A stage for the world’s religions

NAOMI LEVIN

IT has been touted as the world’s largest inter-religious gathering, bringing together around 10,000 people from 80 countries.

It’s Parliament of the World Religions and it will descend on Melbourne this week for seven days of talks, panels, films and performances showcasing the world’s faiths.

A commendable endeavour, no doubt. But as Nina Bassett, a former president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and deputy chair of the organising committee, admitted last week, local Jews have been hesitant to embrace the parliament, which runs from December 3-9.

“There has been an interesting dichotomy in the Jewish community,” she said. “At the presenters’ level, there has been a buzz, there has been interest. But there was an early misconception that the parliament reaches decisions and has resolutions.”

Following experiences at the World Conference on Racism in Durban in 2001 and its follow-up earlier this year in Geneva, it was understandable that the global Jewish community might be a little wary.

However, Bassett insisted: “The parliament doesn’t reach decisions or make resolutions. Look at previous parliaments, there have been no ¬≠resolutions.”

Rather, she explained it is more like Limmud Oz: “There is a smorgasbord of presentations and you just go to what interests you.”

One particular event that Bassett is encouraging the Australian Jewry to get behind is the communities night, organised by a committee that includes National Council of Jewish Women of Australia stalwart Di Hirsh.

“The idea is that there is one night where people from the various communities in Melbourne invite the visitors, who are here for the parliament, to come and share an evening with them,” Hirsh told The AJN.

Three synagogues have agreed to open their doors for visitors on the occasion: Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, Temple Beth Israel and Kehilat Nitzan.

On the night -— Friday December 4 -— it is hoped their seats will be packed with visitors from around the world, eager to develop an appreciation for a Jewish prayer service.

For the past few months, Hirsh has been busy in the parliament’s offices, working to ensure the thousands of participants have a pleasant stay.

Both Bassett and Hirsh are excited about the parliament and keen for the community to get involved in the dozens of programs on offer.

“It is going to be fantastic. I really do think it will be excellent,” Hirsh said.

“I think they are genuine and really want to bring people together to talk about ways to work together and improve all different areas of the world.

“The motivation is good, whether it achieves what they want, we’ll see, but I agree very strongly in getting people together and understanding where we all come from -— that is what it is all about.”

Bassett, too, is positive about the prospect of the parliament in bringing people together.

When asked about the aim of the event, she replied: “I don’t want to sound mushy, but I mean it, [it’s] the feeling that whatever your religious background, you can talk civilly and not necessarily agree with each other, but at least try to understand where the other person is coming from.

“There doesn’t have to be agreement, there doesn’t have to be anything joint, you keep your individuality — but despite your individuality there are common interests and you can explore those civilly.”

To save you trawling the extensive program listed on the parliament’s website, Bassett shared her predictions on the “must-do” sessions.

On Sunday, December 6, eight people of different faiths, including Reverend Dr Marcus Braybrook, the president of the World Congress of Faiths, and inter-religious expert Rabbi David Rosen, will discuss “Our Inter-religious Future”.

“Another one that I see as being good,” she said, “is a program called ‘The Future of Religion in Australia? Melbourne’s Religious Leaders in Dialogue with Young People'”.

As well as author and Rabbi John Levi, Melbourne’s Anglican archbishop Philip Freier and Muslim leader in Melbourne’s Horn of Africa community Sheikh Isse Musse, three young people will be involved in that discussion.

While Hirsh acknowledged publicity for the parliament has not been as strong as she hoped, she really encouraged the Jewish community to embrace the week-long event.

“Not many people know about it, but I hope the Jewish community does get behind it.”

The headline acts

A NUMBER of Jewish guests have received top billing at the Parliament of the World Religions.

Rabbi Irwin Kula
In Newsweek magazine’s top 50 rabbis in America list, Rabbi Kula has been ranked in the top 10 for the past three years. An eighth generation rabbi, Rabbi Kula is a highly regarded public speaker on Judaism and modern life.

Rabbi Michael Lerner
The editor of Tikkun magazine, a bimonthly Jewish social, political and cultural critique. Rabbi Lerner is known as a US leader of the Israeli peace movement. He will be speaking on spiritual progressives.

Rabbi Michael Melchior
The chief rabbi of Norway and the international director of the Elie Wiesel Foundation, Rabbi Melchior is a former Member of the Knesset for the modern Orthodox Meimad party. He will be speaking on “Educating Religious Leaders for a Multi-religious World”.

Rabbi David Rosen
The director of the American Jewish Committee’s department for inter-religious affairs and a former chief rabbi of Ireland, Rabbi Rosen also serves in a number of top inter-religious forums in Israel. Rabbi Rosen is addressing a number of topics at the parliament, including Jewish-Hindu relations, vegetarianism and Jewish-Christian dialogue.

Other Jewish speakers to look out for at the Parliament of the World Religions include local rabbis, Jeremy Lawrence, Ehud Bandel, John Levi, Ralph Genende, Jonathan Keren-Black, Fred Morgan, Rayna Gevurtz and Shimon Cowen. Among the local lay people who will be speaking are Josie Lacey, Jeremy Jones, Andrew Markus, Walter Rapoport, Tanya Oziel, Di Hirsh, Peta Jones Pellach and Michael Fagenblatt.

The sideshows

IF you cannot get along to the Parliament of the World Religions, some of the international speakers will be addressing other community events.

Rabbi David Rosen will speak at the National Gallery of Victoria on “Religion and Peacemaking in the Holy Land” on Monday, November 30, 7.15pm for the La Trobe Centre for Dialogue’s 2009 lecture.

Rabbi David Rosen will speak at Caulfield Hebrew Congregation on “Can Religion Facilitate Middle East Reconciliation?” on Tuesday, December 1, 8pm. Enquiries: (03) 9681 6660.

Rabbi Michael Melchior will speak at Monash University, Caulfield campus on “Religion as a Pathway to Peace” on Wednesday, December 2, 8pm. Enquiries: acjc@arts.monash.edu.au.

To register for Parliament of the World’s Religions or for more information visit www.parliamentofreligions.org.