Coexistence and Reconciliation in Israel: Voices for Interreligious Dialogue ed. by Ronald Kronish (review)

This volume is of major significance for all interested in Jewish-Christian-Muslim trialogue or dialogues among Jews, Muslims, and Christians. Rabbi Kronish has been involved in dialogue and education in Israel for more than two decades. He gathers reflections from twenty-two Muslims, Christians, and Jews who are actively engaged in peacebuilding, which he distinguishes from peacemaking. The latter is the work of diplomats, while the former can build the foundation for its success. The book has five sections dealing with Jewish-Christian, Jewish-Muslim, education, methodologies, and reaching out to the international community.

The Rev. Michael McGarry, CSP, who was for eleven years the rector of Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem, sums up the nature of dialogue as opening oneself to the fullness of the humanity of the other, faithfully seeking to understand and to work together with the other to communicate the shared understandings with others. He praises the courage of those engaged in these efforts in a part of the world so often and so tragically wracked with violence and intergroup hatred. Unlike interreligious dialogues in Europe and the Americas, those involved in Israel and the territories are dealing not just with the past and looking toward a better future but also with a very dangerous present.

Space will not allow a full summary of these excellent articles. A few will have to suffice to indicate the rich feast of differing yet hope-filled perspectives and lived experiences. Yisca Harani indicates with humor the challenges of Jewish tour guides’ attempting to understand varying groups of Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land, how to speak with them and communicate what Israel means to Jewish Israelis. Amnon Ramon provides a summary of Israel-Vatican relations from 1948 to 1973, though he errs badly when he claims that the Holy See was theologically opposed to Israel’s establishment (pp. 18–19). In fact, the Holy See expressed reservations only in response to the theological arguments presented by Theodor Herzl, who had used them effectively with the evangelical Lord Balfour of England and unwisely offered the same arguments to the pope. The Vatican a few days later communicated with Herzl that it would welcome a Jewish state for “humanitarian” reasons. If the Holy See had in fact opposed the Jewish state, it could have used its influence with Catholic countries around the world to convince them to vote against the United Nations partition plan. Yet it did not and virtually all Catholic nations voted in favor of Israel.

A number of the authors, such as Maureena Fritz and David Neuhaus, SJ, note the distinctiveness of the dialogue in Israel where, for the first time in history, Jews are in the majority. Kronish contributes two essays analyzing Muslim diversity and the lessons learned through dialogues. Amy Kronish notes the lessons of understanding that can be found in Israeli films. Ghassan Manasra delves into involving children in dialogues, as does Marc Rosenstein’s report on the Galilee Circus. Abdessalam Najjar describes the community of Wahat al-Salam/Neve Shalom, while David Rosen and Deborah Weissman reach out beyond the borders of Israel, religiously and socially.