Monmouth University has received a grant whose aim is to promote Jewish-Arab understanding within Monmouth County.

The Peace Development Fund in Amherst, Mass., awarded the $9,000 grant to the West Long Branch university to establish the Monmouth Dialogue Project.

The proposal for the grant was authored by Dr. Saliba Sarsar, Monmouth University's associate vice president for academic program initiatives and professor of political science.

Sarsar submitted the dialogue project proposal to the Peace Development Fund in May and was notified of the grant award in September. Among the initial goals of the one-year project is the creation of a committee that will consist of nine representatives from the local Jewish community and nine members of the local and statewide Arab community, according to Sarsar.

Plans call for the 18-member committee to engage in dialogue that will promote Jewish-Arab understanding within Monmouth County in particular and within New Jersey in general, Sarsar said, adding that he plans to present the concept to members of both communities within the next two months and hopes the committee will begin its dialogue within that time.

The group will then meet on a regular basis to examine issues of shared concern; discuss relevant books and other publications; attend multicultural events; visit Jewish and Arab cultural and religious sites in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania; and use its voice to generate positive change in Jewish and Arab communities, according to Sarsar.

The group also will conduct forums that will be open to the community at large and will feature guest speakers, panelists, and films that support themes of tolerance and understanding, he said.
"These activities will be crucial for creating group cohesion and for enriching the group's outlook and repertoire," Sarsar said.

Within the year, plans also call for the group to organize and create a comprehensive directory of Jewish-American and Arab-American dialogue groups that will provide networking opportunities. Creating public awareness of group activities through the use of a dedicated Web site, newsletters, and media outreach are also on the agenda, said Sarsar.

"In the post-9/11 world, where understanding, respect, and tolerance are at a premium, mutual misconceptions and stereotyping of ‘the others' continue unabated," said Sarsar. "Opportunities for dialogue between and among national and religious groups are lacking. A ‘we versus them' mentality typifies relations between many communities in the United States."

A prime example relates to Jewish Americans and Arab Americans who often live in close proximity but are "worlds apart" in their philosophies and outlook, he said. Throughout history, both communities have been on opposite sides of the ideological-political divide, as each community tries to promote its particular values and interests, said Sarsar.

During the past 20 years, however, there have been examples of Jewish-Arab dialogue groups, both here and abroad, that are dedicated to coexistence, and Sarsar hopes to build on that concept.

"The goals of the project are certainly ambitious, and I don't think anyone is underestimating the amount of work and dedication that will be involved," he said. "But in the last two decades, despite some traumatic events on an international scope, there have been movements toward peace-building and positive change. This is what is worthy of our focus right now, especially if we can get to know and respect each other's unique qualities. And practicing peace promotes the culture of peace."

However, there will not be any lobbying efforts on behalf of the dialogue group, he added.

"This is not an advocacy group," said Sarsar. "The hoped-for result will be the creation of a safe zone to examine and create methods of social justice and peace — a breeding ground for learning and growth."

The project has received the full support of Monmouth University, according to its president, Paul G. Gaffney.

"I'm proud of Dr. Sarsar and the university team for their work in reaching beyond the campus and connecting to, and perhaps influencing, events and policies in the world," Gaffney said. "This project will help continue their peace-building efforts."

A report of the dialogue group's progress will be presented to the Peace Development Fund next fall, at which time, Sarsar said, the group hopes to receive additional funding to continue and expand its activities. In the meantime, other funding mechanisms will be explored throughout the year.

"I think there will be many who will make a personal and professional effort to sustain this project after the initial one-year period," he said. "These efforts and the sense of dedication will promote awareness and understanding, and the result will be the creation of more peaceful neighborhoods and communities now and in the future. In the spirit of tikun olam, the world can become a better place."