By Diane Petryk
SUNBURY — Separated by fear and suspicion seeded by nearly 1,400 years of bloody human history, and the invisible barrier between mosque and synagogue almost within sight of each other, leaders of two religions came together for peace Sunday.
Rabbi Nina Mandel, Congregation Beth El, and Sister Safiyyah Jihad Levine, of the Sunbury Islamic Center, were honored for their work on behalf of human rights by members of Sunbury’s Church Women United.
The group’s president, Ruth Koble, said the two women were treasured “peacemakers in our midst.”
About 50 people attended the awards ceremony at the Otterbein United Methodist Church.
Mandel and Safiyyah both spoke of the need to appreciate each other.
“Our diversity reflects God’s creative capacity,” Mandel said. “We need to learn to co-exist in our differences, even when they challenge us.”
Safiyyah said Allah, the Muslim name for God, is not a different or separate God. “He’s the same God.”
The word “Islam,” she said, is the Arabic word for peace.
“Honor killings, child killings, suicide bombing, beheading ... and horror of all horrors, female circumcision, all violate the tenets of Islam,” she said.
Mandel said Jews and Muslims often face similar challenges in raising children in predominantly Christian regions.
“Our children are often alone as non-Christians in their classrooms,” she said.
She and Safiyyah pledged to bridge the gap between their synagogue and their mosque more often.
New beginning
“This is the beginning of a new life together in the Susquhanna Valley,” Koble said.
But peace and goodwill are easier in countries where the right to be in the minority is taken for granted, said United Methodist congregation member Glenn Cunningham, of Sunbury. “We’re in an area where we can express ourselves. There may be underlying prejudice but we know we’re entitled (to our beliefs). “
“In the world, all people cry the same and laugh the same,” he said. “That unites us. Then we bring God in the picture. ... In some countries, people who speak out (against the prevailing religion) are annihilated and butchered.”
Both women acknowledged this is the case, but said it is not an excuse to stop working for peace.
“I am a Jew who believes in peace,” Mandel said. “You might want to kill me. You might want to wipe all Jews off the face of the Earth. People do. I can either stay on the side of peace or stay home and build an arsenal. I can either spread peace or spread war. ... Yes, some people don’t have that freedom, but they do have the freedom to be inspired by people who do have that freedom. That’s how revolutions happen.”
Saffiyah said the bad things others do shouldn’t stop anyone from working for good where they live, where they can.
Muslims have had to bear the suspicions and hatred brought on by people who pervert the religion to serve nonreligious ends. The Fort Hood killer is one of those, she said.
True Islam, she said, is against killing ... If we kill one person it’s like killing all mankind.
“Allahu Akbar,” the words the shooter is said to have shouted as he began shooting, mean “God is great,” she said. “For someone to take those words and use them to commit sin is very saddening,” she said.
She said she expects the Sept. 11 trials to end in convictions and executions. Dredging up Sept. 11 is not good for the Muslim community, she said, but she has found the Sunbury area hospitable and accepting of people of Muslim faith.
Optimistic stance
She’s also optimistic the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be brought to a peaceful conclusion.
“Take Northern Ireland,” she said. “They said that would never be solved, but look at it today.”
Mandel said she was more cautiously optimistic. “There will have to be compromises, and no one will be completely satisfied. I pray I live to see it.”
People should tell themselves “There will be change, and I will be part of it,” she said.
