A group of local Jewish and Muslim leaders have signed a joint statement urging better relations between the two communities, which have suffered a serious rift over each other's response to controversial remarks by onetime leaders of a large mosque under construction in Roxbury.

The cautiously crafted statement, which is being released to coincide with tonight's start of both Rosh Hashana and Ramadan, commits the leaders to "strive to address disagreements and community concerns in ways that promote reconciliation rather than conflict."

That pledge appears to be a response to the mosque dispute, in which the breakdown in relations was so bad that it led to litigation, much of which was dropped in May. The statement also decries "all forms of terrorism, racism, anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim prejudice, or any other form of discrimination or stigmatization against any racial, religious, or ethnic group."

The statement includes the signatures of 20 individuals from each faith.

On the Muslim side, it includes the leaders of every prominent local Muslim institution, including five imams. On the Jewish side, where community institutions are under pressure from an Israeli advocacy group called the David Project to be skeptical of the motivations and backgrounds of Muslim leaders, the statement was signed by a number of prominent lay leaders but not by the staff who run mainstream organizations. [Charles Jacobs must be pleased to know he wields such control over the mainstream Jewish world.]...

...David Project president Charles Jacobs, reiterating the assertion that was the central issue in the defamation case, said in an e-mail yesterday: "Regrettably, the evidence that both the leadership of the Islamic Society of Boston and of the Muslim American Society have been supportive of organizations and individuals who themselves support terror, anti-Semitism, and/or hate speech is abundant and continues to grow. We believe that the wiser course is to defer statements of this sort, laudable as they may seem, until the ISB and MAS answers those questions."

But the signers said they thought it was important to start talking now. "The statement calls on leaders and followers in both communities to renounce terrorism and hatred and calls for the building of bridges, and I find it hard to disagree with that," said Rabbi Eric Gurvis, the president of the Board of Rabbis and the rabbi of Temple Shalom in Newton. "Those who point fingers and say, 'You can't trust this one, you can't trust that one,' that's part of why we've got conflict all around the world to start with. At some point, we have to at least start to talk to one another."...

Building A Community of Trust

We, members of the Jewish and Muslim communities, seek to build trust and mutual understanding and strive to forge positive relationships between our respective communities. We are determined to work together in order to replace fear, distrust, and misunderstanding of each for the other, where it exists, with hope, and respectful communication.

As shared beliefs:

* We affirm the common humanity of all racial, religious, and ethnic groups, and our common needs for safety, security and dignity.
* We decry all forms of terrorism, racism, anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim prejudice, or any other form of discrimination or stigmatization against any racial, religious or ethnic group.
* We support the rights, guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, of faith communities to gather for worship.

To give expression to these beliefs:

* We support existing efforts, and the creation of additional opportunities, for open and honest interfaith and intercultural dialogue in Greater Boston.
* We will strive to address disagreements and community concerns in ways that promote reconciliation rather than conflict.
* We urge leaders in our respective communities to publicly commit to these initiatives, and to seek additional means to build intercultural trust and mutual understanding.

We embrace a Greater Boston that is multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious, in which our diversity is respected and valued. We will together foster efforts to improve understanding and to decrease divisions between our communities. We will work towards a more harmonious Boston in which all people of good will share concerns in a civil manner, promote hope and not fear, and together enrich the civic life of our community.

Massachusetts Board of Rabbis, Rabbi Eric Gurvis, President; Rabbi Barbara Penzner, immediate past President
Robert Beal
Susan Calechman
David Dolev
Leonard Fein
Ruth Fein
Michael Felsen
Steven Fischman
Rabbi Ronne Friedman
Lisa Gallatin
Carol Goldberg
Avram Goldberg
Dr. David Gordis
Arnold Hiatt
Geoffrey Lewis
James W. Segel
Joel B. Sherman
Donald Siegel
Alan Solomont
Rabbi Toba Spitzer
Kenneth Sweder
Sidney Topol
Rabbi Moshe Waldoks

(Organizations listed for identification purposes only)
Dr Nabeel Khudairi - President, Islamic Council of New England
Ali Rabbani - President, Islamic Center of Burlington
Imam Talal Eid - Islamic Institute of Boston, US Commission on International Religious Freedom
Imam Taalib Mahdee - Masjid al Quran, Dorchester
Imam Faaruuq - Mosque for Praising of Allah, Roxbury
Dr Abdul Cader Asmal - former President, Islamic Council of New England
Anwar Kazmi - Board of Directors, Islamic Society of Boston
Hossam al Jabri - President, Muslim American Society, Boston chapter
Rashid Noor -President, Islamic Center of New England, Sharon
Ali Noorani - Executive Director, Massachusetts Immigration and Refugee Advocacy Coalition
Imam Basyouny Nehela - Islamic Society of Boston
Salwa Abdallah - Board of Directors, Islamic Society of Boston
Dr. Syed Razvi - member, Islamic Center of Boston (Wayland)
Mahmud Jafri - Co-Chairman, Muslim-Jewish dialogue of Greater Boston. Life Trustee, Islamic Masumeen Center of New England
Driss Djermoun - President, Islamic Center of Boston (Wayland)
Salma Kazmi - Co-Director, Center for Jewish Muslim Relations
Mona Abozena -Board of Directors, Muslim American Society, Boston chapter
Imam Khalid Nasr - Islamic Center of New England, Quincy
M. Bilal Kaleem - Executive Director, Muslim American Society, Boston chapter
In Peace,

David Dolev and Salma Kazmi, Co-Directors