Muslims and Christians break bread, build bridges
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
Muslims and Christians break bread, build bridges
By Dorothy LaMantia
Conversations were animated and comfortable, as Catholics from around the diocese and Muslims from communities throughout Central New Jersey talked about their families, jobs and homes over pasta and Pakistani fare. The breaking of bread and the friendly small talk paved the way for a nearly hour-long dialogue engaging the more than 70 participants who recently gathered in St. Anthony of Padua Church, Hightstown, to talk, listen and build bridges across their differences.
The evening’s first bridge emerged when Dr. Manzoor Hussain of the Islamic Society of Central New Jersey recited from Chapter 19 – the Book of Maryam – of the Koran in Arabic. As he proclaimed the same verses in English, a story familiar to the Christians rang out: the Angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she would bear a son.
Deacon Tom Garvey concluded the invocation with grace before the meal and a prayer for mutual respect and blessings on the group’s endeavors. Leigh Isleib, who with his wife, Lenore, co-chairs the parish’s social justice committee, emceed this dinner meeting, the second gathering hosted by the parish to promote greater understanding between Christians and Muslims in this post-9/11 era.
Table discussions prompted by pre-set questions gave rise to many new insights. In a conversation on holidays and traditions, many of the Christian guests talked about Christmas and Thanksgiving, then learned that feasting, family gatherings and gift-giving were also common to Eid, the festival following the month-long fasting of Ramadan.
A question addressing changes in America as a result of the September 11 attacks revealed the painful truth that both Christians and Muslims have been plagued by fears ever since. Egyptian-born Aiyah Moustafa remembered how she was in grade school when the towers fell.
“They closed my school, which was Islamic, in Jersey City, because it started receiving threats,” she said. “We could see the smoke from the towers, and we were afraid when they sent the students home.”
A young man recalled his initial fear immediately after the attacks, “I had read about the Japanese internment camps during World War II. I was 100 percent sure that it would happen to Muslims. But I don’t feel that way anymore. America is wise enough to learn from its mistakes.”
Participants were asked how to build bridges between Muslims and non-Muslims, engendering discussion of the need for education as well as ways to attract young people to such educational events. The evening also included brief faith reflections from selected speakers and a question and answer panel covering religious and political issues.
Anne-Marie Gustavson of St. Anthony Parish remarked, “It went far beyond my expectations. I did not expect the number of people who attended. I was impressed by the number of young Muslims here and how well they know their religion.”
“I was just wowed by the openness,” said Deacon Joe Hepp of St. John Parish in Allentown. “I am glad I was here. If you talk to someone, you get a better understanding which takes the fear away and teaches us how to live together.”
As one participant offered in a written evaluation of the evening, “We’re making peace one table at a time.”[[In-content Ad]]
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Conversations were animated and comfortable, as Catholics from around the diocese and Muslims from communities throughout Central New Jersey talked about their families, jobs and homes over pasta and Pakistani fare. The breaking of bread and the friendly small talk paved the way for a nearly hour-long dialogue engaging the more than 70 participants who recently gathered in St. Anthony of Padua Church, Hightstown, to talk, listen and build bridges across their differences.
The evening’s first bridge emerged when Dr. Manzoor Hussain of the Islamic Society of Central New Jersey recited from Chapter 19 – the Book of Maryam – of the Koran in Arabic. As he proclaimed the same verses in English, a story familiar to the Christians rang out: the Angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she would bear a son.
Deacon Tom Garvey concluded the invocation with grace before the meal and a prayer for mutual respect and blessings on the group’s endeavors. Leigh Isleib, who with his wife, Lenore, co-chairs the parish’s social justice committee, emceed this dinner meeting, the second gathering hosted by the parish to promote greater understanding between Christians and Muslims in this post-9/11 era.
Table discussions prompted by pre-set questions gave rise to many new insights. In a conversation on holidays and traditions, many of the Christian guests talked about Christmas and Thanksgiving, then learned that feasting, family gatherings and gift-giving were also common to Eid, the festival following the month-long fasting of Ramadan.
A question addressing changes in America as a result of the September 11 attacks revealed the painful truth that both Christians and Muslims have been plagued by fears ever since. Egyptian-born Aiyah Moustafa remembered how she was in grade school when the towers fell.
“They closed my school, which was Islamic, in Jersey City, because it started receiving threats,” she said. “We could see the smoke from the towers, and we were afraid when they sent the students home.”
A young man recalled his initial fear immediately after the attacks, “I had read about the Japanese internment camps during World War II. I was 100 percent sure that it would happen to Muslims. But I don’t feel that way anymore. America is wise enough to learn from its mistakes.”
Participants were asked how to build bridges between Muslims and non-Muslims, engendering discussion of the need for education as well as ways to attract young people to such educational events. The evening also included brief faith reflections from selected speakers and a question and answer panel covering religious and political issues.
Anne-Marie Gustavson of St. Anthony Parish remarked, “It went far beyond my expectations. I did not expect the number of people who attended. I was impressed by the number of young Muslims here and how well they know their religion.”
“I was just wowed by the openness,” said Deacon Joe Hepp of St. John Parish in Allentown. “I am glad I was here. If you talk to someone, you get a better understanding which takes the fear away and teaches us how to live together.”
As one participant offered in a written evaluation of the evening, “We’re making peace one table at a time.”[[In-content Ad]]
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