a harmonious society.”

Echoing Holt in his keynote address was Joshua Dubois, special assistant to the president and executive director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, who also received an award. “The way to increase understanding is to reshape old ideas,” he said. And, he explained, the most effective method is through conversations within communities. “In the 21st century, religion is the force that will either draw us together or pull us apart so now, more than ever, we need interfaith dialogue.”

Many such conversations originated earlier in the day, starting at the Islamic Society of Monmouth County in Middletown. Amro Mossad, a mosque member, addressed the subject of charity, explaining that it is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, meant not only to benefit the receiver but to “purify” the giver as well. At one point, the bell for midday prayers rang and Sheikh Reda Shata led the congregation in worship (men downstairs, women upstairs) as they faced East toward Mecca.

At the Monmouth Reform Temple in Tinton Falls, religious leader Rabbi Jonathan Roos explained that tzedaka comes from the Hebrew word meaning righteousness. “Giving is not an option; it is required of everyone, regardless of our situation in life,” he said. Citing a connection with Muslim practice, the rabbi pointed out the tzedaka boxes throughout his temple and noted that he had seen a charity box at the mosque as well.

Roos also said that as in Islam, charity in Judaism is universal. “For example, we have a vegetable garden at the temple, and all of our produce is donated to nondenominational food banks in the area.”

According to Roos, interfaith dialogues don’t always have to address weighty issues. “When I meet with Islamic leaders, we talk about nuts-and-bolts problems we have in common, like how do we get our religious school students excited to learn Hebrew or Arabic when they would rather be doing something else?”

The Rev. Myrna Bethke, senior pastor at United Methodist Church in Red Bank, the final stop on the tour, summed up a major tenet of her faith: “Do all the good you can do.” She said she became “propelled into interfaith work” when her youngest brother was killed in the 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center.

“When people get together and explore their commonality, the world can only get better,” she said.

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‘Leaving a legacy’

Toby Shylit Mack, chair of the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County’s Community Relations Committee, was so excited by the good feeling generated by the Three-Faiths Event on June 14 that she started planning for next year’s event even before this one was over.

“It is a powerful, meaningful, resounding success,” she said in her opening remarks at the multicultural festival at Monmouth University. “In fact we are now calling this our first annual Three Faiths Event.”

Federation president Elise Feldman was equally enthusiastic. “It’s a phenomenal day,” she said. “People are asking insightful questions, intermingling, and learning from each other.”

Following speeches by Rep. Rush Holt and Joshua Dubois came an eclectic mix of presentations: musical performances by singer Wendy Gerbier and Israeli entertainer Shiree Kidron, the Living World Christian Fellowship Gospel Choir, and Ed Goldberg & The Odessa Klezmer Band.

Filmmaker Gerald Krell showed an excerpt from his documentary Three Faiths, One God.

Art exhibitions included a quilt created by children of all three faiths expressing their views of charity or tzedaka. Shylit Mack is particularly proud of the quilt and what it represents.

“I feel strongly that art is a powerful vehicle for uniting interfaith groups and a compelling tool for teaching the multitude of cultures that are within the Abrahamic faiths,” she said. “Interfaith work is vital to our survival, grounds us in our humanity, and leaves an important legacy to our children. In these pivotal times it is crucial to be proactive in these pursuits and be an example for others.”

— VIRGINIA L. LUPPESCU

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