Jewish and Muslim students break the ice

Interfaith activities aim to strengthen personal bonds.

By Daniel Everson

Published Feb. 2, 2009

Members of the Jewish Students Organization and Muslim Students Organization spent their Friday night ice skating in Jefferson City.

Dozens of Muslim and Jewish students met around 6:30 p.m. at the Hillel center and carpooled to Washington Park Ice Arena in Jefferson City for the interfaith event.

"We have a history of working together," MSO spokeswoman Nabihah Maqbool said. "We try to meet each other and keep an open line of communication, so this is just one of a series of events of continuing the bonds our student organizations have with one another."

Maqbool said JSO and MSO have participated together in events, such as community work for the Central Missouri Food Bank and interfaith dialogue.

JSO Recruitment Director Amanda Rude said such events are important because they help Muslim and Jewish students learn about each other's cultures.

"I think because our cultures are very similar in many aspects, it's important for us to learn how they operate socially," she said.

MSO Vice President Faeza Khan also said it was good for the two organizations to interact at social events, such as ice skating, in addition to service projects and dialogues.

"I feel very strongly about having the different faith-based organizations working together, especially on a campus like MU," Khan said. "I think it makes the MSO stronger to have connections with JSO."

Maqbool and JSO spokeswoman Lauren Rosenberg coordinated the ice skating trip, which the groups had been hoping to do for a long time.

Alpha Epsilon Pi Hillel Chairman Daniel Brick said he was impressed by the attendance, which he estimated at about 50 students.

Khan said ice-skating plans were on the books in October, long before the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. She said the situation in Gaza is political, not religious.

"To not have events like this because of that would be irresponsible," Khan said. "What we can do here in mid-Missouri is build some of those bridges."

Although skating was the main event, Khan said she also enjoyed her carpool. She said the students in her car discussed the different dietary restrictions between their religions and how they manage those restrictions at dining halls. She said they also talked about the challenges of living amidst a Christian majority in the U.S.

Brick also stressed the importance of holding interfaith events.

"Right now it's more important than ever to understand that there's no conflict between us," Brick said. "There's Hamas and, of course, there's Israel. It's not Jews versus Muslims or anything like that."

Rude said it is important to remember not all Palestinians are Muslims and not all Muslims are Palestinians. For example, Rude said she carpooled with a Muslim student whose family comes from Pakistan.

"I don't think it affects any of us directly," Rude said of the Gaza conflict. "It's not like they're the Palestinians bombing Gaza, and it's not like we're the Israelis defending it."

Maqbool said the unrest in Gaza makes interfaith events all the more important.

"If anything, it highlights the importance of our organizations working together and keeping our relationship open despite the politics and situations of another region," she said.

Maqbool spoke of increasing tension between historically peaceful Jewish and Muslim minorities in France. She said all interfaith communities in France except one have broken down.

"It's interesting to see how global effects change people's behavior," she said. "But we want to make sure that we keep personal bonds."