Spotlight on CLAL
Welcome to Spotlight on CLAL. Here you will find stories about what is happening at CLAL and about the work that CLAL is doing across North America. Sometimes we will focus on a program, or a special event, or upon a CLAL faculty member's work and interests. Bookmark this page if you want to get to know us better.
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Building Spiritual Capital
By Judy Epstein, Director of Public Affairs
CLAL’s reputation continues to grow as an important player in connecting members of different faith communities and exploring how they shape world events. Sought out as a key institution for global bridge building, CLAL is increasingly seen as a central address for fostering unity while celebrating religious integrity.
In September, Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, CLAL Vice President, was invited to participate in two historic programs with Muslim Heads of State. The first, in Washington, D.C, was a meeting initiated by His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan to discuss the future of Islam and Judaism with a representative group of about 60 American rabbis.
In a moving address entitled “Islam and Judaism: Beyond Tolerance,” His Majesty King Abdullah emphasized how Jews and Muslims are tied together and their shared roots. He warned about the common threat of religious extremism and underlined the importance of mutual respect and cooperation. Noting that we must move beyond the language of mere tolerance toward true acceptance, he expressed great hope for the two faith traditions to work together in a mission towards peace, justice and reconciliation.
Commenting on the remarks, Rabbi Hirschfield said that it was encouraging to hear His Majesty King Abdullah’s recognition that to “settle for mere tolerance is too little,” and that our “long-term aspirations must go beyond not hurting each other.” “Ironically,” Rabbi Hirschfield stated, “unless they do, we won’t be able to stop hurting each other.”
The event, sponsored by the Embassy of Jordan, was coordinated by the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution of George Mason University, and by George Washington University.
The second program was with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who spoke before a group of American Jewish and Pakistani leaders about ways of strengthening relations and issues around setting ties with Israel. Sitting on the dais with the Pakistani leader were members of the American Jewish community and Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations. The Council for World Jewry sponsored the landmark event, which was held in New York City.
In his address, President Musharraf talked about the need to distinguish between terrorism and extremism. He said that terrorism must be fought with military force, but that extremism is countered by getting to the root causes. Sometimes extremism can turn into terrorism, but if caught early enough can be prevented. He discussed steps Israel would need to take in the Middle East that would help improve relations with his country. While underscoring their importance, he also addressed the changing culture of Pakistan.
Rabbi Hirschfield said that he was struck by the theme of “enlightened moderation” in President Musharraf’s talk. While the President affirmed the need for the military in the cases of violence, he acknowledged the need to get at the root causes of the religious extremism which justifies the violence.
“Often the left talks about root causes and the right demands military force,” said Rabbi Hirschfield. “President Musharraf said yes to both. He understood the partial truths of both positions to form a unified approach.”
Noting the value of these kinds of interfaith encounters for building pluralism and connection, Rabbi Hirschfield concluded, “These discussions create new platforms upon which to build. They take the conversation to the next level, where new relationships and new possibilities for the future develop.”
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