[IEA updates] Can Religion Be a Bridge? Lessons from 30 Years of Jewish-Arab Dialogue (EN/HE/AR)
yeh...@interfaith-encounter.org
(Hebrew & Arabic follow English- עברית וערבית אחרי אנגלית- العربيه والعبريه تتبع الانجليزيه)
Can Religion Be a Bridge? Lessons from 30 Years of Jewish-Arab Dialogue- January 25th, 2026
25 people gathered online for a lecture from Dr. Ben Mollov on his new book “Approaches to Jewish-Arab Interreligious Dialogue and Peacebuilding: Theory and Practice”.
Dr. Mollov presented on his 30 years of research and practice in Jewish-Arab interfaith dialogue, focusing on whether such dialogue works and its significance. He argued that the Arab-Israeli conflict is rooted in religious and cultural terms, emphasizing the interconnectedness of religion, culture, and identity, and discussed his book's exploration of these themes, including how religion can be used in conflict resolution.
Dr. Mollov shared findings from a course he teaches at Bar Ilan University in cooperation with the IEA, which brings together Jewish and Arab students for structured interfaith discussions. The course emphasizes mutual respect, self-respect, and mutual enrichment, and has been successful in fostering positive relationships between students from different backgrounds. He concluded that interfaith dialogue can serve as a model for reconciliation in the broader Middle East, which requires balancing power dynamics on a political-diplomatic level with grassroots reconciliation and dialogue.
Reported: Carolina
האם דת יכולה להיות גשר? לקחים מ-30 שנות דיאלוג יהודי-ערבי - 25.1.2026
25 איש התכנסו להרצאה מקוונת של ד"ר בן מולוב על ספרו החדש "גישות לדיאלוג בין-דתי יהודי-ערבי ובניית שלום: תיאוריה ומעשה".
ד"ר מולוב הציג סיכום של 30 שנות מחקר ופרקטיקה שלו בדיאלוג בין-דתי יהודי-ערבי, תוך התמקדות בשאלה האם דיאלוג כזה עובד ובמשמעותו. הוא טען כי הסכסוך הערבי-ישראלי מושרש במונחים דתיים ותרבותיים, תוך הדגשת הקשר ההדדי בין דת, תרבות וזהות. ד"ר מולוב דן בחקירת נושאים אלה בספרו, כולל כיצד ניתן להשתמש בדת בפתרון סכסוכים.
ד"ר מולוב שיתף ממצאים מקורס שהוא מלמד באוניברסיטת בר אילן בשיתוף פעולה עם אגודת המפגש הבין דתי, המפגיש סטודנטים יהודים וערבים לדיונים בין-דתיים מובנים. הקורס מדגיש כבוד הדדי, כבוד עצמי והעשרה הדדית, והצליח לטפח קשרים חיוביים בין סטודנטים מרקעים שונים. הוא סיכם כי דיאלוג בין-דתי יכול לשמש מודל לפיוס במזרח התיכון הרחב, דבר הדורש איזון בין דינמיקת כוחות ברמה הפוליטית-דיפלומטית לבין פיוס ודיאלוג עממיים.
דווחה: קרולינה
هل يمكن أن تكون الديانة جسرًا؟ دروس من 30 عامًا من الحوار اليهودي-العربي - 25 كانون االثاني 2026
اجتمع 25 مشاركًا عبر زووم للاستماع إلى محاضرة قدّمها الدكتور بن مولوف حول كتابه الجديد:
"مقاربات للحوار بين الديانات - اليهودي-العربي وبناء السلام: النظرية والتطبيق".
عرض الدكتور مولوف خلاصة 30 عامًا من البحث والعمل في مجال الحوار بين الديانات من خلال اليهود والعرب، وركّز على سؤال ما إذا كان هذا النوع من الحوار فعّالًا وما هي أهميته. وأشار إلى أن الصراع العربي-الإسرائيلي متجذّر في أبعاد دينية وثقافية، مؤكدًا الترابط العميق بين الدين والثقافة والهوية، كما تناول في كتابه كيفية استخدام الدين كأداة في حل النزاعات.
كما شارك نتائج من مساق يدرّسه في جامعة بار إيلان بالتعاون مع جمعية اللقاء بين الديانات (IEA)، حيث يجمع المساق طلابًا يهودًا وعربًا في حوارات منظّمة بين الأديان. ويركّز هذا المساق على الاحترام المتبادل، واحترام الذات، والإثراء المشترك، وقد أثبت نجاحه في بناء علاقات إيجابية بين الطلاب من خلفيات مختلفة.
واختتم بأن الحوار بين الديانات يمكن أن يشكّل نموذجًا للمصالحة في الشرق الأوسط الأوسع، وهو ما يتطلب موازنة بين الديناميكيات السياسية-الدبلوماسية من جهة، والعمل المجتمعي القاعدي القائم على الحوار والمصالحة من جهة أخرى.
تقرير: كارولينا
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$100 will pay for transportation and food costs for one encounter,
$1500 will sponsor the group for a year,
$3000 will cover the costs of an intensive weekend retreat.
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The Interfaith Encounter Association
P.O. Box 3814, Jerusalem 91037, Israel
Phone: +972-2-6510520
Fax: +972-2-6510557
Website: www.interfaith-encounter.org
Board:
Rabbi Bob Carroll
Ibrahim Mustafa
Moatasem Hassuneh
Jared Goldfarb
Dr. Yehuda Stolov, Executive Director
E-mail: yeh...@interfaith-encounter.org
PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO THE INTERFAITH ENCOUNTER ASSOCIATION. SUPPORT ONE OR MORE OF OUR PROGRAMS AND JOIN US AS A MEMBER IN WORKING FOR INTERFAITH UNDERSTANDING AND PEACE.
All contributions are welcome, small and large!
Donate securely on-line (tax deductible in the US) at: DONATE
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Please note that the reports we send out do not necessarily represent the views of the Interfaith Encounter Association or even of the people who wrote them. The reports represent the views of the people who attended an encounter and their primary purpose is to give you a glimpse of what happened in the encounter.
Our Partners: Alpert Music Center; Al-Qasemi School; Amit Bar Ilan School; Austrian Hospice; Bar Ilan University; Beit Hagefen; Big Shopping Centers; Church of Sweden; Ecome; FELM Center; Foundation For Ethnic Understanding; Hartman Boys School; Hebrew University; International Association for religious Freedom; Roots; Sts. Tarkmanchartz School; Swedish Theological Institute.
Groups listed from north to south:
- Ma'alot
- Acre
- Karmiel-Majd el-Krum
- Restaurant
- Nazareth Religious Leaders
- Lower Galilee
- Sakhnin College
- M'ghar – Sawa Rabina
- M'ghar – Shibolot
- M'ghar – Bridging
- M'ghar – Lana
- M'ghar – Green Light
- Galilee Women's Interfaith Encounter (WIE)
- Jordan Valley College (YIE)
- Jezreel Valley-Jenin
- Tabor Area
- Haifa
- Haifa WIE
- Haifa University Youth Interfaith Encounter (YIE)
- Haifa-Jenin
- Gordon College YIE
- Carmel City
- Wadi Ara WIE
- Wadi Ara
- Northern Jordan Valley WIE
- Trips
- With 929 Project
- Nablus Area
- Nablus-Ariel
- Netania-Qalansawa
- Non-Violent Communication
- Sharon-Triangle Religious Leaders
- Amit Bar Ilan-Al Qasemi Schools YIE
- Tel Aviv University YIE
- Oranit-Kfar Kasem WIE
- Petach Tikva – Kfar Kasem
- Model UN YIE
- Petach-Tikva – Tira YIE
- Bar Ilan University YIE
- Tel Aviv-Jaffa
- Modi'in-Ramallah
- A/Nahnu – Mt. Scopus YIE
- Mt. Scopus Language Exchange
- Haredi-Muslim
- East of Jerusalem
- Abu Dis And Maaleh Adumim
- Interfaith Encounter Tours
- Tower of David Forum
- Jerusalem-Ramallah
- Jerusalem-Ramallah YIE
- Prayer focused
- IEA Reut-Sadaqa
- Philosophy
- My Heart in the East WIE
- Study and Dialogue
- Jerusalem WIE
- Jerusalem YIE
- Women's Language Exchange WIE
- Literature – Young Women WIE
- Yellin College Language Exchange YIE
- Yellin College YIE
- Hartman-Armenian Schools YIE
- Hebron-Nablus-Migdal Oz WIE
- Music in FELM YIE
- Jerusalem and Area
- Faith in Music YIE
- Jewish-Christian study of the Gospel of Mathew
- Nof Zion-Jabel Mukaber
- South Jerusalem
- Ein Karem – Health Equity for all People in Israel
- Ein Karem – Medicine Students YIE
- Jerusalem Arabic Speaking group
- Bibliodrama
- The Future – Mothers and Daughters
- Fananin
- Hashfela
- Interfaith Visits
- Hebrew U.-Bethlehem U. YIE
- Teens YIE
- Women's Empowerment
- East of Jerusalem YIE
- Jerusalem-Sa'ir
- Jericho Area
- Herzog-Bethlehem YIE
- Gush Etzion
- Siach Yeshiva – Hebron Students YIE
- Circle of Light and Hope
- South of Jerusalem
- Midwives
- Jerusalem-Hebron Religious Leaders
- Jerusalem-Hebron YIE
- Jerusalem-Hebron
- Jerusalem-Yata YIE
- Jerusalem-Yata 2
- South of Hebron YIE
- Bearer of peace - South Mount Hebron
- Arad-Tel Arad WIE
- Yeruham-Rahme WIE
- Eilat
- International Online
Groups abroad:
- Teaneck/ Bergen County, New Jersey
- Washington DC Area
- Wilmington, NC
- Gainesville, FL
- Kenya
We are looking to continue to expand our Groups, both in the Holy Land and Abroad - so if you are interested- contact yeh...@interfaith-encounter.org
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Please help us keep this group active!
$100 will pay for transportation and food costs for one encounter,
$1500 will sponsor the group for a year,
$3000 will cover the costs of an intensive weekend retreat.
Please go to: Donate now (securely through Pay Pal or other options)
For Mobile-friendly donation form CLICK HERE
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The Interfaith Encounter Association
P.O. Box 3814, Jerusalem 91037, Israel
Phone: +972-2-6510520
Fax: +972-2-6510557
Website: www.interfaith-encounter.org
Board: