Members of the Hampton Synagogue to Visit Bahrain at the Invitation of the King
NEW YORK – Rabbi Marc Schneier, president of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding (FFEU) and founding Rabbi of The Hampton Synagogue, will lead the first-ever Synagogue mission to Bahrain on February 25th. The Congregation, located in New York’s Westhampton Beach, was invited late last year by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain as part of his desire to forge better relations between Muslims and Jews. The trip marks the first ever Jewish Congregational mission to an Arab Gulf State. Bahrain is the only Gulf nation with a Jewish Community and synagogue.
The eight-day trip will begin in Bahrain where participants will meet with high-level government officials and local Jewish leaders. From there, participants will then spend the Purim holiday in Jerusalem before returning to New York.
This historic invitation comes as a result of Rabbi Schneier’s close relationship with King Hamad, developed over the years through the rabbi’s work with the FFEU, where he has been a trailblazer in the field of Muslim-Jewish relations. In 2011, Schneier became the first rabbi to be hosted by King Hamad at the royal palace in Manama.
“On one of my many visits to Bahrain to meet with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the royal family, I was invited several times to bring my community to Bahrain for them to see and experience the kingdom’s dedication to its own Jewish community and interreligious dialogue and cooperation,” said Rabbi Marc Schneier. “Since my beginning to work with the king in 2011, he has made his commitment clear towards building relations with Israel. My hope is that this mission will inspire other congregations to visit Bahrain and its Jewish community on their way to Israel.”
“We are on the cusp of achieving peace between Israel and its Gulf neighbors. My hope is that this mission will remind us that as the children of Abraham, Muslims and Jews share a common faith and a common fate.”
Founded in 1989, the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding is the global address for Muslim-Jewish Relations and the national address for African American-Jewish relations. The organization is committed to the belief that direct dialogue between ethnic communities is the most effective path towards reconciliation.