Jewish and Muslim Spiritual Leaders Call for Calm ahead of Holidays

A number of Jewish and Muslim leaders in Israel came together to convey a message of patience and acceptance.

Spiritual leaders of Jewish and Muslim communities in Israel met on Wednesday ahead of the weekend, during which Jewish and Muslim holidays will be celebrated simultaneously. The main objective of the meeting was to dispel possible tensions that could result due to this unique coincidence.

The most sacred Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur, and the Muslim Id-al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) both fall on the same day (Saturday, October 4); this happens once every 33 years.

Both Israeli chief rabbis, the head of the Muslim Sharia Court in Jaffa and several Members of Knesset convened in Lod, a mixed Jewish-Muslim city, to convey a message of tolerance and mutual respect.

Lod Mayor Yair Revivo sees the celebration of both faiths on the same day as an opportunity to increase tolerance, respect and knowledge of each other’s heritage and customs, rather than creating unnecessary friction and tension.

MK Merav Michaeli (Labor), who organized the religious summit, hopes that radical elements will not succeed in turning the holiday spirit into a source of hatred and violence.

Listen, Learn and Respect

Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, quoting religious passages, called for mutual respect. Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau asked for a show of sensitivity, adding that the State of Israel includes citizens of diverse backgrounds.

“We should try to listen to one another, hear the other person. Everyone should live according to his religion, and do his best to maintain and respect the others beliefs,” Rabbi Lau said.

Daoud Zinni, head of the Muslim Shari’a court, spoke of the need for optimism, encouraging good neighborly relations among members of all faiths.  “We must do all we can to ensure that this day passes in peace,” he said.

Author: Aryeh Savir
Staff Writer, United with Israel