Variety
By Dustin Cohen
The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding
Rabbi Marc Schneier
President and founder, The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding
“I describe Russell Simmons as a man of values, and not valuables. He understands the need to reach out to the Other, the need to be empathetic for the Other, the need to keep aglow the light of understanding and caring. Russell really sees the humanity in the Other, and when you see the humanity in the Other you can preserve it within yourself. Russell has also given this Orthodox rabbi a good education on hip-hop culture, hip-hop music, hip-hop poetry”
Russell Simmons
Hip-hop impresario
“Watching Rabbi Schneier and Imam Shamsi Ali write a book, about the same shared dreams, the same ideas, that are in their Scripture — that was important. I think there’s always room for dialogue. Having dialogue always changes people, because you find the same aspirations, the same everything. And religious people, an imam and a rabbi are sweet compassionate people. That’s what the Scriptures are about: how to get the hardness out of your heart. That’s what the Scriptures are for.”