TORONTO — In a first for a meeting of Canadian Jewish Congress, representatives of the three Abrahamic religions came together last Sunday to discuss and promote their commonalities as sources of strength and hope.
From left, Mubarak Nazir, Nora Sanders and Victor Goldbloom at last Sunday’s interfaith panel. [Ron Csillag photo]
At the same time, the members of the Jewish, Muslim and Christian faiths tiptoed around the one issue that has proven divisive, namely, Israel.
Nora Sanders, general secretary of the United Church of Canada and Mubarak Nazir of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community joined Victor Goldbloom, CJC’s senior interfaith representative, in a wide-ranging discussion on the subject, “The Abrahamic Faiths in Canada: Challenges and Opportunities.”
The interfaith panel took place immediately after CJC’s annual general meeting, held at Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue. The program drew about 100 people.
Israel came up only fleetingly in the multifaith discussion, and Sanders mostly avoided referring to the recent tensions that have bedeviled relations between the United Church and the Jewish community.
In his talk, Goldbloom, who once headed the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews (CCCJ), said that the CCCJ, over its 62 years, has helped the two faiths “work through a great deal of misunderstanding, and transformed that into understanding.” That has included work on social problems as well as a better understanding of the life and ministry of Jesus, Goldbloom said.
A “very well-kept secret” is “the scope and intensity” of dialogue among Jews, Muslims and Christians in Israel, he added.
Said Goldbloom: “Yes, there is an anti-suicide bomber barrier in Israel,” which has “saved a remarkable number of lives.”
And he said he “cannot understand” why Israeli Apartheid Week occurs annually on university campuses.
Later, in response to a question, Goldbloom said he couldn’t provide a legal definition of apartheid, but he hinted that the annual week of anti-Israel activity is counter-productive. “Peace will come only when the two sides stop blaming each other.”
In his first time in a synagogue, Nazir stressed that like Jews, Ahmadiyya Muslims have known their share of bigotry. Rejected as heretics by traditional Muslims for their unique beliefs, followers of the Ahmadiyya branch are oppressed in places such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia.
“We are persecuted,” Nazir stated, adding, “our definition of jihad as primarily a war to correct our inner animal passions is at variation with [that of] many other Muslims.”
He called the boundaries separating the three Abrahamic faiths “artificial. The bonds that bring us together are tolerance. We must learn from each other. We are children of the same compassionate, merciful and benevolent God.
“When will the killing stop?”
Sanders provided an overview of the history and structure of the 85-year-old United Church, Canada’s largest Protestant denomination, which she said has a “range or perspectives and views.”
She said the 2001 census found three million members of the church, but church rolls tally just 650,000 members. It was the first national church in Canada to give full recognition to gays and lesbians as both members and clergy, Sanders noted.
Except for referring to the daily difficulties that Palestinians face, Sanders didn’t touch on the recent Israel-related issues emanating from the church that have strained relations with Jews.
She did refer to a groundbreaking document the United Church issued in 2003. “Bearing Faithful Witness” was intended to strengthen relations with Jews and acknowledge a history of anti-Judaism within Christian theology and the United Church.
But things boiled over last summer when the church’s General Council brought forth several resolutions calling for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel. They were defeated, but not without heated debate. The church also left open the possibility that future anti-Israel resolutions could be introduced.
The church was also discovered to have ties with Independent Jewish Voices, a small anti-Zionist group. A published report said the church had made a $900 grant to offset travel expenses to a 2008 conference where IJV was founded.
The church later distanced itself from IJV, saying it would not partner with it in the future.
In January, Congress CEO Bernie Farber said the United Church and CJC had reached a “breaking point” in their relationship. A Feb. 1 meeting between church delegates and CJC was intended to begin mending the frayed relationship.
In her remarks, Sanders said some resolutions come from the church’s executive, while others come “from other parts of the church.” She said she’s hoping that a church task force will be appointed “to listen to all concerns” on the Middle East.
Meanwhile, “there are no simple answers.”