The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding is proud to announce the first national summit for ethnic dialogue between the Muslim and Jewish communities in the United States. The summit will take place on November 7, 2007 at the New York Synagogue and the Islamic Cultural Center of New York City.

The National Summit will bring together a rabbi and imam from 11 major cities with a large Muslim and Jewish population. Participants will discover commonalities in rituals, customs, and culture as Americans and as Jews and Muslims. The cities include, Dallas, TX; Baltimore, MD; Dearborn, MI; and Orange County, CA among others.

The goal of this summit is to provide the participants with the tools to cultivate a strong communal relationship as Americans in their hometowns, and not solely as Jews or Muslims.” Said Hip Hop mogul and FFEU Chairman, Russell Simmons.

Experts from the Arab American Family Support Center, the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, the Muslim Consultative Network, and the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life, as well as many other organizations will lead workshops in their fields to form a cohesive platform that embraces understanding and respect. The Middle East and other political issues relating to Israel or the Palestinians will not be discussed.

“Whether Jewish or Muslim, we are all American. There is a value system and culture that we share – these must be embraced and nurtured,” said Rabbi Marc Schneier, President of the FFEU. “We must stop being distracted by political hotbed issues that divide us in the Middle East and learn to relate to each other within the context of being an American.”

The National Summit with conclude with a dinner featuring remarks by Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim member of Congress, and Rep. Jerrold Nadler, an active member of the American Jewish Community.