For over a thousand years Muslims and Jews were Allies, protecting one another and living side by side. Many principles of Islam are based on principles of Judaism. Moses is mentioned more than any other person in the Quran. In the more recent period, Muslims and Jews have been systematically pitted against each other to the point that some believe they are each other’s enemies. Ultimately the problem is not with any one person, one religion, one nation. The problem is with systems of oppression like Antisemitism and Islamaphobia.
In this workshop, Muslim and Jewish climate activists will demonstrate listening tools used in SAL and UER to build bridges between Muslims and Jews working for Climate Change. We will offer an understanding of the dynamics of both Islamophobia and Antisemitism; explain some of the history behind the ways our peoples have been pitted against each other, particularly in the Middle East; and demonstrate listening practices that have been successfully used to reduce this divide.