A survey conducted on behalf of the US-based Foundation for Ethnic Understanding shows that Israelis are more tolerant of Islam than the citizens of Switzerland.
 
סוג מדיה:  רדיו
מקור:  רק"ע
תאריך:  11/01/2010
שעה:  20:42:34
תכנית:  Kol Israel English 20:30
אורך:  03:47
מרואיינים:  
 
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Newscaster: A survey conducted on behalf of the US-based Foundation for Ethnic Understanding shows that Israelis are more tolerant of Islam than the citizens of Switzerland. Foundation President, Rabbi Marc Schneier explains.
Rabbi Marc Schneier: In terms of the very controversial referendum.
Newscaster: That took place in Switzerland.
Rabbi Marc Schneier: That took place in Switzerland.
Newscaster: About the construction of Minarets on mosques.
Rabbi Marc Schneier: Correct, when the majority of people oppose the construction of Minarets in their country, and you find that Israeli Jews have a far greater sensitivity for their Muslim counterparts.
Newscaster: Who did you carry out the opinion poll among here in Israel?
Rabbi Marc Schneier: It was "Keevoon" who carried out the poll for us.
Newscaster: Right. But I see for example that the people questioned are even divided up into the different, either political groups or the fact that they are religious and secular, and that the religious and Ultra-Orthodox, as they''re called, were among the strongest opponents of banning Minarets construction if that were to be proposed in Israel?
Rabbi Marc Schneier: I know, it sounds shocking, but I think that as Orthodox and traditional Jews, that there is a recognition, not on the political level, on a religious level, that as the children of Abraham, that Muslims and Jews, not only do we share a common faith, but we share a common fate. And so today it''s banning Minarets, tomorrow it can be banning the Star of David in synagogues in Europe.
Newscaster: But on the other hand, I just want to say that I see that support for legislation to ban Minarets, that kind of support was strongest among Likud voters, and then, perhaps not surprisingly, by Israel Beiteinu. And so we do see that there is a link there, you said that there''s a separation, but there''s a link between the religion and the political.
Rabbi Marc Schneier: No question, I still remember voicing this to Prime Minister Olmert when he was in Minneapolis 2 years ago, that as part of this peace process, I appreciate the need to have the political leadership involved, but maybe we should also invite the religious leadership to see how we could bring about peace in the Middle East. And my own experience, now internationally, in terms of my dynamic, my engagement with Imams and Muslim clerics and scholars, I think you''d hear this from many many rabbis, that we have a great deal of comfort in terms of dealing with them. In fact, there are rabbis who more comfortable in dealing with Imams than dealing with catholic priests or Christian ministers.
Newscaster: Really?
Rabbi Marc Schneier: Islam and Judaism, we are sister religions, I wouldn''t say sister, after all, Judaism is the mother religion, and there is such a commonality there, and at the end of the day we are family. It doesn''t mean we haven''t had some pretty ugly family disagreements, but we are family, and I found the results of this polling first to be surprising, I was pleasantly surprised, but at the same time, it''s understandable when you do have that religious sensitivity. as opposed to that political hurdle.
Newscaster: Rabbi Marc Schneier, President of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding.