Jews and Muslims find common ground

Jews and Muslims. Pick up any paper — including this one — over the last few months and you’ve seen us on opposite sides of the Middle East conflict. Jews holding rallies for Israel; Muslims holding rallies for Gaza. Jews writing op-eds urging Hamas to stop firing rockets; Muslims writing op-eds urging Israel to stop firing rockets.

So it might surprise you to know that our two communities in Louisville — Jewish and Muslim — collaborate on dozens of common issues every year. In fact, on many of our most important priorities, we stand shoulder to shoulder.

If this surprises you, it shouldn’t. Think of all we share.

What Jews call Tzedakah, Muslims call Zakat: giving our money to those in need.

What Jews call Tikun Olam, Muslims call Amal Saalih: acts of service that improve the world around us.

This coming Sunday, Muslim and Jewish communities will walk together for the Dare to Care Hunger Walk. Last year, you’d find us building Habitat houses together. You’ll find Muslims at interfaith Chanukah parties, and Jews at community Iftar dinners. In the last year alone, imams have spoken at synagogues, and rabbis have spoken at mosques. On Sept. 4, we joined together for a documentary movie about a Muslim woman who gave her life fighting the Nazis.

Both of our faiths are built on commandments to serve and love our fellow neighbors. It’s why, when an earthquake struck Haiti, our communities joined together to raise money for relief organizations. It’s why, when tornadoes ripped through Henryville, our communities joined together to help rebuild homes. And it’s why, when floods ravaged Pakistan, our communities raised money together to relieve the suffering.

Sometimes, our collaboration is practical. We both work with JCPS and other school systems to ensure testing isn’t scheduled on Jewish or Muslim holy days. We’ve supported each other when our religious customs rub up against secular standards, in cases like burials at cemeteries.

Our communities may be far apart when it comes to Israel and Gaza, but we’re drawn closer together every year in our other pursuits.

Why is this important? Here’s a simple truth: Our enemy is not each other. Our enemy is hatred, the despair that leads both Jews and Muslims to harden their hearts and dismiss each other in this community.

We are very proud that in Louisville, the Jewish and Muslim communities are finding ways to reach out, build bridges, and work together for a better world. In the end, Muslims and Jews both know what it means to be a religious minority in this country, and standing together makes us that much stronger.

Dr. Muhammad Babar is prresident of Pakistani American Alliance for Compassion and Education (PACE and a board member of Center for Interfaith Relations. Becky Ruby Swansburg is a member of the Jewish Community Relations Council.