DAYTON Women’s Interfaith Discussion Continued from previous page
Sharon Bengel
Editor and Publisher Marshall Weiss MWeiss@jfgd.net 937-853-0372
Rabbi Judy Chessin hosted a Women’s Interfaith Discussion luncheon at Temple Beth Or in September
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from Islam.” Founded in Punjab, India in 1889, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community believes that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) is the messiah and renewer of Islam. Dayton’s Ahmadiyya mosque, the Fazl-I-Umar Mosque on Randolph St., was constructed in 1955 and is identified in The Oxford Handbook of American Islam as the first mosque built in the United States by black converts to Islam. According to Shahid, it is also the first mosque building erected in Ohio, and the first mosque constructed by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in America. “In Pakistan in the ‘70s, the National Assembly decided that this group of Muslims (Ahmadis) would be excommunicated because of their belief in the messiah,” Shahid said. “That excommunication led to persecution, and our caliph had to leave there and settle in England. But that excommunication follows us everywhere.” An estimated 10 to 20 million Ahmadis live around the world, with 15 to 20,000 in the United States. Israel is the only country in the Middle East where Ahmadi Muslims can openly practice their faith. “We thought it was an important enough topic to do three sessions: one on the Christian messiah, one on the Ahmadi messiah, and one on waiting for the messiah,” Allen said. Shahid’s dream of an interfaith group for women came out of her religious practice of gender separation to preserve modesty. “We have the observance of separate socialization for men and women in all of our activities,” Shahid said. “I thought it would be a good idea to introduce that to a community, where we are so used to having men and women together, and see how it goes.” “As a Catholic,” Buehler said, “I come from a very patriarchal model, particularly for women who are religious. We’ve struggled with that. We’ve moved beyond that in ways maybe the ordinary woman in her pew hasn’t always moved, because we’ve been somewhat independent in the ways we run our congregations, even though they are approved by Rome. We have ways of being responsible for ourselves. “Recently, I was reading some things about feminine qualities in terms of creativity, imagination, being in touch with emotions, inclusivity. And these are things I see happening when we come together as women. We bring those out in one another without having to fear that men dominate us or that we have to listen to what the men say in the group. We’re free to offer our own suggestions. We have really learned to respect our differences. And every time new women come and experience that, we’re building a better world.” The Women’s Interfaith Discussion’s next program will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Jan 18 at the Salvation Army Kroc Center, 1000 N. Keowee St., Dayton. Email ladiesinterfaith@gmail.com.
Contributors Rachel Haug Gilbert Rabbi Joshua Ginsberg Marc Katz Candace R. Kwiatek Advertising Sales Executive Patty Caruso, plhc69@gmail.com Proofreaders Rachel Haug Gilbert, Pamela Schwartz Billing Jeri Kay Eldeen, JEldeen@jfgd.net 937-853-0372 Observer Advisor Martin Gottlieb Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton David Pierce President Judy Abromowitz Immediate Past Pres. Bruce Feldman President Elect Todd Bettman Officer Dr. Heath Gilbert Officer Beverly Louis Officer Mary Rita Weissman Officer Cathy Gardner CEO The Dayton Jewish Observer, Vol. 22, No. 4. The Dayton Jewish Observer is published monthly by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton, a nonprofit corporation, 525 Versailles Dr., Dayton, OH 45459. Views expressed by guest columnists, in readers’ letters and in reprinted opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Dayton Jewish Observer, The Dayton Jewish Observer Policy Committee, the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton or the underwriters of any columns. Acceptance of advertising neither endorses advertisers nor guarantees kashrut. The Dayton Jewish Observer Mission Statement To support, strengthen and champion the Dayton Jewish community by providing a forum and resource for Jewish community interests. Goals • To encourage affiliation, involvement and communication. • To provide announcements, news, opinions and analysis of local, national and international activities and issues affecting Jews and the Jewish community. • To build community across institutional, organizational and denominational lines. • To advance causes important to the strength of our Jewish community including support of Federation agencies, its annual campaign, synagogue affiliation, Jewish education and participation in Jewish and general community affairs. • To provide an historic record of Dayton Jewish life.
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THE DAYTON JEWISH OBSERVER • DECEMBER 2017