Tel Aviv University Youth Interfaith Encounter on 5th January 2009:

The second encounter of the renewed Tel Aviv University Youth Interfaith Encounter group was held on January 5th. Despite the war in Gaza, and even because of it, we made special efforts to continue maintaining and developing IEA activities – both as rays of hope for a better future and as steps towards its realization.

The encounter focused on our personal relations with God. As inspiration we used what Rabbi Moshe Haim Luzzatto wrote in the beginning of his Article of the Principles" and parallel Quranic verses.

Participants shared their feelings and thoughts about the theme and here are a few examples:

It is very strange for me to sit here in the university, after a full day of studies, and discuss God…
I was raised to believe there is no God and discovered through Spinoza the unity of God and the universe.
God is the basis for morality.
According to the religious perception – we were all created in the image of God, therefore we are all equal.
In Islam: the only thing that can give a person an advantage over others is the level of their faith. The meaning of this advantage is that this person is worthy of leading (any leading – from leading one prayers to the leading of the community).

We were then drifting to other themes such as the concepts of religion and of the chosen people.

The next encounter will take place on Monday January 19th.


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