By COLlive reporter
An Iftar break fast meal in the Muslim month of Ramadan was a strictly Kosher affair in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights on Wednesday evening.
The event was hosted by Imam Rasheed Jaaber and organized by newly elected Assembly Member Brian Cunningham. Guests hailed from local Muslim and Chassidic Jewish communities.
Cunningham, who represents Assembly District 43, could not attend in person due to a court ruling this week on disrupted election districts, requiring urgent legislative action.
The community meal was the first public event hosted by the Assembly Member, who started his term on March 30th, 2022, setting the tone for his term: inclusive, uplifting and nurturing.
Held at the Kawthar Mosque on Nostrand Avenue, it was attended by a group of Chasidic Jews invited to partake in the spirit of unity and friendship between the Jewish and Muslim communities in the neighborhood.
The lavish spread for the traditional break fast was strictly Kosher, provided by the Jewish Future Alliance of Crown Heights and Association of Crown Heights Shuls.
The selection of glatt kosher food and sweets were prepared by Kosher Caterer Meir Cohen, and was greatly enjoyed by all the participants of the event.
The menu included an assortment of dates, mixed nuts, chicken stew, Chinese chicken, couscous, Baba ganoush, Chumus, spicy carrots, cinnamon and chocolate danishes, Baklava and mahmols, and teas and coffee.
100 people participated, including Imam Muhammad Jaaber from New Jersey, Mark Appel of The Bridge, Rabbi Yaacov Behrman, Rabbi Lazer Avtzon, Yankee Pearson, Yossi Hershkop, Mendy Weisz, and Itzik Roytman.
Imam Rasheed Jaaber of Masjid Kawthar opened the event, welcoming participants and reciting a prayer.
The event “bridges the gap between communities, to create a rapport to work together. We want to show that support for each other so we can face any challenge that comes to the neighborhood. We are all the children of Abraham,” said Imam Rasheed Jaaber.
Rabbi Yaacov Behrman of the Jewish Future Alliance spoke about the values shared by the Jewish and Muslim communities.
“The world and the media focus on what we disagree on, and not about what we have in common and our shared values,” Behrman said. “Tonight, we recognize what brings us together.”
Rabbi Lazer Avtzon of the Coalition of Crown Heights Synagogues said a prayer that is traditional in Morrocco, and several other Imams and Muslim business leaders spoke as well.
“We are honored and privileged to have been invited to participate in this important event. It was an incredible evening of unity, friendship, and community building,” said Behrman. “This is the beginning of something beautiful.”
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whilst your building bridges the Arabs are building tunnels.
There will be no tolerance for hateful words like this.
The Arab community and the Muslim religion are just as valid and beautiful as our own. This event was an amazing display of unity and I’m proud that orthodox Jews were involved.
No they are not equal / valid as our own. we are the “am nivchar” holy nation chosen by Hashem that is why they will always hate us.
you need to spend a little more time learning about your own religion, and about what “asher bachar banu mikil ha’amim” means. Hint: not that another religion is “just as valid and beautiful” as the one given to us by Hashem.
Did the Rabbonim of Crown Heights endorse and permit this gathering?
Was this done with the approval of Rabbonim?
What about being kind to other religious groups would be considered not okay according to halacha? Aren’t we commanded to love one another? That’s the foundation of the entire Torah.
you’re completely unaware of the halachos whose purpose is specifically to limit fraternization with non-Jews? You’re also completely unaware of who “rei’acha” in “ve’ahavta lerei’acha kamocha” means?
How was the chicken halal and kosher?
all kosher meat is halal by their definitions
Why am I getting weird feeling from this? Do Jews belong in a mosque? Taking part in a observance of an alternate religion?
Get outside of your comfort zone. All religions have something to offer and teach, and orthodox Jews have so much we need to learn.
We are told not to look into other religions.
It is a religious observance to arabs not just a meal so isnt it observing another religion?
Were rabbis consulted?
Remember the sueda of ahasverosh? It was kosher too!
This does not mean that you have to convert to Islam, it simply means that you should respect other religions.
Learning their beliefs and their customs may help you realize that we have more in common than one would initially assume.
Get to know people, grow, stretch yourself, and you’ll find that you can develop a more open-minded, kinder approach towards the world while still remaining strong in your Judaism.
Well said.
This is beautiful. This is what it means to be an orthodox Jew. I hope we only grow to become more inclusive and progressive, opening our doors to other beliefs, whether they be religious or political or racial. “No one is free until we are all free.” If Jews want to be treated with civility and equality, we must treat others this way as well. Great job.
Open to other beliefs? Are you Jewish? Are you a religious Jew?
Inclusion has nothing to do with “progressive” i.e. aggression. Respecting every decent human has nothing to do with “progressive” i.e. aggression.
Your comment is insulting to say the least. Orthodox Jews are the most inclusive people on this planet. Your comment suggests otherwise.
You write: “Open to other beliefs? Are you Jewish? Are you a religious Jew?”
And then you follow up with: “Orthodox Jews are the most inclusive people on this planet.”
You’re not even inclusive of me, a fellow orthodox Jew!
Orthodox Jews are so non-inclusive that we don’t even include our own. If you can’t see this in our own crown heights community…
Orthodox Jews are so non-inclusive it’s bordering on an aveira.
I wish we were an inclusive community. I wish people of all colors and orientations and status and observance were treated with respect, but unfortunately we don’t practice what the Torah preaches.
We should accept jews who don’t keep shabbos (and you would have a point that we need to work harder on being accepting of people who are less observant) but we shouldn’t accept the idea of not keeping shabbos. We should accept people who happen to be Muslim or christian or atheist but we shouldn’t accept the ideas and practices of islam, christianity or atheism
100%!
Rapprochement, cooperation, unity & friendship are always great and a step in the right direction. Kudos to our reps who certainly made great efforts to arrange this event.
Notwithstanding, partaking in such a meal, in a non-Jewish house-of-worship no less, by community representatives – is it oysgehalten al pi halocheh?? Were the reps subjected to any sermons / words of inspiration in commeration of the non-Jewiish holiday? Was a rov asked before participating and representing the Chabad community of CH??
What would the Rebbe say to this??!
The Rebbe said “JTA SUBSCRIBE ARCHIVE Search JTA’s historical archive dating back to 1923 Lubavitcher Rebbe Voices Opposition to ‘Interfaith Dialogues’ Menachem Mendel Schneerson, left, the late Grand Rabbi of the Brooklyn-based Lubavitcher movement, seen in 1993. (Shahar Azran/AFP/Getty Images) March 30, 1965 SEE ORIGINAL DAILY BULLETIN FROM THIS DATE ADVERTISEMENT Opposition to “interfaith dialogues” which, he charged had been largely responsible for “the alarmingly growing rate of intermarriage,” was voiced here yesterday by Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher rebbe. Replying to a request by 250 Jewish leaders who had asked him for his views on interfaith dialogues, Rabbi Schneerson… Read more »
Its good to get the view of the rebbe on this
Opposition to “interfaith dialogues” which, he charged had been largely responsible for Replying to a request by 250 Jewish leaders who had asked him for his views on interfaith dialogues, Rabbi Schneerson declared:
“There is no need for us whatever to have any religious dialogues with non-Jews, nor any interfaith activities in the form of religious discussions, interchange of pulpits and the like. The brotherhood of mankind is a positive concept only so long as it is confined to commerce, philanthropy and civil and economic aspects of society.”
This was an intrafaith activity. The Rabbonim should speak out about it.
Thank you
This does not sound like an interfaith dialogue or a religious discussion, but merely respectful attendance at an event that had religious significance for many people who were present. If a Christian or Muslim attends the funeral of a Jewish person, the attendee is not participating in a Jewish ceremony but merely showing respect for the departed.
This is amazing!! I love seeing our communities coming together. This is how we bring Moshiach. So proud.
was daas Torah involved? the Rebbe was against this behavior
Why are G-d’s chosen people assimilating by celebrating non jewish holidays? there are jewish and Christian organizations and now celebrating jewish and Muslim holiday?! What’s the difference between the yidden being by achashviroshs party (even just them being there) or the yidden assimilating the greek culture?! It all starts somewhere and so it begins with these kinds of “celebrations “… which leads to far worse… we are G-ds chosen people and we should stay that way!
From the forest itself comes the handle of the axe…
Orthodox Judaism at its best!
This is not about interfaith dialouge
This is about community relations
There is no Halachic problem with going to a Mosque
All these negative comments have no validity
Quoting from the Rebbe on an unrelated issue is inappropriate
As the saying goes, if you don’t do anything than no one will criticize you and if you do things there will always be naysayers
Well said! Nothing more it add! Looking at the above comments, it is VERY EASY to sit on the sidelines and criticize. what have YOU DONE to bring Moshiach, besides being an armchair critic? No need to see out of context comparisons…Show us more articles of what YOU are doing to change the world, within CH, within NY, within USA, within North America and the world at large. We don’t have to see your negativity. If you don’t agree, don’t add YOUR NEGATIVITY, just do something positive. No need to criticize, hamaaseh hu haikar – DO SOMETHING POSITVE!
Hopefully this was used as an opportunity to teach them about the Noahide laws
I hope this is the new standard for how we treat other religions and cultures and races. Always with love and respect.
Mosques are halachically fine to enter as Islam believes in the same one G-d. I don’t believe they were discussing theology but showing unity with others in our neighborhood.
Maybe it’s OK to go in if that’s a polling place but…
It’s OK to go in while they are practicing a decidedly non-Jewish religious observance? Eh…
Plus, they accept Yoshke as a prophet and claim that Yerushalayim is theirs, R”L.
Do business together? Sure. Live nearby as neighbors? OK
Pray/observe Islamic rituals together? Nope.
Critics are mostly fearful of interacting with anyone who’s ‘other.’
Reminder to everyone here (most of you are bigoted Jerks by the sounds of it) that Mizrahi and Sephardic Jews have traditionally celebrated with their Muslim neighbors for various holidays. Eid is a big one, and so are Iftars. Before things got really bad in the Arab world, it wasn’t uncommon for Jews and Muslims to be close enough to go over for various happy occasions. My family is Egyptian and this used to happen all the time. And let me tell you..having Iftar is a very happy occasion. Also, Masjids (mosques) are fine, they are monotheistic. It’s Churches we… Read more »
…your love for your fellow man is so great that you smear your fellow Jews as “bigoted jerks.” So it sounds like it’s less love of your fellow man and more an excuse to bash others. Who’s the bigot, then?
JUST WONDERING WHAT WOULD THE REBBE SAY!
PROBABLY TO TEACH TEM THE SHEVA MITZVOS BNEI NOACH!
SOMETIMES WE GET SIDETRACKED BY THINKING THAT WE KNOW WHAT IS BESTFR KLAL YISRAEL.
THAT IS THE REASON WE ASK WHAT DAAS TORAH SAYS! FOR ALL OF YOU WHO WRITE INTO THE IGROS…. WHAT ANSWEREID YOU RECEIVE ABOUT ATTENDING THS GLAT KOSHER PARTY IN MOSQUE FOLLOWING A MOSLEM RELIGIOUS EVENT!BE TRUE TO YIURSELF AND LOOK INTO A MIRROR WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT TE HALACHA!