Interfaith Leaders Gather in Haifa, Call for Peace Amidst Regional Tensions

Approximately a thousand religious and secular figures from Muslim, Christian, Druze, and Jewish faiths convened at the Sayidna Mahmoud mosque in Haifa's Kababir neighborhood for the 29th annual conference of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. The event, held on September 17, focused on calls for peace, compassion, and fostering understanding.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog opened the conference, expressing his excitement at the gathering's spirit of "love, brotherhood, peace, and friendship" and interfaith dialogue, even during the current period. He referenced the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks' teachings on the harmonious relationship between Ishmael and Abraham, and the Torah's emphasis on love and mercy towards Ishmael.

Despite the optimistic tone, criticism was voiced regarding the state's perceived allowance of violence, crime, and racism in public discourse and spaces. Amir Muhammad Sharif Odeh, head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Israel and the Palestinian territories, questioned the pursuit of further war for security and advocated for building trust and love as the foundation for true security and lasting peace, citing the Quranic principle of "no compulsion in religion."

Odeh also addressed the Jewish attendees, referencing God's promise of the land to Abraham and his descendants, but emphasizing that righteousness, not just lineage, is key to inheritance, quoting Psalms. He also reminded Muslim attendees of the Quran's mention of the return of the Israelites to their land. Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav praised his city's coexistence but noted they were "alone in the field," contrasting Haifa's bridge-building with the world's wall-building.

Professor Shimon Shetreet of the Hebrew University's Law Faculty defended the legitimacy of Arab citizens of Israel, stating that the founding fathers legitimized their participation in government institutions and that upholding this vision is essential to the Zionist dream. Bishop Rifat Nader highlighted the challenges faced by the Christian community and the danger of "ghetto mentality," emphasizing education for societal integration and noting that expressing compassion for suffering on both sides of the conflict has become difficult since October 7.

Rabbi Adina Bar-Shalom, founder of the Jerusalem College for Haredi Women, stated that while the word "peace" is now spoken reluctantly after October 7, the yearning for it remains eternal, and that a religious person's essence is to strive for peace. Rabbi Naama Dafni of the Reform congregation 'Ohel Avraham' in Haifa stressed the importance of mediating messages of justice and compassion from tradition, acknowledging the difficulty of listening when one believes they are righteous.