No, Mr. Lapham - the JIDS/JAMAAT Dialogue Does Include Muslim Speakers

In a recent article in the Patch, entitled, “Civic Groups Exclude Muslims from Dialog about ... Islamophobia!,” Stephen Lapham argues that a forthcoming dialogue on Antisemitism and Islamophobia, co-sponsored by the Jewish-Islamic Dialogue Society of Washington (JIDS) and our organization, Jews and Muslims and Allies Acting Together (JAMAAT), is nothing but “a fine example of self-delusion and ethnic erasure” – because he claims “no believer of Islam [will be] on the stage.” He suggests that JIDS and JAMAAT cancel this dialogue, disband, and join other organizations seeking to end the Israel-Hamas war.

First, regarding the selection of outside expert speakers for this program, our colleagues at JIDS reached out to Muslim community members and others, including an anti-Islamophobia organization, to find a true expert on Islamophobia. When Professor Green was approached and he agreed to serve on a panel, JIDS decided, and we agreed, to take advantage of his incredible expertise on the topic. The choice of Professor Green was not a statement that there exist no qualified Muslims; rather, it reflects the fact that JIDS has never disqualified prospective panelists because they are Christian.

Second, JAMAAT is a social action-oriented organization, operating in the DMV area since 2017. We focus our social action activities on matters we agree to address in which we think our Jewish, Muslim, and allied members in our area are most likely to have an impact. In that regard, we have focused our recent efforts on the local impact of the Israel-Hamas war, and on addressing the ugly incidents of Islamophobia and antisemitism that have erupted in our own, supposedly progressive, Montgomery County as a result of it.

One of JAMAAT's Muslim Board members, Dr. Margaret Johnson, will be representing JAMAAT as co-sponsor of the event and speaking about this very subject during the program, as well as share her own personal experiences. One such especially hateful Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian incident Dr.Johnson will be mentioning, is of great interest, for it took place at an interfaith “Rally for a Gaza Ceasefire” in Rockville last November 5. Once JAMAAT learned both of the incident and of the silent or relatively tepid response to it from Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and other County leadership, JAMAAT took immediate action to assure that the County would take such incidents as seriously as it took alleged incidents of anti-semitism. As noted in JAMAAT's announcement of this event, part of it will include discussion of the need to prod local government to take action to address incidents of Islamophobia, such as the one that took place on November 5, in just as serious a manner as alleged incidents of antisemitism have been previously addressed.

Mr. Lapham's assertion that the forthcoming dialogue’s speakers will "exclude Muslims" is inaccurate in one further respect. As noted in the invitation, this much needed program will be taking place in the unique building at 6601 Bradley Blvd. in Bethesda that houses a synagogue and a mosque as well as Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church. At the event, the Palestinian-American incoming President of the mosque (the Maqaame Ibrahim Islamic Center), Dr. Imad ad-Dean Ahmad, as well as Bethesda Jewish Congregation's Rabbi Eric Abbott, will speak to welcome participants there. As is usual for JIDS and JAMAAT events, we take great efforts to include and invite members of the respective houses of worship where we hold our events, as well as our longer-term "regulars" of different faiths, in order to, hopefully, increase participation in future activities and widen knowledge of our mission.

The JAMAAT Board of Directors