Linda Sarsour, the Director of Programs for the Arab American Association of New York, spoke to the Unity Program students and their classmates from another social studies senior elective at Heschel about modesty in Islam. She described her upbringing as a native of Brooklyn and her decision as a young adult to begin wearing hijab, the traditional head-covering of Muslim women. Linda also shared her perspective on the challenges of Muslim-Jewish relations based on her wealth of dialogue experiences with members of the Jewish community in New York. In the photo above, she is speaking with Heschel Unity Program students Jacob Kose (r) and Robyn Spector (l).

Rabbi Burt Visotzky, the Nathan and Janet Appleman Professor of Midrash and Interreligious Studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary, spoke to Al-Iman students about Jewish history and Torah Law as well as Jewish and Muslim faith influence in the Middle East. Students found his take on utilizing historical co-existence between Muslims and Jews as a tool for unity in today's society very interesting and informative.

Dr. Cynthia Miller-Idriss, a professor at NYU and former AV board member, spoke to the Heschel students about her experiences as a convert to Islam seeking fellowship amidst the diversity of Muslims in the United States and abroad. She discussed challenges she faced in Germany and Michigan as well as her involvement with the Progressive Islam community in New York. (Heschel student Robyn Spector stands on the right.)

Nasir Al-Amin, Founder of the Alliance Investment Fund (ALIF), spoke about the personal experiences that led him to convert to Islam and to build an international anti-poverty organization. He spoke about his work and travels in Ethiopia and about a program he ran at Fordham University linking the Pillars of Zakat (the obligatory poverty tax) to Sawm (fasting during Ramadan) through student contributions of money they otherwise would have spent on daily meals.

Peter Geffen; chair of Abraham's Vision Board of Directors as well as founder of the Abraham Joshua Heschel School along Raphael Elmaleh; co-builder of the collection of the Museum of Moroccan Jewry in Casablanca spoke to Al Iman students about Jewish life in Morocco.




Raphael also presented on the role of interfaith Jewish/Muslim relations through his personal life experience and the his aid in the reconstruction of artifacts, religious locations and building of the Museum of Moroccan Jewry in Casablanca. The students thoroughly enjoyed both speakers, as they had many questions of how the positive interfaith example could translate in the U.S. and abroad.