July 7, 2009

In the two years since I was a fellow in the NewGround dialogue program, our alumni group has worked hard to figure out how to take the dialogue to the larger Muslim and Jewish communities.  

The answer came when Nicolas Merkin (NewGround, '07) and Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky of Temple B'nai David hosted a NewGround panel discussion at the home of one of their fellow congregants, Albie Cohen, for their modern orthodox congregation in Los Angeles. 

I was anxious about talking freely regarding NewGround without knowing how it might be received by the audience.  I expected silent cynicism of the entire dialogue effort masked by pleasantries. I could not have been more wrong. 

The audience engaged us completely.  The attendees had questions about how well the NewGround environment supported conversations about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its repurcussions (the wall and suicide bombings, for instance). They also had questions about aspects of Islam and how we explored these issues during our sessions.  The audience ignored the myth of the monolithic Muslim world and acknowledged the Muslim experience beyond the Middle East conflict. 

After the discussion panel, I realized promoting dialogue requires stepping outside our comfort zone. Thanks to Mr. Cohen's gracious invitation, I learned sincere dialogue happens when interfaith mingling occurs in the only other sacred space outside places of worship - our homes. 
 
-- Farah S. Khan
NewGround alum