Detroit's Muslim-Jewish Forum has been barely active for the last few years. The loss of one of the group's founding members and ongoing bloodshed in the Gaza Strip presents a lot of pain and tension for both religious minorities. But a group of new and old forum members say there is an opportunity in that "agony" to build bridges and act to support each other politically.

Here’s something positive instead of the usual goverment officials fomenting and dividing the people…

The grassroots, interfaith forum [The Muslim-Jewish Forum] has been barely active for the last few years. The death of one of the informal group’s founding members — Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue President Samantha Woll — and ongoing bloodshed in the Gaza strip presents a lot of pain and tension for both religious minorities.

Razi Jafri is a Muslim documentary filmmaker who co-founded the Forum alongside Samantha Woll and others. Speaking to attendees of Thursday’s gathering, Jafri said the Forum is founded partly on the belief that “no two religions in the world” are more similar than Islam and Judaism. And he noted, both religions have a large community presence in southeast Michigan — though both are still very much in the minority.

“The interactions between the communities have been minimal,” Jafri said. “There’s been a lot of tension. … While those issues get worked out, there’s no reason for us not to gather and share space with each other, break bread, celebrate each other’s holidays.”

“It behooves us to really come together and in a painful time like this, to understand each other’s perspectives,” Jafri said. “And really build relationships and friendships that could help create a more peaceful environment.”

Yeah…we can only hope. ☮