WHY CAN’T WE TALK TO EACH OTHER?

By Rabbi Jermey Rosen

I am an Orthodox Jew who was born and brought up in this country. So were my parents. But for most of my early life I felt I was an outsider. Early on I struck up an alliance with Muslim friends. We shared certain feelings together as non- Christians in a Christian country. We had a great deal in common. Islam was more than a religion you took out on a Sunday but forgot for the rest of the week. Based on the Shariah and accentuating family values and the stability of home life it was very similar to Judaism with its emphasis on Halacha and the home as well. We both had to have ‘special’ food and we prayed more often than the Christians did. Neither of our traditions allowed human representations in our places of worship. Even in its mysticism, Sufiism, it was close to Jewish mysticism, the Kabbalah. The great twelfth century rabbi and doctor to the Caliph, Maimonides, had said that a Jew could take an oath by Allah because this was the same as the Jewish God. I just felt more at home, more culturally attuned to Islam. But growing up as a Jew in a Christian society, in those days, I felt I needed to hide my Jewishness.

In the sixties life in Britain began to change. You could be different! The West Indians and the Sikhs couldn’t or wouldn’t hide their differences. Slowly we Jews began to feel more confident in our Judaism, less apologetic. But what also happened in the sixties was politicisation. Slowly the situation in the Middle East began to come between us. By this I mean between us Jews, those who were prepared to question and those who argued that only blind support was acceptable.  I had always been a liberal. I had always believed in ‘live’ and ‘let live.’ On my study visits to Israel I always met and spent time with Palestinians. I had always agreed with the decision of the Israelis in 1947 to accept the partition suggestion the United Nations voted for. Even after 1967 I remember how eagerly everyone looked forward to a peace based on compromise and concessions yet the Kahartoum conference of the Arab States totally rejected any negotiations. But I was optimistic. Most of my left wing Israeli friends thought that peace would come sooner rather than later. I was ecstatic when Sadat went to Jerusalem. I protested against occupation. I spoke and preached for a Palestinian state.

Sadly things went from bad to worse. And I blamed politicians, on all sides. I never trusted politicians. I used to jokingly say that ‘to play politics’ means ‘to lie.’ Or that Israeli politics was proof that Darwin was wrong and we were clearly going back to becoming monkeys! But what hurt me more than anything else was that slowly my Muslim friends started to shun me. And slowly I became aware of a small but significant strain of Muslim Anti-Semitism. They didn’t seem ready to see the difference between Jews and politicians. They didn’t seem to know that there were Jewish anti Zionists or moderate Zionists who dreamed of co-existence. They only noticed the extremists in the same way many Britons today think that all Muslims are extreme fanatics.

I have noticed that people writing on www.asianoutlook.com  tend towards clichés and slogans, Sharon is a monster and Arafat is saint. So it was in my youth. Marxists called everyone else Fascists and Conservatives called all their opponents Communists. All Russians were evil and all Americans were good. Now of course it’s the other way round.

I’m the head of a Jewish Adult Education centre. One of the things we try to do is to reach out to everyone including Muslims and try very hard to bridge the gaps. Of course there will be disagreements. Believe me amongst Jews there are constant arguments. There are Jews who refuse to talk to or pray with other Jews. There is a saying ‘Two Jews, three opinions.’ Muslim friends tell me it’s the same with Muslims. But I believe we must emphasize what we share and work together not against each other. In Britain we can disagree about which political party we support. But we can still get on with each other.

I feel I must do something to help heal wounds and get us back to each other. This is why I have decided to risk coming on to this web site to try to explain Judaism and point out what we share. I know there is a lot of hatred, and ignorance on both sides. Sadly most Muslims know very little about Judaism and most Jews know little about Islam.

I am not afraid of dealing with politics or arguing a case but I’d rather be positive if I can. I am a teacher not a politician. But my message is that we should be able to discuss anything, no matter how awkward or tough. But we should do so in a spirit of tolerance, love and understanding. We are all the children of one Almighty force. We are the children of Abraham. Lets talk to each other. Please be frank and honest and I will do my best to answer in a similar spirit.

I am a Jew. I was born in Manchester sixty years ago. I was educated here, at Cambridge and in Jerusalem. My whole life has been spent devoted to education, as a rabbi, a headmaster and as a Professor of Comparative Religion. I have always worked hard for understanding between different religions and communities. I run an Adult Education centre in London and my ambition is to increase love and understanding between all human beings but particularly those living in Britain. I am looking forward to contributing to www.asianOutlook.com and I look forward to exchanging ideas in a spirit of friendship and respect.