Posted on 09/25/2003 5:45:53 PM PDT by ChicagoHebrew
Chief rabbi and Iranian cleric discuss Ron Arad By ERIK SCHECHTER ASTANA, Kazakhstan
In a "very warm" private meeting on Tuesday night, the chairman of Iran's Committee of Islamic Law discussed the fate of missing IAF navigator Lt.-Col. Ron Arad with Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Yona Metzger.
Metzger confirmed on Wednesday that he had met Mahdi Hadavi Moghaddam in Kazakhstan's capital and discussed Arad, who is believed to be held in Iran, and other MIAs, but he revealed few details of the conversation.
"I'm not naive, but I believe that there is hope," Metzger told The Jerusalem Post. "Spiritual leaders share a common language that political leaders don't have. [Moghaddam] told me that he could talk to me as a Jew and a rabbi, but not as an Israeli."
The two met at a two-day interfaith congress hosted by this secular Muslim former Soviet republic, following a dinner at which Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayeb took Metzger and Moghaddam by the hands and pulled them into a kind of three-way handshake.
But by Wednesday, Israeli-Iranian relations had returned to their normal frozen state, with Moghaddam publicly snubbing Metzger and other members of the Jewish delegation when they approached him.
Metzger, who identified himself as an Israeli at several points in his speeches, was listed in official conference literature as simply "the chief rabbi," without mention of his home country. Some 120 delegates representing 18 religions and sects from the Catholics of the Holy See to the Hare Krishnas joined the conference at the Saltanate Sarayi reception house in Astana, in what was touted as the first ever state-sponsored interfaith dialogue.
The gathering was certainly colorful: Bearded Saudi imams mingled with orange-robed Buddhists, and rabbis in black hats discussed anti-Semitism with Hindus.
Although all the participants at the roundtable congress came out strongly against the use of religion as a justification for violence and terrorism, by the end it was unclear if they had come to any agreement about what terrorism is.
For example, a brochure distributed by delegates of a Saudi group called the World Muslim League stated that Palestinian attacks against Israelis are "self-defense," but that military action against Palestinians is "state terrorism." Next to that brochure lay another touting the religious freedom enjoyed in China published by that nation's communist government.
Nonetheless, the gathering was a harbinger of hope for many attendees. "Kazakhstan is a model of religious tolerance," proclaimed Archbishop Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
Referring to the "Spirit of Assisi," a movement toward conciliatory religious relations that Pope John Paul II has championed since a 1986 interfaith conference in front of the Saint Francis Basilica, Martino predicted harmonious dealings for those invested with the "Spirit of Astana" as well.
Some delegates felt, however, that the Astana conference featured too much mouthing of platitudes about God wanting peace and harmony, and not enough facing up to specific problems. A British delegate, the Rt.-Rev. Nicolas Baines, Anglican bishop of Croydon, said he hoped that future meetings will include more substantive debates.
The 15-member Jewish delegation expressed satisfaction with the meeting, noting that it was the first time that rabbis had been in the same room as Saudi Arabian and Iranian religious leaders, not to mention talking with them.
Belgian Chief Rabbi Avraham Guigui and Swiss Chief Rabbi Izhak Dayan reported they had a very positive discussion in Arabic with Imam Muhammad Sayeed Tantawi, head of the influential Al-Azhar seminary in Cairo.
The delegation was brought to the congress by billionaire Alexander Machkevitch, the president of the Eurasian Jewish Congress. "As a Jew and someone who grew up in a Muslim state, I know that 99 percent of Muslims are moderate and do not support terrorism," Machkevitch, who is an Israeli citizen, told the Post. "President Nazarbayeb would like to realize a UN of religions, because religious leaders are effective and have influence."
Metzger also praised Nazarbayeb's efforts to bridge religious divides, and credited his talks with Iran "as one Muslim to another" for helping secure the release of 13 Jews imprisoned there. Nazarbayeb is working, Metzger said, to uncover information about Arad's fate.
"Happy are your people to have such a leader," Metzger said in Hebrew, laying his hands on Nazarbayeb's head to bless him at Wednesday's closing ceremony at the capital's landmark Baiterek tower.
Extending greetings from "the holy city of al-Quds," Metzger suggested that biblical patriarch Abraham was "looking down from heaven" and smiling on the congress.
At its close, Metzger hailed his Muslim counterparts with a hearty "salaam aleikum" and remarked on the extensive hospitality and honor shown him by his Kazakhstani hosts, saying, "They treated me just like the pope."
Just for clarification, Rabbi Metzger is only the Chief Ashkenazi (Jews of Central and Eastern European origin) Rabbi. Israel also has a Chief Sephardi (Jews of Spanish and Middle Eastern origin) Rabbi-- known as the Rishon L'Tzion.
What does "secular Muslim" mean?
I just thought I'd mention that in the spirit of multicultural outreach and interfaith cooperation (aka: national suicide)
Let me guess a schedule of events at a Saudi-sponsored "Islamic Awareness Week"
Monday 4pm: Annual hostage taking on Diag
Tuesday 7am: Buses leave for free flying lessons (taking off and landing lessons extra)
Wednesday 2pm: Attend Star Wars convention. Throw rocks at Darth Vader for cross-dressing.
Thursday 10pm: Bar Night. Drink special on Molotov Cocktails!
Friday 4pm: Watch MASH. Learn that "Suicide is Painless"
Friday 6pm: Dress up as Hassidic Jews and infiltrate Hillel. Practice lesson learned earlier-- make sure you pack enough explosives to minimize pain for yourself.
Note-- I've actually got great respect for moderate, real Islam. The above list attacks on Wahabi insanity.
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