Rabbi Yehuda Sarna is the Manager of Religious Life at NYU’s Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life: Hillel at NYU. Below are his responses to a recent email interview about Muslim-Jewish dialogue:
What do you think Jews at NYU should be doing about Jewish extremists who produce violence and violent rhetoric?
The root of violence is often dehumanization. In the Jewish community, some people not in official positions adopt rhetoric which associates Muslims or Arabs as a general group with terrorism. People should stand up and say, “at NYU, I know Muslims who are actually very nice.”
I don’t think Obsession qualifies as violent rhetoric.
Why do you feel people chose to attend or not to attend the Middle East Sustained Dialogue Group’s screening of “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West” with the following discussion co-sponsored by the Bronfman Center and Islamic Center?
To listen and to be heard.
Robert Friedman, a volunteer for Obsession, said that the approach taken by NYU toward Muslim-Jewish dialogue was one of “denial” of the claimed danger represented by radical Islam. Do you think NYU’s Muslim-Jewish dialogue has resulted in denial?
I think the Muslim students know better than the Jewish ones how dangerous Islamic radicalism is. I don’t think that anyone in the dialogue group would argue that it is wrong to pursue and try to stop terrorism; the question is its definition and to what extent this fight will harm innocent Muslims.
What do you think of Jewish-Muslim relations at NYU? How and why do you think it may be different from those at other universities and in larger communities?
Building bridges between Muslims and Jews is an emergency. Jewish students are not ambassadors of Israel; they are EMT’s at a crisis. They’re there to heal.
Differences:
1. Khalid
2. Khalid
3. Khalid
[Khalid Latif is the Islamic Center Chaplain for NYU and Princeton University.]
The Islamic Center is run by moderates and is not the “radical Islamic center.”
How has the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life at NYU worked towards or chosen not to participate in Muslim-Jewish dialogue?
Always participate. [The Bronfman Center] invited Khalid to speak after Bibi [Netanyahu spoke] in September.
New York University
CampusJ Beat Reporters:
Jill Goldstein
E-mail: jgoldstein -at- campusj.com
AIM: LiLStarChk
NYU J-Blogs
Daily Dahlia
Daphna Amar
JLSA NYU
NYU J-Pubs
NYU J-Orgs
Other NYU Blogs
NYU View
Other NYU Publications
Other NYU Orgs
CampusJ Beat Reporters:
Jill Goldstein
E-mail: jgoldstein -at- campusj.com
AIM: LiLStarChk
NYU J-Blogs
Daily Dahlia
Daphna Amar
JLSA NYU
NYU J-Pubs
NYU J-Orgs
Other NYU Blogs
NYU View
Other NYU Publications
Other NYU Orgs
Recent Comments
- Marcus on post Videos from Amir Abdel Malik Ali's Speech
- JPeditor on post R' Sarna on Muslim-Jewish dialogue
- Tom Freeman on post Binghamton Hillel Creates Firsthand Experience with Hunger
- U.S. Holocaust Memorial Director Speaks at Univ. of Oregon at CampusJ on post Jewish-Inspired Genocide Lecture Hosted at U. of Oregon
- Tom Freeman on post Jewish Professor Speaks to UCLA Audience About Women in Islam
- Mike on post Record-Setting Shabbat of 1,400
- Norman Finkelstein Speaks at UMass at CampusJ on post "Holocaust Industry" Author May Be Denied Tenure at DePaul University
- Marcus on post Muslim Student Union Reacts To Ayn Rand Event
- adam on post Ku Klux Klan May Rally in Bloomington
- Roz Zalowitz on post Record-Setting Shabbat of 1,400
re Rabbi Sarna,
I just read his comments on the showing of Obsession at NYU:
“The question about radical Islam and how do we fight it is unproductive,” said Yehuda Sarna, the New York University rabbi on the panel. “The question is how to break down the stereotypes facing the two religions.”
I cannot believe Rabbi Sarna would say this. He either needs to get a correction in the NYT or explain how he thinks that ““The question about radical Islam and how do we fight it is unproductive” - does he have any proof that fighting radical islam is “unproductive”?
Is he suggesting that “stereotypes” are what leads islamists to slaughter Christians, Jews and yes MUSLIMS by the dozens around the world every day?
Is he suggesting we all become dhimmie / slaves to radical islam?
I also don’t understand how he could say that “… the film did not foster understanding….”
Should we all hold hands with islamists and sing kumbaya? Would that “foster understanding”?
Does Rabbi Sarna thinks continually handing over pieces of Israel, including half of Jerusalem will foster understanding.”?
Rabbi, I am not talmud chacham but you should remember this:
Kol ha’merachem al achzoriyim sofo l’hitachzer l’rachmonim.
(One who has mercy on people who are cruel will in the end be cruel to those who are merciful)…
“The question about radical Islam and how do we fight it is unproductive,”
He’s talking about how it’s unproductive to accusingly point fingers at entire religions instead of working with moderate and supportive Muslims to help get rid of radicalism and extremism. Rabbi Sarna is a good person, and he knows that the movie was unproductive enough to push people and good Muslims away from helping becaus eof the feeling that they are stigmatized as a whole.
I corresponded with Rabbi Sarna after reading the disturbing comments atrributed to him, and unfortunately he did not mean what Solomon says he meant. He claims that the question of fighting radical Islam is one better left to lobbyists and people dealing with the issue directly but not appropriate to a college campus (because of its potentially divisive nature). But this is riduculous; if you can’t educate people on a college campus, where can you do it? And how will ordinary people ever know enough to be engaged in the issue and become lobbyists? I don’t see anti-Israel activists stopping their on-campus activities because they’re “unproductive.”
The filmmakers have made it clear the film is about *radical* Islam, not Islam as a whole. Why confronting this radicalism is unproductive will remain complete mystery to anyone
with any saychel.
The link for my post post above is http://www.jewpoint.blogspot.com