NPR Interviews Leaders of Muslim-Jewish Partnerships in the U.S. about the Situation in the Middle East

 By Nate Feldman

In the wake of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, the NPR radio station last month interviewed two women, Aziza Hasan and Alyson Freedman, who are both involved with organizations in the United States that are building partnerships between Muslims and Jews and how the current conflict is affecting their work.  

Aziza Hasan is the Executive Director of Newground: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change, an organization which according to its website "envisions an America where Muslims and Jews are empowered to create lasting partnerships, engage in authentic communication and mutual cooperation." 

In the interview, she said her work right now is "not necessarily about dialogue," and that it was more of a time for her to check in on people and see how they are coping with the situation and how they are feeling.

Alyson Freedman is a member of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom who says the organization's goal is to   "build relationships between Muslim and Jewish women and work to combat hate through relationships."  

She says at the moment she is trying to encourage people to not get too one-sided when discussing the conflict and to "re-humanize both Israelis and Palestinians."