A Day with an Orthodox Rabbi

I go to Brandeis University, a Jewish-sponsored university in Boston where 75% of the students are Jews. I am a Muslim woman born and brought up mainly in Pakistan. I have learned a lot about the similarities between Islam and Orthodox Judaism during my three years at Brandeis, and i am shocked to read the quality of the replies posted to this article.

``So jews really are prejudiced and ignorant,`` says Sara Anwar, basing her brilliant deduction from one man`s account of a single day of interaction with the members of a synagogue. She goes on to ask, ``So how do you meet a Jewish person to broaden your outlook on life?`` May i suggest: be willing to open your mind first, shake it free of stereotypes all-too-willingly squeezed from singular accounts, and LOOK, LISTEN and READ.

Of course, i could always take Sara`s comment and using her logic as my own, form my own conclusion. ``So all Muslims really are prejudiced and ignorant!``

I do not condone Israel`s treatment of Palestinians, but may i suggest that we stop looking at the issue in terms of sympathy for our ``muslim brothers`` and hostility towards ``those Jews.`` It`s been a long bitter battle, and regardless of the injustices committed, we cannot proclaim a whole people to be guilty of crimes ordered by a few.

Shalom, everyone.

- Kaukab

Interesting article. The young Muslim generation, particularly in West is growing up in times where Muslims are falsely perceived as fanatics and by huristic rule of thumb, the actions of few ``psychologicaly tortured souls`` (the suicide bombers) the media is laying the blame on entire Muslim population.

Your approach is very positive and logical.

By that, we should learn about the other side(jews) by interacting with them at a broader community level as well.

In my college dorm, my first room mate was a Russian jew. Of course your roomy is the best bud since you are homesick and miss home cooked meals. We became good friends and I noticed his several habits were very similar to Muslims. That dude was shy from meeting girls, infact I was more into that chick chase stuff like other booze-head normal campus kids in New York. But he was less into that Kosher eating jewish stuff, I guess he was not orthodox, but during last summer I heard he paid a hommage to state of Israel and went for a visit. As I see it, most jews orthodox or not, do hold strong attachment to state of Israel. It could be due to what that Hitler Dude did, and most jews probably don`t feel secure anywhere except in Isreal and maybe U.S. but in U.S those Montana skin heads punks are after jews and probably everyone whose skin doesn`t reflect adequate amount of rays.. Maybe we can`t make those skin heads like us by hating jews but we can certainly try to stick together and understand each other and God knows, maybe those skin head punks could turn out nice billy boys too.