May 25, 2023 By: yunews
扣扣传媒 students and staff attend a conference in the UAE
Following greetings from the deputy mayor of Jerusalem, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Revel dean Dr. Daniel Rynhold offered the program鈥檚 first lecture. Discussing 鈥淢aimonides and the Parable of the Sultan's Palace,鈥 he offered a contextual analysis of how the parable, found at the end of Maimonides' major philosophical work, The Guide for the Perplexed, likely reflected Maimonides鈥 own balancing of his busy medical and communal work with divine contemplation. MBZUH鈥檚 Dr. Ibrahim Burshashen then delivered a talk in Arabic on the strong influence the Islamic philosopher Ibn Rushd had on Maimonides鈥 Guide. Dr. Burshashen鈥檚 colleague, Dr. Haider Hussain, followed with a discussion of 鈥淭he Role and Impact of Islamic Civilization on Jewish Philosophy: A Look at the Joint Interaction, with Moses Ben Maimon as an Example.鈥 He stressed the great appreciation and humility one gains in studying the interactions of Jewish and Islamic cultures, ending with the commendation, 鈥淕od bless Maimonides. Every person who serves humanity is a blessing from God.鈥
The last two speakers from 扣扣传媒 were Dr. Ronnie Perelis of the Schneier Program and Dr. Shira Weiss from . Dr. Perelis spoke about 鈥淎 Global Society: A Cosmopolitan History of the Jewish-Muslim Encounter.鈥 His talk examined how, from Baghdad to Basra, Arabic was the conducive language of connection and consumerism for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Dr. Perelis then related how Judeo-Arabic not only immensely affected Jewish understanding and participation in Arabic culture but also transformed Jewish literature, grammar, linguistics and poetry. 鈥淚 look forward to more transformations coming about through our encounters,鈥 he concluded, 鈥渢hrough our coming to listen to the other, to appreciate the other on their own terms and to share our own journeys, our own struggles and our own questions, and to find solutions together.鈥 Dr. Weiss concluded by offered an analysis of 鈥淭he Influence of Ibn Rushd on the Philosophy of Joseph Albo.鈥 Highlighting Albo鈥檚 The Book of Principles, Weiss credited Ibn Rushd with inspiring the Jewish philosopher鈥檚 articulation of three major principles of Acknowledgment of God, the Truth of Prophecy and Reward and Punishment.
Receiving widespread coverage in both local and international press, including the , , , the and the , the occasion was groundbreaking, and the three and two Schneier Program students in attendance, as well as the faculty, were honored to play a role. It was an additionally edifying experience to visit Abu Dhabi the day following the conference. There the group toured the newly built synagogue in the Abrahamic Family House, met officials at the Ministry of Tolerance and attended the first-ever celebration of Israel鈥檚 Independence Day in the UAE. As Straus student Ruchama Benhamou put it, 鈥淭he Straus Scholars Program has been instrumental in expanding my intellectual horizons and providing unique educational opportunities that have shaped my perspectives on ideas and empowered me in my religious and academic pursuits. The UAE experience was truly transformative, and I am immensely humbled to have participated in events that will fashion the future for positive Muslim-Jewish relations.鈥
As Dr. Weiss concluded after the trip, 鈥淵U's conference with Mohamed Bin Zayed University offered members of both universities, as well as those in attendance from Dubai's Muslim and Jewish communities, an opportunity to share philosophies, build relationships and develop future collaborations. Beyond the conference, visiting the Ministry of Tolerance and the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, which includes a mosque, church and synagogue, followed by the Israeli Embassy's celebration of Israel's 75th, provided an incredible glimpse of the emerging possibilities in the UAE.鈥
