Source: The Christian Science Monitor
http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0619/p17s01-lire.html
On June 19, 2003 The Christian Science Monitor reported that "since Sept. 11, most Americans have become starkly aware of the great gaps in understanding and heightened tensions among Muslims, Christians, and Jews at home and abroad. Recognizing the need to build bridges and to strengthen moderate voices, many are experimenting with new forms of what some call 'Abrahamic dialogue...' At the same time, the heightened violence in the Middle East has also taken its toll on interfaith communication in the US. Muslim and Jewish communities in the Los Angeles area, for example, had a well-developed dialogue going on. Yet, according to [Laila] Al-Marayati of the Muslim Women's League, it has disintegrated to such a degree that people 'can't even admit there needs to be a dialogue.' She spoke at Harvard University last month on a panel of women leaders, Jewish and Muslim, concerned with the lack of civil discourse... Interfaith dialogue is needed to humanize the other groups and to counter hate-mongering, the women agreed."