Happy Rosh Hashanah - The Jewish New Year: Jews And the Muslims Of the Gulf Can Truly Live Together In Friendship And Trust
By
Rabbi Marc Schneier
September
18, 2020
Rosh
Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which will usher in the Jewish year of 5781,
begins on the evening of Friday, Sept. 18, and commemorates the anniversary of
the creation of the universe. As is appropriate for a holiday commemorating
what Jews consider to be the penultimate divine act, its canvas is the entire
world, all of humanity.
Jewish ultra-Orthodox walk on a street in the Muslim quarter of the
Jerusalem's Old City, on October 5, 2015. (File/AFP)
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For Jews,
Rosh Hashanah is a time of introspection and self-examination, during which we
reflect on the good and the bad that each of us have done over the past 12
months and resolve to do better in the coming year. Specifically, we resolve to
be just and compassionate to people of all faiths and nationalities, according
to the aphorism of Rabbi Hillel, a first-century sage: “What is hateful to
thee, do not do unto your fellow man. This is the whole law; the rest is mere
commentary.”
For the
growing Jewish communities of the Gulf, this is a joyous time to reflect on the
blossoming of Jewish life with the support of enlightened governments in this
region. As the “Rabbi to the Gulf” who worked hard for more than a decade to
bring about this blessed result, I share in the euphoria. However, this Rosh
Hashanah, I respectfully urge the Jews of the Gulf to look beyond the Jewish
community to the challenge of coexisting positively with the overwhelmingly
Muslim populations among whom they are living. We must appreciate the positive
steps forward that we are seeing in the Gulf when it comes to their embracing
our religion. For example, I appreciate how Arab News is breaking taboos by
publishing articles from Jewish leaders. Personally, I was honoured to be asked
to write an op-ed that was published on the front page of the paper the day after
the UAE-Israel announcement and then again last week after Bahrain and Israel
announced their deal. They also published a special “Deep Dive” report on the
Jews of Lebanon last week on Sept. 12.
Indeed,
The Jews Of The Gulf Have A Unique Role: To be ambassadors from our people to the
larger Muslim world. They must endeavour to reach out to their Muslim brothers
and sisters and build lasting ties of communication and cooperation. Together,
the Muslims and Jews of the Gulf can set an inspiring example to our brethren
around the world, showing them that interfaith communities can truly live
together in friendship and trust. Let us accomplish this together in the spirit
of Rosh Hashanah, which celebrates our common humanity, and of the recently
observed Muharram, the Islamic New Year.
During this
season of reflection and repentance, the rabbis eulogize human beings’ ability
to cast off obsolete ways of thinking and fundamentally change their actions
for the better. In that context, let us reflect on the many positive changes we
have witnessed in the Gulf over the past 12 months. Just think about the
amazing things Muslims and Jews can accomplish together in the years ahead,
such as overcoming the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and other serious
illnesses in the Middle East and beyond, or applying advanced irrigation
techniques to green the desert and increase food production for the benefit of
all of humanity. The possibilities are limitless.
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Rabbi
Marc Schneier is President of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding.
Original
Headline; Muslims and Jews of the Gulf can set an inspiring example
Source: The Arab News
URL: https://newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/happy-rosh-hashanah-jewish-new/d/122892
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