World THE CENTER INSTITUTE FOR RETIRED PROFESSIONALS presents... Will the Wall Come Tumbling Down? Reaching Out Jordan's king and queen seek a Jewish dialogue. The Jewish Stake in the Preservation of the Separation of Church and State by Rabbi David Saperstein Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and Co-chair of the Coalition to Preserve Religious Liberty Join us at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 6 at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield for this fascinating look at one of today's hottest topics, by a leader who has discussed this on every radio and TV talk show. For additional information, call 248.432.5618 This lecture is underwritten by a generous gift from Shirley Harris. Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit D. Dan & Betty Kahn Building • Eugene & Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus 6600 West Maple Road • West Bloomfield • www.jccdet.org THE MERLE AND SHIRLEY HARRIS BIRTHING CENTER AT HURON VALLEY-SINAI HOSPITAL • Beautiful, all private birthing suites, for labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum (LDRP) care • Complete-care nursery including full-time neonatology service for infants with special needs • Anesthesiologists available 24 hours a day • High-risk pregnancy, infertility and genetics services* RON KAMPEAS Jewish Telegraphic Agency Washington ordan's king believes Jews can play a key role in his campaign to win back the Muslim street. "The Amman message," initiated by Abdullah II, brought together scholars from the eight main streams of Islam in July to issue edicts that marginalize ter- rorists who purport to act in the name _ of Islam — particularly Al Qaida and its leader, Osama bin Laden. The next step is to bring the message to Jews and Christians, according to Joseph Lumbard, the young American Muslim hired by the king to coordinate outreach. "We want to get beyond the idea of a clash of civilizations to a dialogue of civi- lizations," Lumbard said. Abdullah and his Palestinian-born queen, Rania, met recently with Pope Benedict XVI and followed it up with a policy speech at Catholic University in Washington last week. This week, Abdullah is to speak on "Judaism and Islam: Beyond Tolerance" to more than 80 rabbis from around the United States gathered in Washington. The speech will draw on Koranic verses and Jewish readings that counsel accom- modation and respect for other monotheistic faiths. Abdullah has attached his fate to the West. He has opened Jordanian markets and plans to introduce western demo- cratic reforms. Like his father, Abdullah also has fos- tered the only truly warm Arab-Israeli peace, and he met with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at the United Nations last week. Jr But Abdullah faces opposition among common Arabs, so he is using Islam to move forward.. The July assembly in Amman of 180 Islamic scholars from 45 countries con- cluded with 17 of the most senior schol- ars issuing religious edicts outlining two principles: Fatwas issued by Muslims not formally trained in Islamic law are not legitimate; and Muslims must refrain from calling other Muslims apostates. The two statements were clearly aimed at Al-Qaida and its leaders. Lumbard acknowledged that even those scholars have become remote from an Arab street succored by the Internet and satellite television. The next step, he said, was to compete in those fields with the radicals. Abdullah, 43, places much stock in youth, since half of Jordan's population is 18 or younger. His first stop in the United States was a meeting with a group of high school students from two Washington public schools, plus the Hebrew Academy in Rockville, Md., and the Islamic Academy in Fairfax, Va. Significantly, the most skeptical stu- dents at the gathering appeared to be Muslims. When one young woman in a scarf expressed doubts that Abdullah's moderation reflected the Arab world's general consensus," Queen Rania strug- gled for a response. By contrast, the Jewish students were clearly impressed. "He's very courageous for taking such a message," said Moshe Broder, a senior at the Hebrew Academy. "He's a pioneer." Abdullah will have to start at home, and that could be a problem. Creating change in Jordan's highly conservative and tribalized political culture has never been easy. ❑ " *MI in conjunction with Hume! Women's Hospital and Wayne State University. Expect the Best. To schedule a tour of the Merle and Shirley Harris Birthing Center at Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital, call 248-937-5120. To schedule an appointment with one of our physicians, call 1-866-937-HVSH (4874) or 1-888-DMC-2500. Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital DETROIT MEDICAL CENTER/WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY A New World in Healthcare - 1 William Carls Drive • Commerce, Michigan • 248-937-3300 • www.hvsh.org At Commerce & Commerce i n Commerce Jordan's Queen Rania and King Abdullah third and fourth from left, meet with Muslim, Jewish and Christian students in Washington – on Sept. 13.