Three Clerics, Four Last Names

From the Canadian Jewish News:

Rabbi Baruch Frydman-Kohl says he is convinced that the Jewish community must do all it can to develop a relationship with the Islamic community.

The senior rabbi of Beth Tzedec Congregation, Canada’s largest synagogue, spoke last month at a major Islamic conference in Toronto and has since taken part in a live question-and-answer session on an Islamic website (www.islamonline.net).

Imam Hamid Slimi of the Toronto-based International Muslims Organization invited Rabbi Frydman-Kohl, whom he had met at a Canadian Jewish Congress-sponsored interfaith dialogue, to speak at the fourth annual Reviving the Islamic Spirit convention.

Don't you love the name Slimi?

More than 12,000 North American Muslims attended the event, held at the National Trade Centre Dec. 23 to 25. Rev. Bruce Gregerson of the United Church of Canada spoke at the same session as Rabbi Frydman-Kohl, which was a benefit concert for victims of the October earthquake in Pakistan.

The rabbi said that, prior to the invitation, he and Imam Slimi had already discussed commonalities between the two religions, including “ways that we acknowledge God when we eat.”

And the way that we both have last names, although I have twice as many as you do.


Tags: hyphens, ecumenicism