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Interfaith Drama Lauded

The Children of Abraham, a theatri-
cal production that uses drama,
music and audience interaction to
break down barriers between
Muslims, Christians and Jews, will
receive the William Beckham
Community Service Award at the
NCCJ (National Conference for
Community and
Justice)
Humanitarian
Dinner, Monday,
Nov. 15.
"The drama
challenges people
to explore their
own biases and
assumptions about
Rosenberg
others and to
work together to
build a more
peaceful, tolerant
and respectful
world," said Dr.
Daniel
Krichbaum, exec-
utive director,
NCCJ Michigan
Region.
El Amin
The play, origi-
nated by peace activist Brenda
Rosenberg of Bloomfield Hills and
Imam Abdullah El-Amin of
Dearborn, is presented by the
Mosaic Youththeatre.
Also honored at the dinner will be
Anthony F. Earley, Jr., chairman and
CEO of DTE Energy. As chairman
of Detroit Renaissance, he helps
address Detroit's economic, cultural
and educational problems.
The Children of Abraham was con-
ceived shortly after the terrorist
attacks of 9-11. Rosenberg felt com-
pelled to improve relations between
the three faiths that share a lineage
with the biblical figure of Abraham
on a local level.
Historically, nothing was written
about the conversations between the
two sons of Abraham, Isaac and
Ishmael, following his funeral,
except the drifting apart of the
brothers and the festering animosity
between their families and subse-
quent generations to this day.
"We have the opportunity to tell
the story in a new light," Rosenberg
said. "We can take the 2,000-year-
old sibling rivalries, the posturing
for a father's love, the demands for
the fair share of inheritance, both
land and ideology, and heal these
trans-generational wounds that have
imprisoned us in a cycle of fear, hate

-

and intolerance."
If everyone would remember we
had the same father, Father
Abraham, and that both his sons,
Isaac and Ishmael, came together to
bury their father, it would go a long
way to bringing our estranged fami-
lies back together, Imam El-Amin
said. "It might even help to end the
bloodshed," he said.
Using the performing arts to create
social healing is a safe way to allow
participants to become "the other,"
Rosenberg said. "It's only when we're
in the other person's shoes that heal-
ing can begin. Just talking has not
moved us forward," she said.
For dinner reservations, call Rose
Giffen, (313) 567-6225.

Concert Marks 350 Years

The Michigan coalition celebrating
350 years of Jewish settlement in
North America will sponsor an after-
noon at the Max M. Fisher Music
Center to hear the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra's "All-American
Pops Concert," featuring the music
of American Jewish composers,
Berlin, Rodgers, Gershwin and
Bernstein.
The concert will be at Orchestra
Hall, 3711 Woodward in Detroit, 3
p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14. Reserved seats
and a private Celebrate 350 recep-
tion in the Max's four-story atrium
lobby are planned for holders of
tickets bought through the coalition.
For concert tickets, call the
American Jewish Committee in
Bloomfield Township, (248) 646-
7686. DSO patrons who have tickets
for Nov. 14 and want to attend the
Celebrate 350 afterglow should call
the same number; there is a charge.
Peter Cummings is the concert's
honorary chair. Erica Peresman is
the program chair.
Committee members include
Doris and James August, Penny and
Harold Blumenstein, Ruth and
Brewster Broder, Bernard J. Cantor,
Susan and Robert Citrin, Lois Cohn,
Julie Cummings, Peggy Daitch,
Karen and Bill Davidson, Charlotte
and Harold Dubin, Herman Frankel,
Jean and Samuel Frankel, Nancy and
James Grosfeld, Doreen Hermelin,
Hilary and Selwyn Isakow, David B.
Jaffe, Lois and Robert Kaplow,
Melvin Lester, Lisa and Hannan Lis,
Donna and Michael Maddin, Florine
Mark, Aviva and Jack Robinson,
Audrey and Irving Rose, Dulcie

CONCERT on page 30

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11/ 5
2004

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