Dubai

Title – YU Convenes Historic UAE Conference
On Wednesday May 3rd, 2023, Yeshiva University’ Straus Center for Torah and Western
Thought, Schneier Program for International Affairs, and Bernard Revel Graduate School of
Judaic Studies in conjunction with the Mohamed Bin Zayed University for Humanities hosted a
historic event bridging cultures and religious identities at the Crossroads of Civilization
Museum in Dubai.
Titled “Interacting Philosophies, Shared Friendships,” the program began with opening remarks
by Ahmed Obaid Al Mansoori, the museum’s founder. Citing the Quran’s teaching “O mankind,
indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you
may know one another” (49:13), Mansoori explained that fostering relationships with different
cultures and religions is a foundational principle of the Islamic faith, and that the conference was
a reflection of this value.
Rabbi Dr. Stuart Halpern then offered words of greeting on behalf of both the Office of the
Provost and the Straus Center. Describing the Jewish practice of Sefirat Ha’Omer, the counting
of 49 days from enslavement in Egypt to Revelation at Sinai, he explained that we count up to
49, as opposed to down to one, to symbolize aspiring towards greater heights while remaining
faithful to our roots. “We stand here tonight,” he said, “in appreciation of the history that has
come before us as we, the Jewish and Islamic communities, embark on a brighter future
together.”
Following greetings from the deputy mayor of Jerusalem, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, the dean of
Revel Dr. Daniel Rynhold, offered the program’s first lecture. Discussing “Maimonides and the
Parable of the Sultan's Palace,” he offered a contextual analysis of how the parable, found at the
end of Maimonides' major philosophical work, The Guide for the Perplexed, likely reflected
Maimonides’ own balancing of his busy medical and communal work with divine contemplation.
MBZUH’s Dr. Ibrahim Burshashen then delivered a talk in Arabic on the strong influence the
Islamic philosopher Ibn Rushd had on Maimonides’ Guide. Dr. Burshashen’s colleague, Dr.
Haider Hussain, followed with a discussion of “The Role and Impact of Islamic Civilization on
Jewish Philosophy: A Look at the Joint Interaction, with Moses Ben Maimon as an Example.”
He stressed the great appreciation and humility one gains in studying the interactions of Jewish
and Islamic cultures, ending with the commendation, “God bless Maimonides. Every person who
serves humanity is a blessing from God.”
The last two speakers from Yeshiva University were Dr. Ronnie Perelis of the Schneier Program,
and Dr. Shira Weiss from The Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and
Leadership. Dr. Perelis spoke about “A Global Society: A Cosmopolitan History of the Jewish-
Muslim Encounter.” His talk examined how, from Baghdad to Basra, Arabic was the conducive
language of connection and consumerism for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Dr. Perelis then
related how Judeo-Arabic not only immensely affected Jewish understanding and participation in
Arabic culture, it also transformed Jewish literature, grammar, linguistics, and poetry. “I look
forward to more transformations coming about through our encounters,” he concluded, “through
our coming to listen to the other, to appreciate the other on their own terms, and to share our own
journeys, our own struggles, and our own questions, and to find solutions together.” Dr. Weiss
concluded by offered an analysis of “The Influence of Ibn Rushd on the Philosophy of Joseph
Albo.” Highlighting Albo’s The Book of Principles, Weiss credited Ibn Rushd with inspiring the
Jewish philosopher’s articulation of three major principles of Acknowledgment of God, the
Truth of Prophecy, and the notion of Reward and Punishment.
Receiving widespread coverage in both local and international press, including the Religion
News Service, Jewish News Syndicate, I24 News, the Jerusalem Post, and the Times of Israel,
the occasion was a groundbreaking one, and the three Straus Scholars and two Schneier Program
students in attendance, as well as the faculty, were honored to play a role. It was an additionally
edifying experience to visit Abu Dhabi the day following the conference. There the group toured
the newly built synagogue in the Abrahamic Family House, met officials at the Ministry of
Tolerance, and attended the first-ever celebration of Israel’s Independence Day in the UAE. As
Straus student Ruchama Benhamou put it, “The Straus Scholars Program has been instrumental
in expanding my intellectual horizons and providing unique educational opportunities that have
shaped my perspectives on ideas and empowered me in my religious and academic pursuits. The
UAE experience was truly transformative, and I am immensely humbled to have participated in
events that will fashion the future for positive Muslim-Jewish relations.”
As Dr. Weiss concluded after the trip, “YU's conference with Mohamed Bin Zayed University
offered members of both universities, as well as those in attendance from Dubai's Muslim and
Jewish communities, an opportunity to share philosophies, build relationships and develop future
collaborations. Beyond the conference, visiting the Ministry of Tolerance and the Abrahamic
Family House in Abu Dhabi which includes a mosque, church and synagogue, followed by the
Israeli Embassy's celebration of Israel's 75th provided an incredible glimpse of the emerging
possibilities in the UAE.”

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Title – YU Convenes Historic UAE Conference

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