Wye River Conference Center
The Dialogue Institute (DI) offered a special workshop on dialogue for members of the national Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council (MJAC) at its recent retreat, held September 8-9, 2017, at the Aspen Institute's Wye River Conference Center in Queenstown, Maryland. The retreat was coordinated by the Aspen Institute's Justice and Society Program.
DI Board member Sergio Mazza (pictured below) facilitated the workshop, which introduced the DI's Dialogue Principles as a basis for dialogue across difference (NOTE: the Principles were originally formulated by Founder and President Leonard Swidler as the "Dialogue Decalogue" - now translated into more than 20 languages). The workshop was well received by the nearly 40 MJAC members who participated, and several requested additional training for their own organizations.*
DI Board Member Sergio Mazza
"The workshop was a great opportunity for the DI to share its expertise with members of the Council and support such an important national interfaith advocacy effort," said Majid Alsayegh, DI Board Chair and MJAC member who participated in the workshop and the retreat. "We look forward to future collaborations with MJAC and other related organizations." (NOTE: on the theme of Muslim-Jewish relations, Majid also represented the DI at the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom's 4th Annual Conference: Rising Up Against Hate!, held November 5th at Drew University).
The Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council brings together recognized business, political, and religious leaders in the Jewish and Muslim American communities to advocate jointly on issues of common concern. The American Jewish Committee and the Islamic Society of North America are its co-conveners.
MJAC has two policy objectives: to combat the rise in hate crimes, and to promote the positive image of Muslim and Jewish citizens of the United States.
* Click here for more information about the DI's dialogue trainings, or contact the DI's Director of Education, Rebecca Mays.
