I came to interfaith relations out of my religious commitment to social justice. My encounters with ‘the other‘, actually required me to deepen my own faith and understanding of who I am, in order to truly represent my own heritage to them. I came to realize far more fully how, despite our often profound differences, we share such fundamentally important values. If we really care about these values, and seek to promote justice, righteousness and peace; then surely we have a sacred obligation to work together for these ideals – to be greater than the sum of our different parts.
Rabbi David Rosen, who has taken leave from his position as AJC’s International Director of Interreligious Affairs in order to serve as Special Advisor to the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, has been advancing understanding and good relations between religious communities for more than forty years.