Jews in the Islamic world
All topics-
Religious communities in the Middle East
No to sectarianism; yes to equal citizenship!
The author and media commentator Khaled Hroub believes that Christians, Muslims, Jews and followers of other religions can only live peacefully together in the Middle East if people in these countries stop looking at each other in terms of their faith and start treating everyone – without exception – as citizens with equal rights
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Exhibition: "SNIP IT! Stances on Ritual Circumcision"
An objective examination of a controversial issue
With its exhibition "SNIP IT! Stances on Ritual Circumcision", the Jewish Museum in Berlin offers surprising and diverse insights into the significance of a ritual about which few people in Germany know very much at all. Igal Avidan went to see the exhibition
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Book review: Kamal Ruhayyim's "Diary of a Muslim Jew"
An engaging take on a complex theme
In the first half of the twentieth century, about 75,000 Jews lived in Egypt. With the 1948 Arab–Israeli war, their lives in Egypt became increasingly difficult and many emigrated to Europe. Kamal Ruhayyim believes that Jewish Egyptians were an important part of the Egyptian community and wrote a book to keep their memory alive. Marcia Lynx Qualey read the English translation of the first book in Ruhayyim's trilogy "Diary of a Muslim Jew"
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In dialogue: Iskandar Ahmad Abdalla and Yuval Ben-Ami
Judaism and Islam – the beauty of the other
It is easy to criticise others and to give in to fear. But what is there to discover when you take a closer look and try to really get to know this "other"? Iskandar Ahmad Abdalla from Egypt and Yuval Ben-Ami from Israel both did so, diving into the world of the "other" and being enriched by it. Here they tell of their experiences, which both delighted and surprised them
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Interview with Navid Kermani
"One should take the religious façade seriously"
The writer Navid Kermani spent a week in mid September travelling through Iraq, visiting a number of different parts of the country. In this interview with Kersten Knipp, he speaks of his impressions of the country and some factors that have led to the rise of IS in Iraq
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Samaritans in Nablus
The other "People of Israel"
They hold dual citizenship and speak both Arabic and Hebrew fluently. The small Samaritan community in Nablus sees itself as the custodian of the "true religion of the Israelites". Its members support a two-state solution, yet deliberately distance themselves from the Middle East conflict. Laura Overmeyer paid them a visit
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Muslims who saved Jews during World War II
The forgotten Schindlers
During the Second World War, Muslims like Si Kaddour Benghabrit and Abdul Hussain Sardari risked their lives to save many Jews from deportation. Sadly, however, their selfless actions have long been forgotten. By Emran Feroz
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Interview with the Jewish author Judith Katzir
Friendship across the divide
Judith Katzir is one of the most interesting young authors in Israel. Her books deal mostly with strong women who undertake journeys into their own past. Her new novel, "Tzila", is based on letters belonging to her great-grandmother and describes her journey to Gaza, where her Jewish family once lived. Igal Avidan spoke to the author
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The Jewish community in Tunisia
"Everything is ok; we don't have any problems"
Once numbering over one hundred thousand, Tunisia's Jewish community has dwindled over the years. Its members practice discretion, but certainly have no desire to hide. By Sarah Mersch in Tunisia
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Interview with Benjamin Stora
The history of relations between Jews and Muslims
The French-language book "Histoires des relations entre juifs et musulmans, des origines à nos jours" (The history of relations between Jews and Muslims, from their origins to the present day) is encyclopaedic in both its scope and length. Some 120 top specialists worked under the direction of Abdelwahab Meddeb and Benjamin Stora to rebuild more than 13 centuries of coexistence between Jews and Muslims. Nathalie Galesne spoke to Benjamin Stora about the book
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Interview with M'Hammad Bennaboud
The Muslims and Jews of Tétouan
M'Hammad Bennaboud is a historian who knows the Medina of Tétouan in Morocco inside out. He is also familiar with the great changes the city has undergone over the past hundred years. Nathalie Galesne spoke to him about the long history of Jewish–Muslim co-existence in the city
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Mohammed Helmy
First Arab Honoured by Israel for Rescuing Jewish Family from the Nazis
Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial institute for the first time granted an award to an Egyptian for rescuing a Jewish family during World War II in Berlin. Igal Avidan spoke to Irena Steinfeldt, director of the Department for the Righteous Among the Nations in Yad Vashem