We’re ignoring the power of religion to resolve conflicts

(RNS) — All too often, religion is sidelined when it could be an instrumental force for positive change in the realm of conflict resolution.

When municipalities draft laws, when governments enact policies, when nations sign agreements like the Abraham Accords — meant to normalize diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab countries — are religious leaders consulted? No. While religious figures and institutions are sidelined in peacemaking efforts, religious sentiments often loom large in discussions of conflict, with many framing the Middle Eastern discord in religious terms — the Abraham Accords being literally a religion reference — and conjuring up a vague clash between Judaism and Islam that dates back to ancient times.

This approach is counterintuitive to surveys indicating that close to 80% of Israelis hold some level of religious orientation. Furthermore, those of us who live here know that in this region, religious leaders are often the most-trusted voice in myriad communities. Not giving them a seat at the table where they can talk to other religious leaders with different viewpoints hampers our ability to reach sustainable political solutions, especially in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre against Israel and the ensuing war in the Gaza Strip and now Lebanon.

The University of Haifa, however, is seeking to chart a new course. Earlier this year, the University’s Laboratory for Religious Studies, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, initiated a statement from 20 prominent leaders from across the religious spectrum in Haifa in which they called for mutual respect, solidarity and cooperation among their respective communities. That statement, marking the first time such a diverse array of religious leaders publicly backed such a partnership in an Israeli mixed city, is not only a testament to the rich tapestry of coexistence in Israel’s third-largest city, but an illustration of the feasibility of interfaith partnership at a time of war.

And yet, it almost didn’t happen.

After working with moderators from Search for Common Ground who helped facilitate the long process, which involved six meetings with interfaith leaders — Jews, Muslims, Christians and Druze — I encountered an unexpected snag that made me skeptical such a declaration would be able to get signed.

One of the Orthodox rabbis who was part of the group called me and said he wouldn’t be able to sign the agreement unless there was a line condemning Hamas. I told the rabbi I doubted the Muslim members of the group would agree to such a statement, as doing so would insert national sentiments into what was supposed to be a local expression of unity.

I asked one of the imams in the group how he felt about this, and he immediately rejected the idea. With that, I was resigned to the fact we had come this far and tried something incredibly revolutionary for the city but wouldn’t be able to make it to the finish line.

When I shared the disappointing news with the rabbi, he said he wanted to talk with the imam directly. That night after work, we drove to the imam’s mosque, and the two began to talk. The imam eventually shared that while his own community would support such a statement, if he were to travel to the West Bank and parts of east Jerusalem, his life could be at risk. The rabbi immediately understood and decided to sign the declaration as it originally was.

That night cemented what I’d already suspected for a very long time: Religion, if interfaith leaders are able to freely talk with each other, can be a conduit for solutions and dialogue rather than strife.

Too often, we live in our own echo chambers and are completely ignorant of the considerations the other side must contend with. This is why I was hardly surprised when, on the way to the mosque, the rabbi confessed to me that this was the first time he’d ever set foot in one.

The statement was a simple one that read, “We, representatives from the Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Druze religious communities in Haifa, gathered in recent months at the behest of University of Haifa’s Laboratory for Religious Studies and the Ministry of Interior Affairs department for religious communities in order to become better acquainted with each other and each person’s religious beliefs. During this difficult and tense period, we saw how critical it is to establish a group of religious leaders of various faiths who could promote being respectful neighbors for the sake of upholding the diverse fabric of the life of our city.”

People attend a declaration event for the Haifa Multifaith Forum at Haifa City Hall, Sept. 19, 2024. (Photo courtesy Haifa Laboratory for Religious Studies at University of Haifa)

The statement signaled one of the greatest achievements of the Haifa Laboratory for Religious Studies to date. A short while ago, it wasn’t even possible for many of these people to be in the same room together, but now they’re willing to listen to each other with respect. Shortly after the joint declaration, they expressed their wish to continue the dialogue and include members of their communities. A year after the group was formed, it was formally endorsed by the Municipality of Haifa as the Haifa Multifaith Forum, which now seeks to promote interfaith understanding through social, educational and conflict-resolution initiatives.

Following the achievement in Haifa, we’re seeking to replicate our approach in other mixed cities across the country. This month, in fact, a new group in Ramle will hold its first session — and I hope they experience the same success. Acre will likely be the next in line to join our journey to instill interfaith-led cooperation. The ultimate goal is to bring this program to all 10 of Israel’s mixed cities and lay the groundwork for meaningful interfaith dialogue that can bring harmony to the country and beyond.

As such, the laboratory is part of University of Haifa’s broader effort to pioneer a model for shared society in Israel’s most diverse major city. At the university, Arabs comprise more than 40% of the school’s student body. Harnessing our institutional diversity, the laboratory has initiated the first MA program in the country in religious studies and interfaith dialogue for religious leaders, men and women, of diverse religious backgrounds.

Religion is here to stay. Rather than dismissing it as a hindrance to peace, we should consider it a potential catalyst for reconciliation. As such, we must leverage the shared values of the Abrahamic faiths, and we plan to do so by bridging communal divides, strengthening interfaith relations, promoting social cohesion and empowering moderate voices. On a practical level, we’re doing this by establishing multi-faith councils like the one mentioned above and instituting a master’s program at the university for religious leaders.

So much can be gained if we can just talk to one another. Conversely, so much can be lost when we don’t.

(Uriel Simonsohn is the head of the Haifa Laboratory for Religious Studies at University of Haifa. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.)