1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000
My name is Rabbi Dr. Dov Maimon.

2
00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:08,000
I'm senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute.

3
00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:12,000
I'm in charge of the strategy of Jewish people towards Islam.

4
00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:20,000
And we believe that the relation between Jews and Muslims could be much better than they are today.

5
00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:24,000
Because we want all to be servants of God.

6
00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:30,000
All of us want to be a just and a right society.

7
00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:33,000
We believe that we are all the sons of Abraham.

8
00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:41,000
And it's very clear that God is not happy to see sons fighting together.

9
00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:46,000
We should find a way how to solve problems in non-violent way.

10
00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:51,000
And to work closer together as it happened in the past.

11
00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:55,000
To build a more moral and just society.

12
00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:59,000
And religion in some way could be a force of reconciliation.

13
00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:02,000
Could help the people to be a better society.

14
00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,000
It's not the situation today.

15
00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:07,000
Most of people see the rabbis and the imams.

16
00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:11,000
People who are putting oil on the fight everywhere.

17
00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:14,000
And they make a lot of noise and a lot of violence.

18
00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,000
But it could be a different way.

19
00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:19,000
So we have to think what was wrong.

20
00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:21,000
How we can make the change.

21
00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:25,000
And hopefully it will work at the end of the day.

22
00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:27,000
It will be a lot of work to do.

23
00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:31,000
Today what we do at Jewish People Policy Institute.

24
00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:37,000
We have a strategy toward Islam based on three different actions.

25
00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,000
One is confrontation.

26
00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:44,000
So we are people in Islam who are not very good friends of the Jews.

27
00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,000
It's also a part of the game.

28
00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:48,000
And we understand why they are there.

29
00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:53,000
Maybe because the Jews are not holy as we should do.

30
00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,000
And maybe we have to work on that too.

31
00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:02,000
The other part is the people who as you are to try to make a reconciliation.

32
00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:05,000
We try to have a good relation together.

33
00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:11,000
And we try to develop such relation and to understand how better we can make it.

34
00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:15,000
And the third place is what we called accommodation.

35
00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:22,000
When the places when you have bad situation that the Jews have to adapt to this situation.

36
00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:31,000
And to mitigate the violence of the things that are not so pleasant to us.

37
00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,000
And we try so it depends.

38
00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:40,000
And we see a lot of places today when the Muslims and the Jews are not good friends.

39
00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,000
And it could be different.

40
00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:49,000
It's a work that has to be done on education and also on the political diplomacy.

41
00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:55,000
I believe that it's not easy to accept the people who are different from you.

42
00:02:55,000 --> 00:03:04,000
And we know that there are people, normal people don't like people who are different.

43
00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:11,000
And the most important thing is to have a kind of not to be an easy prey for us.

44
00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:16,000
If people want to hate somebody, they will hate somebody else, not to Jews.

45
00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,000
We have paid the price for the moment.

46
00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:27,000
So the idea for us is to have a kind of capability of deterrence.

47
00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:32,000
To say that the people who want to hurt the Jews will not let them go with that.

48
00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:36,000
And if people understand that the Jews are not easy prey.

49
00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:40,000
They maybe want to hate other people, but not the Jews.

50
00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:42,000
They will find other people.

51
00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:45,000
And so there is conflict between people.

52
00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:50,000
Where conflict, normal conflict, because of material resources.

53
00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:55,000
People want land, people want resources, want money, want power.

54
00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:57,000
And there is conflict.

55
00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,000
But it should not be based on religion.

56
00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:04,000
Religion should be something outside of this kind of political game.

57
00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,000
And we have to work on that.

58
00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:09,000
To make the people know better each other.

59
00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:13,000
And to find a way to make a kind of mediation.

60
00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:17,000
And this is the reason people don't like Jews.

61
00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:19,000
Because Jews are just different.

62
00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:22,000
It's not easy to be different from other people.

63
00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:26,000
And where a minority, people don't like minorities everywhere.

64
00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,000
So we have minorities in Europe.

65
00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,000
And you have minorities in Arabic states.

66
00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:33,000
And minorities in Turkey.

67
00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,000
And it's not easy to live with people that are different.

68
00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:42,000
So we have to educate the people toward how you can be yourself.

69
00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:45,000
And accept the other in his otherness.

70
00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:53,000
How you can live in a common society to share the same public space with people who don't share the same dream.

71
00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,000
The same societal dream.

72
00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,000
The same values.

73
00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:01,000
And it's something which is not self-evident.

74
00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,000
It needs to be done.

75
00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:05,000
It's been to work on that.

76
00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:07,000
We have to sit down with people.

77
00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:12,000
And to build a relationship which is easy.

78
00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,000
When you have two people together.

79
00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:15,000
Like in the Bible.

80
00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,000
Cain and Abel.

81
00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:20,000
Like Kabil and Nabil.

82
00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:22,000
One kills the other.

83
00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:24,000
That's the regular situation.

84
00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:25,000
Because of jealousy.

85
00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:26,000
Yeah.

86
00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,000
Because you have competition in some way.

87
00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:29,000
So we have to work on that.

88
00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:35,000
And to overcome this natural thing that we have all in us.

89
00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:39,000
So if we don't use your mental strength.

90
00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:41,000
If you don't use culture.

91
00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:45,000
If you don't use your ability to think.

92
00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:47,000
We are going to fight.

93
00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:48,000
Like in the jungle.

94
00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:50,000
So we have to note.

95
00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:53,000
So the idea is that we have to work on.

96
00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:54,000
On the.

97
00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:55,000
To work.

98
00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,000
And to make discussion with the people.

99
00:05:58,000 --> 00:05:59,000
To have dialogue.

100
00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:01,000
And this is what you try to do.

101
00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,000
And this is what people have to be more clever.

102
00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:06,000
And we have much less violence than.

103
00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:09,000
Two thousand or three thousand years ago.

104
00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:10,000
So we are improving.

105
00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,000
But the way is still very long.

106
00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:16,000
We have to work on two fields.

107
00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:19,000
One is information.

108
00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:23,000
And then to have a mental change in your mind.

109
00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:29,000
And the mental change is made by meeting between people.

110
00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:32,000
So that's the reason we have set up an organization.

111
00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:33,000
Israel Interface Association.

112
00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,000
We have 50 group of people who meet every month.

113
00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:40,000
And they try to work together.

114
00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:43,000
About the model I spoke about before.

115
00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:44,000
I mean.

116
00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:45,000
How we can.

117
00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:46,000
Believe.

118
00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:47,000
You be completely confident.

119
00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:48,000
In your own face.

120
00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:49,000
In your own model.

121
00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:51,000
Of life.

122
00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,000
And accept that other people.

123
00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,000
Do not share the same values.

124
00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:56,000
The same project.

125
00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:57,000
The same face.

126
00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:58,000
I think.

127
00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,000
And to go there.

128
00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,000
One of the key values.

129
00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:03,000
Is what we call.

130
00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:04,000
Epistemic modesty.

131
00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,000
That means that we have to know that.

132
00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:09,000
We don't know what God really wants of us.

133
00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:10,000
We have to say.

134
00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:11,000
Maybe you are right.

135
00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:12,000
Maybe I'm wrong.

136
00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,000
So we have to be modest.

137
00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:17,000
We don't have all the picture.

138
00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,000
We don't know what God really wants from us.

139
00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:23,000
And if we are in this such situation.

140
00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:25,000
I believe that we can.

141
00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:26,000
We can improve the situation.

142
00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,000
But it's a long, long way.

143
00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,000
So we have a lot of work to do.

144
00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:31,000
And.

145
00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:32,000
But it's possible.

146
00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:33,000
We see.

147
00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:34,000
We see a result.

148
00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,000
People are easy.

149
00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:39,000
It's very easy to destroy everything.

150
00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:40,000
Like in a family.

151
00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:43,000
And it's very long to build.

152
00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:45,000
So we have to work a lot.

153
00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:47,000
About building.

154
00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,000
Trusting the people.

155
00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:53,000
Creating meaningful relationship with the people.

156
00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:54,000
And.

157
00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:55,000
And.

158
00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:56,000
Continue.

159
00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:57,000
Keep trying.

160
00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:58,000
Keep trying.

161
00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,000
That's the most important thing.

162
00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,000
I'm happy that you come here.

163
00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:03,000
To Jerusalem.

164
00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:05,000
I think it's a good idea that you come.

165
00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:06,000
And.

166
00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:07,000
Be part of.

167
00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:09,000
The big program that we try to launch.

168
00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:10,000
In Israel.

169
00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:14,000
Israel could be normally a light for the nation.

170
00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:15,000
We should.

171
00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,000
We could have very.

172
00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:18,000
Much better relation.

173
00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:19,000
In the Middle East.

174
00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:20,000
If people go.

175
00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:21,000
And.

176
00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:22,000
Try to.

177
00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:23,000
Keep from the.

178
00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:24,000
Other people.

179
00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:25,000
The good things.

180
00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:26,000
Instead of fighting.

181
00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:27,000
All the time.

182
00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:28,000
And identity.

183
00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:29,000
We have to go.

184
00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,000
Get rid of.

185
00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:32,000
Of.

186
00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:33,000
The fear.

187
00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:34,000
We have to get rid of.

188
00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:35,000
All what we have.

189
00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:37,000
It's a lot of work to be done.

190
00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:38,000
To be done.

191
00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:39,000
Thank you very much.

192
00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:40,000
Thank you very much.

193
00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:51,000
Thank you.

194
00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:52,000
Thank you.

