Watch Miami-based rabbi, imam discuss Israel-Hamas war: 'Don't demonstrate for peace, demonstrate peace'
MIAMI — The images coming out of Israel and Gaza are jarring and often difficult to see.
For our Muslim, Palestinian and Jewish communities, what's happening in the Middle East can be divisive. But, does it have to be?
Since the war in Israel began, there have been protests. Some on the same street, Palestinian residents on one side and members of the Jewish faith on the other.
Miami, with one of the most diverse communities in the country having both a Muslim and Jewish community, it felt only right to bring together an imam and a rabbi for a conversation about peace and coexisting.
We met at Lester Brown Park in Miami Gardens. We wanted to meet in a place where both men would feel comfortable having a conversation.
Rabbi Yisroel Spalter is from the Chabad of Weston and Dr. Abdul Hamid Samra is the imam from the Islamic Center of Greater Miami.
The conversation began by focusing on their feelings over the course of the last week and a half.
Dr. Samra: "Unfortunately, what's happening there, it's very disturbing and horrible and, of course, we feel the pain for all, especially the innocent civilians and children."
Rabbi Spalter: "We all pray that the hostility should be lowered, end. We want peace in the Middle East. Isn't that everyone wants that?"
We've seen the protests. People on opposite sides of the street each side simply wanting to be heard. We asked the rabbi and the imam how you bridge the divide and find peace.
Rabbi Spalter: "Don't demonstrate for peace, demonstrate peace. You have to demonstrate peace in our talks, in our teachings, in our lectures. And when you do that and you bring people together rather than divide them."
Dr. Samra: "We try first to calm our community and we live here together in peace with respect and try not to be affected by what happening there because we all maintained a good relation as a community working together with different communities."
What do you say to the viewer at home who just wants to know how am I supposed to feel?
Rabbi Spalter: "It's not something that you're going to figure out in a day. There are basic feelings that a person has as a human to know this is not right, this can't be right. And I think a person's humanity should lead them in the right direction."
What does peace look like to you?
Dr. Samra: "Peace to me is to respect appreciation, acknowledge his contribution, other people's contribution and everyone's contribution and hope this will prevail also in the Middle East where I think peace need justice and when justice is there, I think we can get the peace.
What would you like to ask each other about the conflict?
Dr. Samra: "If you please can tell me what you expect from me to do to assure you that we want to live together in peace and in harmony and respect."
Rabbi Spalter: "I don't know how many people come to listen to you every week on Friday, I assume. Yes, speak to them. Tell them the message. Tell them that God, humanity depends on them."
Rabbi Spalter: "What did you tell the people in the last week?"
Dr. Samra: "When I asked you and you suggested me to do, I was doing that exactly, but now based on your requests, you request me. I'm going to do more and elaborate more about especially I emphasize that we are human. We are this country.
Final thoughts:
Dr. Samra: "God created us equal. We need to respect one another. We need not to look down to anyone regardless."
Rabbi Spalter: "We have no choice but to send a message that we here in this community can get along. What happens over there? We have very little influence."
At the end of the conversation, the two men again shook hands and thanked each other for taking part.
