A Pilgrimage to Andalusia Sponsored by the Milstein Center for Interreligious Dialogue
May 28, 2025
From May 19鈥�26, a group of 27 Muslims, Jews, and Christians toured Andalusian Spain together.
Generously sponsored by the Milstein Center for Interreligious Dialogue at 91快播, the group included 14 Muslims from the Peace Islands Institutes of Philadelphia and New York. The Peace Islands groups are followers of the late Turkish Imam Fethullah Guelen. The National Council of Synagogues sent a delegation of eight Jews on the trip; seven were rabbis among whom four are graduates of 91快播. The five Christians were also clergy (two Catholics and three Protestants).
The pilgrims visited Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba, Sevilla, and Granada. In Cordoba they saw the famous Mosque/Cathedral.
In Granada they toured al Hambra.
The pilgrims made new friends and shared many meals.
On the bus rides, they shared their stories and forged alliances.
One of the rabbis commented, 鈥淭raveling with Peace Islands was such a blessing. Our conversations and study were deep and personal and I learned so much . . . We spoke about future trips to Bethlehem (the Gulen compound), Morocco, and ultimately Istanbul/Jerusalem.鈥�
One of the Muslim leaders summarized: 鈥淚n Madrid, our first handshakes were stronger than jet-lag, and welcome met us in our shared language. In Toledo, where mosques, synagogues, and churches share narrow streets, I learned that harmony can live longer than any wall when we care for it. In C贸rdoba, beneath the arches of the great mosque-cathedral and inside the old synagogue, beauty blooms when cultures honor one another. In Seville, the courtyards of the Royal Alc谩zar, with their patterned tiles and whispered memories, taught that history is a bridge, never a wall. In Granada, the Alhambra showed that art, spirit, and reason can live together like flowers from one root . . . The Qur鈥檃n says: 鈥淲e made you peoples and tribes so that you may know one another.鈥� (49:13) The Torah says: 鈥淵ou shall love the stranger.鈥� (Deut 10:19) The Gospel says: 鈥淟ove your neighbor as yourself.鈥� (Mk 12:31) Three books鈥攐ne clear melody: meet, listen, love. This trip may feel like a small step, yet it is a first step鈥攁nd first steps matter. I believe we must work even harder, together, to make our world a better place.鈥�
Another said, 鈥淲e at Peace Islands Institute New York will continue to bring together, educate, collaborate with our diverse communities to help overcome hate, prejudice and racism and increase respect and understanding between and within our communities鈥� They studied together and learned from one another.
Media coverage in Spanish newspapers wrote about the trip:
Now home, the weary travelers all agree that this is the first step of a long journey towards interreligious cooperation and harmony.
Read more about the trip in the group’s post-trip booklet.
