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Last Update:
Wed. Jan. 14, 2009
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Is a Muslim an Anti-Jew? (Part 2)
An Israeli-American Finds Islam
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Read Part 1 of Amalia's story here.
Amalia concludes that her mother's fervent anger towards her conversion influenced her father in the early years and stunted their relationship.
Today, she and her father classify their relationship as "good" crediting Abraham's new wife, Annette, and her peacekeeping efforts.
"It was much harder for them when Amalia's mother was alive," says 38-year-old Annette, who converted from Christianity to Judaism before marrying Abraham.
"Now they are close and enjoy each others' company. Abe still doesn't like Habib."
Amalia and Annette (who is five years her junior) share a close friendship. Over the years, Annette has witnessed changes in Amalia as her faith developed.
"She has grown as a person. She had to really look inside herself when people around her started treating her differently." She describes her as strong-willed but calm in her faith, able to slough off Abraham's snide comments.
Amalia's story, while certainly not typical, is not completely unique. Mohamed Ghounem, a Muslim-born Egyptian now residing in the United States, officiates a Web site called "Jews for Allah." He boasts a membership of over 400 individuals, mostly American, who have followed a similar path as Amalia.
"Families and peers have the hardest time with someone who converts from Judaism to Islam," Ghounem says. "Many lose family and financial support."
Within the Jewish community, the question of conversion sparks differing religious and societal responses.
Rabbi Yosef Levertov of Chabad House-Lubavich, an orthodox congregation at the University of Texas at Austin, states that strict Jewish law regards converts as remaining Jewish in the eyes of God.
"It doesn't revoke their obligations as a Jew. You still have to answer to God." Rabbi Samual Barth, who heads the conservative congregation Agudas Achim of Austin, says that that converts are seen as "living in error," but that they can still be buried in a Jewish cemetery.
Levertov disagrees again citing strict Jewish law, but says it may be considered on a case-by-case basis. "In the olden days people used to sit shiva [mourn for the dead] for a convert but not so much today."
Religiously speaking, converting to Islam may be viewed by Jewish leaders as slightly less of an infraction because of the monotheistic nature of Islam.
Had the individual converted to a polytheistic religion, for example, reactions could potentially be much harsher.
Socially, however, the opposite seems to be true. "There is a suspicion toward Islam. It is seen as anti-Semitic, as being at war with Israel," Barth says. Levertov agrees, adding that he believes with today's political climate reactions toward conversion to Islam might be more punitive.
In a time that greatly lacks communication between two outwardly opposing forces, here stands a woman who, in her own quiet way, seems to have bridged the two.
But, that's not how she views it. "I don't see conversion as joining two disparate factors. I see it just as a person of faith." Amalia divides that which is political from that which is religious, like a separation of church and state.
On most issues pertaining to the Middle East she sympathizes with the Israelis and sees a lot of blame being placed on them. "People just don't understand the history of the place.
"Zionism doesn't mean killing anyone or not letting anybody live in your country; it means having a place where you can live the way you want to live and not worry about pogroms and about Nazis.
"I would say that is what it means to 99% of Jews."
Jerusalem, as the second holiest site for Islam, poses a difficult problem for her. "I as a Muslim, as I am today, am the inheritor of Jerusalem, not me as I was as a Jew," Amalia says as she begins preparation for the evening meal.
"I believe there should be a place for the Jews, but Jerusalem should be in the hands of the Muslims. It should be like Makkah is." This, of course, is the same Jerusalem that her father, decade's earlier, had risked his life to liberate.
Despite the admitted complexities of her life, Amalia has found peace within herself; she has found her religious connection. She has found her truth. "Funny that this was the prayer of a 7-year-old girl, now in her 40s… what a long trip it has been to get to that ultimate dream that you had as a child."
Nicole Williams, a friend and co-worker at the Islamic school, told a recent story that typifies Amalia's comfort with her uncommon situation. A card was passed around the school for everyone to sign. Amalia apparently wrote in very large letters taking up all of the available space.
One of the teachers, who happened to be Palestinian, came to Amalia and Nicole and jokingly complained that there was no more room for her. Amalia defended her actions.
A repartee continued for a minute or so until Nicole exclaimed, "I'm going to have to build a wall between you two!"
The three women broke into roars of laughter.
This article first appeared in http://www.jews-for-allah.org//and was republished with their kind permission.
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