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Peace Islands Institute | Event Report

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ABRA

HAMSTA

BLE

FORUMS

ERIES

HateCrim

es

Anti

Se

mitism

People simply detestthose who theyperceive as beingdifferent. It is thedislike of the unlike.

There is differencebetween educationand training.

The real fight isbetween theextremes of alltraditions andmoderate people.

What is Anti Semitism?Why? What can we do?

Abrahams table is a forum series organized by the center forinterfaith affairs of Peace Islands Institute. It aims to establish acommon ground among Abrahamic traditions.This months topic was (Hate Crimes and Anti-Semitism)

Hate crimes are committed all over the world. Nowadays we are

experiencing a rise of Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia based hate crimes inUSA. In this session we will examine anti-Semitism. What really is antiSemitism? How do Abrahamic traditions perceive Anti-Semitism andother discriminations? Why is this crime committed? What can we do toprevent such crime in our society as a faith community?

Rabbi

Joseph PotasnikRev. Dr.

Elias D. MallonDir. Interfaith Affrs.PII

Ibrahim Sayar

8/11/2019 Event Reports Abrahams Table February 23rd

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Peace Islands Institute | Event Report

Issue 04 | Feb 23, 201

Peaceislands.org

Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, Executive Vice President, New YorkBoard of Rabbis. Rabbi Potasnik talked about a superficial andreal, sincere dialog. He mentioned the raising anti-Semitismrecently and questioned why? Education, bad economy,extreme right seems to be reasons behind anti-Semitism he

said, the root of anti-Semitism, islamophia, anti-Christianity isbecause people simply detest those who they perceive as beingdifferent. It is the dislike of the unlike. Rabbi suggestedspeaking louder to defend one anothers rights. According tohim people are selective with their anger. We have to buildstronger coalitions he said. It starts with Jews but it does notend with Jews the person attacked me today will attack you

tomorrow

Rev. Dr. Elias D. Mallon, SA, PhD, Education and InterreligiousAffairs Officer, The Catholic Near East Welfare Association.Rev. Mallon talked about the change in peoples attitude since9-11. Some things have changed, I do not know why he said.He suggested that people are less tolerant than 10 years ago.He suggested education as a solution. There is differencebetween education and training. He said against Rabbis point.

Yes we have to work more closely together and lauder however,he said, We have to make it down to the congressional level.

Ibrahim Sayar, Director, Center for Interfaith Affairs at thePeace Islands Institute. Mr. Sayar, talked about the sources ofevil or hatred according to Islam. He summarized these asSatan and evil soul (nefs); he also gave examples from Quran

and Hadith (sayings of prophet Muhammed, pbuh). He latertalked about the motivations of hate crimes with a self-criticismas Muslim. He underlined the real fight is between theextremes of all traditions and moderate people. As part of asolution Mr. Sayar offered continuous dialog, establishing trust,providing first hand information and working around solidprojects together.

KEYNOTESIt starts with Jews but it does not end withJews. The person attacked me today willattack you tomorrow

We have to make it down to thecongressional level

If there is Moses, there will be Pharaoh.

BIOGRAPHIESRabbi Joseph Potasnik, raised in Lynn,Massachusetts, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik is theonly child of two Holocaust survivors. Rabbi

Potasnik graduated from Yeshiva University in1972 and continued on to receive a master'sdegree from Bernard Revel Graduate School ofJewish Studies, a division of Yeshiva University.He then obtained a law degree from BrooklynLaw School. As a co-host of Religion on the Linesince its beginning in 1982, Rabbi JosephPotasnik is noted for his passion, his warmthand his humor. A popular guest andcommentator on local and national radio and

television programs, he couples enthusiasm forsocial issues with the wise insights of theJewish tradition. He carries these unique skillsover to his work at Congregation Mount Sinaiin Brooklyn Heights, NY; to his role as Executive

Vice President of the New York Board of Rabbis;and to his chaplaincy of the New York City FireDepartment.

Rev. Dr. Elias D. Mallon, SA, PhD , Educationand Interreligious Affairs Officer at the CatholicNear East Welfare Association. Rev. Dr. Elias D.Mallon, a native New Yorker, is an ordainedmember of the Franciscan Friars of theAtonement. Fr. Elias was first professed inAugust of 1963 and was ordained in January1971. He obtained a licentiate degree in OldTestament studies and a PhD in Middle Easternlanguages from the Catholic University ofAmerica. He researched and wrote hisdissertation at Eberhard Karls Universitt inTbingen, Germany. He has been involved in theRoman Catholic/Christian-Muslim dialogue on

the local, national and international level since1985 and has published several articles and

two books on Islam. Muslims in North America

(1989), Islam: What Catholics Need to Know(2006), which won second prize at the NationalCatholic Press Association 2007, andhis latest article is The Ninety-Nine BeautifulNames of God

Ibrahim Sayaris the Director of the Center forInterfaith Affairs at the Peace Islands Institute.He has his theological ordination from HarranUniversity in Turkey and studied mastersdegree in Psychology at Concordia University inChicago. He has been involved in interfaith andintercultural dialogue activities for the last 10

years in Chicago, Boston and New York. He ishappily married with two children namedAbdurrahim and Omer Rasim.