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Interfaith gathering kicks off U.S. Democratic Convention
By Natasha Mozgovaya, U.S. Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Democratic convention, U.S. 

The National Convention of the Democratic Party kicked off on Sunday with the first Interfaith gathering in Denver, Colorado.

A group of religious leaders representing different faiths launched the event with a joint prayer. Representatives of nine different faiths shared one stage and discussed religion, responsibility and solidarity.

The beginning of the event was marred by a loud protest staged by anti-abortion activists who snuck past security and infiltrated the auditorium, shouting "Obama is the killer of babies!" and "Obama's friends support abortion!" After the first activist was escorted out of the room, a second activist shouted the same message. In efforts to drown out the protesters, the audience began chanting "O-bama! O-bama!"
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Despite the interference, the event carried a message of unity and harmony, interweaving texts, music and prayers. The audience repeated words of greeting in different languages and words of prayer. Some of the spectators enthusiastically joined the singers.

The Jewish community was represented by Rabbi Zvi Weinreb, Executive Vice President of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, Rabbi Marc Schneier, founder and president of the Jewish-Muslim Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, and Rabbi Steven Foster from Congregation Emmanuel; Imam Abdur-Rahim Ali of the Northeast Denver Islamic Center and Dr. Ingrid Mattson, President of the Islamic Society of North America represented the Muslim community, and the Christian Faith brought together representatives from different denominations, including Bishop Charles E. Blak from the Church of God in Christ.

The gathering, dubbed "Faith in action", focused on the ideas that unite the different religions. "It's our responsibility and this responsibility is at least as important as our responsibility to God," said reverend Leah D. Daughtry, CEO of the Democratic National Convention 2008. "There is more that unites us than divides us".

The participants read from Torah, New Testament, Koran and Sutra Nipata. Rabbi Steven Foster, speaking ahead of Bishop Charles Blake who addressed the responsibility to the children, read Genesis 45, telling the tale of Joseph's encounter with his family upon his return from Egypt.

Rabbi Dr. Zvi Hirsh Weinreb delivered a speech about the "Sacred Responsibility to our Neighbor."

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