The similarities were the most striking. The languages, the customs, the values and the American experiences of the Muslim and Jewish communities are incredibly. All of the diversity programs around Grounds seem somehow artificial when compared to the Open Doors program. There is a huge and significant difference between discussing other cultures and briefly experiencing them.
There is so much more to understanding a culture than reading about it. Before attending the program, I knew about the Koran, and I had seen pictures of Muslims in prayer, but I had, at most, a shallow understanding of Islam.
As enthusiastic as I was about the program, I never imagined what a profound impact it could have.
I experienced things that nobody could have taught me. I had to hear for myself that the chanting of the Quran sounds like the traditional reciting of the Torah. I had to hear directly from those most affected that the Muslim community deals with issues similar to those faced by the Jewish community.
Being a minority in America has many advantages and drawbacks frequently shared by both communities. There is a fine line between completely assimilating with the dominant American culture and maintaining a balance between American and cultural loyalty. The Muslim and Jewish communities face an additional challenge in that both communities, despite sharing a common ideology, are actually comprised of many cultures.
Until talking with Muslim students, I had never noticed the parallel between the compositions of each community. There are Jews in practically every culture and nation throughout the world. The unification of such a diverse group of people based on a shared history and religion is part of what makes being Jewish so special. Like Jews, Muslims come from a variety of backgrounds and are united through their shared heritage. Practically everywhere members of each group go, they will find people with whom they share an immediate bond.
There should also be an immediate bond between members of minority groups, especially those sharing similar priorities and values such as peace.
Peace, "shalom," is the first Hebrew word I remember learning.
In Arabic, the word is "salam," coming from the same root as the ancient Hebrew.
Many Hebrew songs even incorporate Arabic words -- the first Jewish song during the program contains "salam." For thousands of years, the Jewish and Muslim peoples have been evolving separately, yet ultimately, at the root of each is peace, one of many similarities between the two cultures.
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