Three Faiths Event

Yesterday's Three Faiths Day of Cooperation and Trust was great. I was honored that the Jewish Federation turned to MRT and me to help organize this event. U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (shown left with me at the temple) was the visionary behind this and other "three faiths" events in our district. Everyone's hard work paid off. Here's the description from Asbury Park Press writer, Christina Vega (article in today's paper):

To spark up a conversation with strangers, Suzie Mitwally said the best way for her to break the ice is to make a joke about the headscarf that she wears on a daily basis.

"I wasn't always covered," said the 50-year-old Marlboro resident who wore a light blue headscarf, or hijab in Arabic. "I think we're more approachable when we're covered. People cross the gap of communication when they understand."

A member of the Islam Center of Monmouth County in Middletown, Mitwally was
one of almost 200 people who attended on Sunday afternoon a Three Faiths Event: A Day of Cooperation and Trust. The event, initiated by Rep. Rush D. Holt, D-N.J., and spearheaded by the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County, aimed to show the solidarity and cooperation that is possible between religions, even in time of strife.

"We saw the event as a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the similarities of Abrahamic faiths and to gain respect for one another as we recognize our differences," said Jill Briggles, director of the Federation's Community Relations Committee.

The event included an interfaith educational exchange with information about the Muslim, Jewish and Christian faiths and a tour of three houses of worship: the Islam Center of Monmouth County, the Monmouth Reform Temple in Tinton Falls and the United Methodist Church in Red Bank.

"This is the building of a harmonious society derived from understanding and love," said Amro Mosaad, who spoke on behalf of the Islam Center. "The event is very uplifting, very promising and rewarding to the individual people and extraordinarily beneficial to our community." Inside the mosque, members of the congregation spoke about the mihrab, made of Turkish tiles, which represents the direction of prayer toward Mecca and demonstrated the midday prayer. "It's important in general for the religious communities to know each other and for people to meet real Muslims and see what goes on inside," Mosaad said.

Rabbi Jonathan Roos, who spoke at the Monmouth Reform Temple, gave a presentation to familiarize guests with the symbolism in the synagogue. Roos explained the menorah, the different denominations of dress, the Torah and the
overall belief of the Jewish religion. "In the world of ritual theology, there are differences between all of our religions, but the core shares a commitment that we are here to help the needy," Roos said. "That which causes damage to the world, we should not do."

A shuttle transported the guests to each destination, including the United Methodist Church, where the Rev. Myrna Bethke spoke about Christian beliefs. The tour came to an end at Monmouth University, where guests were treated to a multicultural festival of food, music, dance and film. Rep. Holt honored special guest Pastor Joshua Dubois of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

Mitwally said although passersby see her headscarf and might think she's an immigrant who doesn't speak English, she has a comedic side and likes to lighten up the mood. "We're the same people. We're your neighbors. Our children go to the same schools and play on the same teams. We're no different except for how we practice our beliefs," Mitwally said.