Defusing Religious Tensions
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While the evening started on a calm note, the actual dialogue session began rather tensely. Almost immediately a controversial conversation was instigated. Voices were raised, fists were clenched, and students shouted across the classroom… An inside look at conflicts on some Montréal campuses and at attempts to overcome them.
A tricky dialogue to engage in presently is the Jewish-Muslim one, especially as it is so politically charged. However, several events are being organized at various campuses. One such event took place at Marianopolis College in Montréal, when students from Hillel, a Jewish student organization, and the Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) got together.
This was the first time that such an initiative had been held in Montréal. A joint breakfast was organized by the MSA and Hillel, entitled “Sukkamadan,” combining Sukkot, one of the more joyous Jewish holidays, celebrated in the fall, and Ramadan, which takes place during the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and is a time of prayer and charity, when Muslims fast during daylight hours.
“Sukkamadan” attracted approximately thirty people, half of them Muslim, the other half Jewish.
Eddie Fuchs, co-president of Hillel at Marianopolis College, envisioned this event as a very friendly affair. Specific icebreakers were created, giving the students a chance to relax and interact in a casual and non-threatening manner. Muslim and Jewish students introduced themselves by both their English names and their Muslim or Jewish names. In doing so, they were asked to say a few words on the history of these names, what they mean to them, and how they are affected by them. Quickly enough, an open discussion ensued. The participants steered clear of politics and spoke of life, of school, of things that affect ordinary Montréal college students. The focus was placed on the cultural and religious, and the students were eager to share in the conversation.
“There hasn’t been a drastic change since the event,” admits Eddie, “but we’ve learnt a lot about each other’s background.”
Experiences at Concordia
Many people remember the violent protests that erupted at Concordia University after the Montréal visit of former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in September 2002 and the consequent uneasy relations between Jewish and Muslim groups on campus.
Today, Hillel and the Arab Students’ Association (ASA) at Concordia feel it is time to put forward a new approach. A dialogue project between Jewish and Arab students was recently organized to give participants a chance to hear what others had to say. Close to fifty students from various universities, backgrounds and religions attended the first session. After introductory speeches by Rashad Antonius, Sociology professor at the Université du Québec à Montréal, and Neil Caplan, Coordinator of the Humanities Department at Vanier College in Montréal and a member of Tolerance.ca®, the floor was given to the audience.
While the session started on a calm note, the actual dialogue began rather tensely. Almost immediately a controversial conversation was instigated, and for a moment it appeared that all aspirations for true dialogue had gone down the drain. Voices were raised, fists were clenched, and students shouted across the classroom—the first twenty minutes did not seem to augur well for the rest of the evening, which was to last at least another hour.
As the group calmed down, the participants were divided into small groups. Though they were initially still edgy, breaking down the students allowed for dialogue that was in some cases cordial, in other cases altogether friendly.
The idea was “to give people somewhere to learn about one another,” says Rawan Hadid, Vice-President of Communications at the Arab Students’ Association. “Our mission is to create, facilitate and promote an atmosphere of mutual respect and tolerance as well as peaceful co-existence between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian students within the Concordia University community.”
The event was organized to allow both groups to meet in an informal setting and simply talk. It brought together Muslims, Jews, Christians and atheists who prefer not to be associated with any religion.
“This is the first time Arab and Jewish Associations have worked together at Concordia University. Considering Concordia's history, this is a ground-breaking event,” adds Rawan.
Just putting the project into motion had its own challenges, but it was all the more significant as it was the first time that Hillel and the ASA had worked together.
Understanding the other side
When asked what inspired him to work in partnership with the Arab Students’ Association, Danny Iny, the main Hillel coordinator of the Concordia dialogue, replied, “I've had the opportunity to talk to a lot of people whose perspectives on these issues are significantly different from mine… More than anything else, the recurring realization is that neither of us really understands what the other wants… I genuinely believe that people would benefit from talking to each other, especially when the issues are so sensitive.”
According to Tolerance.ca® member Neil Caplan, the dialogue was “a great opportunity for several articulate students to make contact and break the ice, leading to more wholesome encounters in the future.”
Caplan sees this as a way to help open people’s minds to the other side, but adds that “it would be naive to expect one or two dialogues or encounters to produce a radical transformation of attitudes and a sudden abandonment of long-held prejudices and fears.”
“You have to start small, and then you need to gain continuity and follow up on your projects,” admits Samuel, a Jewish Arts student at McGill University. “What point is there to an event that stands alone? How can you deem an activity successful if there has never been another event following it?” he asks.
Samuel observes that there exists a reticence to dialogue. Both sides are too focused on the monologue, on what they have to say, and are not yet really listening to what the other is saying.
Happily, some follow-up events are planned. This is a first among Jewish–Muslim dialogues on Montréal campuses, a chance to build on a previously created relationship and to continue conversing in a relaxed yet organized setting. Moreover, the people who will return are bound to be the people most interested in engaging in this kind of exchange.
“I completely understand the Jewish situation… But I think that if Jews were less afraid of another persecution, they would come to understand our side,” says Samir, a Concordia student originally from Palestine.
“There is so much hope for Muslim-Jewish dialogue,” comments Dima, another young Palestinian, who begs that I give this article a positive tone. “It’s negative reporting that ruins it for us, that makes people believe that there is no way to solve this problem.” Dima adds that she has worked with Jews and has always maintained good, if not excellent relations with them.
Rachel, a Jewish student at McGill University, says that she has become very close with quite a few Palestinians through working with them on Yalla, a peace-promoting literary magazine launched in January 2005. “We talk about people, not politics. It’s about individuals and understanding what the other side feels. We want people to eventually identify with the other side, conceptualize who they are and see them as people.”
A Catholic–Jewish Dialogue
What does it take for a student to cross the line, to seek a dialogue with someone from a different culture or a different religion?
“I definitely think that joint events… are an important stepping stone for breaking down cultural barriers,” says Theresa, a Catholic student who participated in a Jewish-Catholic evening. “Can we call ourselves 'tolerant' if we have no idea about what people's beliefs really entail? So, learning about other people's culture is essential and if done in friendship, I believe that we have taken a huge step. If we are sincere about our faith we will see where God is calling our hearts.”
On one such occasion, an Interfaith Shabbat attracted over forty people from a variety of religious backgrounds on a snowy Friday evening—so many they could barely fit into the apartment. Instead of using chairs, everyone had to stand, but the obvious goodwill of all participants meant they were not uncomfortable. The event’s organizers were members of a Jewish organization at McGill University called Kolot Rabbim (“many voices” in Hebrew) and of the Newman Centre, McGill’s Catholic chaplaincy.
As I entered the cozy apartment where the Interfaith Shabbat was held, I was greeted with warm smiles and a siddur, a Jewish prayer book, with people around me ready to help me follow the services. An atmosphere of joy and warmth permeated the small downtown Montréal apartment.
Rachel, who works with the peace-promoting magazine Yalla, notes that “sharing the prayer service is one of the more moving experiences. It is strange that it is in this context that we get to the essence of prayer. It’s as though we are commuting to God through God’s different peoples. We really feel each other and learn a lot about each other.” Theresa, the Catholic participant, adds, “I am positively surprised by the cheerfulness of the Shabbat. I am absolutely amazed by the welcoming and friendly attitude of people.”
Indeed, a festive atmosphere reigned in the room, as people introduced themselves and got to know each other. The room only went silent when Richard Bernier, Associate Director of the Newman Centre, took the floor. He began by saying that “no one could have imagined an event like this, not fifty years ago, let alone a hundred years ago. This is something completely new in history… something beautiful.” He continued, at times becoming quite choked up, as he spoke of Catholic attitudes toward the Jews through the ages. His sincerity emanated with every word, asking the Jews for forgiveness while at the same time expressing the hope that Jewish and Catholic ties would only continue to grow and become stronger. By the time he finished speaking, many in the room were sniffling or wiping away tears.
A question-and-answer period followed Richard’s touching speech, with Jews and Catholics alike opening up.
“Humanly, we have a lot in common,” says Liz, one of the main coordinators of Kolot Rabbim and a student at McGill. “Catholic and Jewish values might not be exactly the same, but there are so many clear parallels in who we are and how we live our lives.”
The Jewish participants decided to teach their Catholic counterparts a niggun, a melody without lyrics meant to reach the depths of the soul. Everyone sang along, all inhibitions aside. Then someone suggested that the Jewish participants learn a Catholic prayer, and after a little practice, they succeeded in singing along to it. Both sides were visibly moved. Few in the room could have imagined that they would ever sing a hymn in a religion other than their own.
“The thing that moved me most was the music,” says Heather, who volunteers at the Newman Centre. “Music, for me, is such an important way of praying. The power of music as prayer takes my breath away, even when there are no words. I loved that we were able to share prayer with each other through music.”
To know more:
Books:Agbaria, Farhat and Cynthia Cohen,
“Working with Groups in Conflict. The Impact of Power Relations on the Dynamics of the Group”, September 2000, http://www.brandeis.edu/programs/Slifka/about/ Working_Groups.pdf
Magonet, Jonathan,
Talking to the Other : Jewish Interfaith Dialogue with Christians and Muslims, London ; New York : I.B. Tauris, 2003.
Smock, David R., editor,
Interfaith Dialogue and Peacebuilding, Washington, D.C.: United States Institute of Peace Press, 2002.
Yalla Journal. A Reflexion on the Middle East, Toronto, Ont.: Yalla Press, 2004.
Films:Promises. By Justine Shapiro, B.Z. Goldberg and co-director and editor Carlos Bolado. 2001.
This article is part of a series on the diversity of values and religious beliefs in colleges and universities and is presented with the financial support of:
