Jewish, Muslim children find common ground

Communities hope to bridge religious divide

November 19, 2007|By Chrystian Tejedor Staff Writer

West Palm Beach — Religious leaders are hoping Jews and Muslims one day can settle the differences that touch off bitter fighting in other parts of the world.

The key is to show their children early on that followers of either faith have more in common than they think.

That's why about 20 Jewish and Muslim children met for the first time Sunday morning in a small room at Temple Israel on Flagler Drive.

"Jewish and Muslim communities don't have as much contact with each other," said Peter Eckstein, the temple's education director. "Us grown-ups have done a lousy job; maybe kids can do a better job."

Leaders of both the temple and the Islamic School of the Palm Beaches got the introductions going quickly with a game called "human treasure hunt," meant to show kids the simple, everyday things they had in common.

Sohaib Bhatti, 17, and Ben Horowitz, 12, had a group of about 10 huddled around them as they all went down the list trying to find things in common.

Favorite movies. Toothpaste. Sports. Shopping.

"I like football and played football and so did Ben. We use the same toothpaste," Bhatti said, adding: "The rabbi even likes the same ice cream as me - cookie dough."

After a few more minutes, Rabbi Howard Shapiro and Farrah Javed, of the Islamic School of the Palm Beaches, shared with students a few the customs that both religions share.

For example, Jewish and Muslim men cover their heads during prayer as a sign of respect, while Christians do not.

Both faiths also have charity as one of their core beliefs. Shapiro spoke about Maimonides, who wrote about the Jewish principle of tzedakah and the degrees of charity while living among Muslims in Egypt. Javed told the children about the tenet of sadaqa, which requires Muslims to give to charity.

"And it's not just money," said Uzma Lindahl. "A smile can be charity, too. It can make someone feel welcome."

But before the children worked together to make stuffing for a Thanksgiving dinner the temple delivers to the less fortunate, they were taken to the sanctuary where Jewish children answered questions from their new Muslim friends.

Horowitz, wearing a New York Giants football jersey, showed a group of children how to properly read from the Torah, which isn't bound in a book like the Bible or the Quran but is kept on a scroll.

He briefly chanted the story of how Jacob hoped to reconcile his differences with his brother. It's a reading he has practiced for his Bar Mitzvah on Saturday.

"You can't really touch [the Torah] because it's old," said Horowitz, who used a yad, or a silver pointer, to mark his place on the scroll.

Chrystian Tejedor can be reached at or 561-243-6631.

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