Curiosity over Assumptions — Interfaith Meets a New Generation [Speaking of Faith® from American Public Media]

Curiosity Over Assumptions — Interreligiosity Meets a New Generation

October 15, 2009
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We shine a light on two young leaders of a new generation of grassroots Muslim-Jewish encounter in Los Angeles. They're innovating templates of practical relationship that work with reality, acknowledge questions and conflict, yet resolve not to be enemies — whatever the political future of the Middle East may hold.

About the Image

Malka Haya Fenyvesi and Aziza Hasan pose for their interview with StoryCorps.

+ (photo: StoryCorps/Flickr)

Program Details

Like-Minded Conversations

» No More Taking Sides
Robi Damelin and Ali Abu Awwad come from opposite sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and both lost loved ones to violence. Hear their stories and why they "refuse to be enemies."

» The Spiritual
Audacity of Abraham Joshua Heschel
Malka mentions "the seder that never happened" between Dr. King and Rabbi Heschel, who embodied the social activism of the biblical prophets he studied. Learn more about his teachings and his prophetic legacy.

» Religious Passion, Pluralism, and the Young
Malka and Aziza spoke at a 2007 Interfaith Youth Core conference. Learn more about Eboo Patel and his vision of how young people relate to their own religious traditions and those of others.

About the Image

Malka Haya Fenyvesi and Aziza Hasan pose for their interview with StoryCorps.
(photo: StoryCorps/Flickr)

Four Pairs of Interfaith Fellows

In February 2009, NewGround participants teamed up, two by two, and asked each other questions about their time in the program — the struggles and the joys, the memories and the ideas that changed them. StoryCorps recorded these conversations and we selected clips to give you a better idea of the scope of this interfaith dialogue.

» Malka + Aziza

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» Omar and David

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» Sarah + Joanna

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» Arash + Ramin

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SOF First Person

Map for 'Curiosity Over Assumptions - Interreligiosity Meets a New Generation.'

» Your Voices, Your Stories
Tell us and other audience members what this program meant to you.
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Unheard Cuts

» Unedited Interview with Fenyvesi and Hasan (mp3, 80:33)

We had to cut some good portions of Krista's conversation with Malka and Aziza in order to fit into an hour-long program. Here you can be the judge and listen as if you were behind the glass.

SOF Observed

» Tatarstan, A Model for Interfaith Dialogue
A request for a dining recommendation leads to unexpected relevance with this program.

» "Curiosity Over Assumptions"
A phrase that came up in our cuts-n-copy for this program, and eventually mad it into the title.

Voices on the Radio

Malka Haya Fenyvesi
Fenyvesi is co-director of NewGround, and is the interfaith program coordinator at the Progressive Jewish Alliance (PJA) in Los Angeles.

Aziza Hasan
Hasan is co-director of NewGround, and director of interfaith programming for the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) in Los Angeles.