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Association of Muslim Scientists and Engineers President Khurshid A. Qureshi hugging Rabbi Eric Yoffie after his Friday address. (AP)
Last update - 12:39 01/09/2007
Reform Jewish leader tells U.S. Muslims that Islam is being demonized
By Shlomo Shamir, Haaretz Correspondent and Reuters
Tags: Eric Yoffie, Reform, Muslim 

The president of the Union for Reform Judaism accused American media, politicians and religious groups on Friday of demonizing Islam.

Addressing the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America, Rabbi Eric Yoffie said Muslims have been turned into "satanic figures."

"There exists in this country among all Americans, whether Jews, Christians, or non-believers, a huge and profound ignorance about Islam ... there is no shortage of voices prepared to tell us that fanaticism and intolerance are fundamental to Islamic religion, and that violence and even suicide bombing have deep Koranic roots," he said.
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Yoffie said his organization is discussing with Muslim leaders a dialogue and education program in the near future to increase understanding between the two faiths.

He said Americans need to know "how far removed Islam is from the perverse distortions of the terrorists who too often dominate the media, subverting Islam's image by professing to speak in its name."

Yoffie also called for an end to racial profiling and legal discrimination of any kind against Muslim Americans, and urged North America's Muslims to keep condemning violence committed in the name of Islam until the message sinks in.

In his address, Yoffie said "to all those who desecrate God's name by using religion to justify killing and terror, let us say together: Enough."

"No cause in the world, and surely no religious cause, can ever justify murdering the innocent or targeting the uninvolved ... You cannot honor God if you do not honor the image of God in every human being; and you cannot get to heaven by creating hell on earth," he said.

"We have expressed these views, and so have you, with your clear statements condemning terrorist attacks. But let us agree that this task will not be done until the message is heard, and others in the Muslim world join with [you] in ringing denunciations of terror that will be heard throughout the globe."

Yoffie's progressive wing of Judaism describes itself as the largest Jewish religious movement in North America, with more than 900 congregations and 1.5 million Jews. The annual convention of the largest U.S. Muslim group draws about 30,000 people.

To read more on Rosner's Domain, click here.

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  1.   Yoffie is as `progressive` as was Israel`s surrender, APPEASE NOT 23:32  |  Pavel 31/08/07
  2.   They Are Too Busy Jihading To Denounce Violence 23:49  |  Efox 31/08/07
  3.   Rabbi Yoffie lives in dreamworld. Too bad. 23:52  |  blind to the truth 31/08/07
  4.   Demonizing Moslems 00:46  |  David Powell 01/09/07
  5.   some good 00:50  |  wh 01/09/07
  6.   Welcome Rabbi Yoffie, a shared message 01:03  |  El-Birawi 01/09/07
  7.   The Rabbi is amazingly ignorant, sad to say 01:10  |  Alice of Wonderland 01/09/07
  8.   rabbi yoffie--dangerously naive 01:21  |  bob 01/09/07
  9.   RABBI Eric YOFFIE deserves Congratulations 01:32  |  Harrison 01/09/07
  10.   That Yoffie speaks before ISNA shows his ignorance 01:35  |  Raymond from DC 01/09/07
  11.   Greetings to All Decent Muslims 01:36  |  Truth in Life 01/09/07
  12.   proud to be a jew 01:39  |  michael 01/09/07
  13.   yoffie 01:42  |  tom 01/09/07
  14.   snicker, snicker 01:49  |  realism 01/09/07
  15.   Yoffie 01:50  |  Ira goldburg 01/09/07
  16.   to # 6, I add my voice to this rising wise voice, 01:59  |  Simon Mohammed 01/09/07
  17.   to # 7, You are short of argument, and projecting the 02:02  |  Simon Mohammed 01/09/07
  18.   Yet another haaretz article promoting the anti-israel side 02:04  |  John Ryan 01/09/07
  19.   Hey Tom 02:09  |  Brad 01/09/07
  20.   while not excusing terrorists, our ovadia is a real caricature 02:12  |  truth 01/09/07
  21.   Yoffe can`t read Gemorah if it`s not translated, Rabbi, NO!! 02:28  |  Tom 01/09/07
  22.   Yoffe`s 1.5 million members?.... 02:33  |  Tom 01/09/07
  23.   What`s Yoffie smoking? 03:09  |  Etoile 01/09/07
  24.   Practice what you preach Yoffe 03:27  |  Tim 01/09/07
  25.   Thank you Rabbi Yoffie 03:36  |  Mike 01/09/07
  26.   Rabbi Eric Yoffie 03:37  |  M WAQAR 01/09/07
  27.   twinkle twinkle 04:23  |  brian 01/09/07
  28.   What is the point of talking if no one is listening? 04:52  |  Mark Lincoln 01/09/07
  29.   Stop help islam - Save our lives!!!! 05:05  |  Veronica 01/09/07
  30.   TWO KEY FEATURES DIFFERENTIATE ISLAM FROM OTHER RELIGIONS 05:11  |  Joel Stein 01/09/07
  31.   Rabbis Live in Dream Worlds 05:20  |  Dave Levy 01/09/07
  32.   Let`s Condemn Where It is Appropriate, Timy 05:27  |  Dave Levy 01/09/07
  33.   Alice in Wonderland and 10:83 05:36  |  Reader 01/09/07
  34.   Alice in Wonderland and 2:83 05:40  |  Reader 01/09/07
  35.   Alice in Wonderland and the Core of Islam 05:47  |  Reader 01/09/07
  36.   Jewish Ostriches 06:22  |  Jimmy 01/09/07
  37.   TRUTH CANNOT BE HIDDEN 06:27  |  Mohamed Malleck 01/09/07
  38.   Were the stacks of antisemitic books removed 07:19  |  Donald 01/09/07
  39.   Whay not do the whole job? 07:45  |  Natallie Durson 01/09/07
  40.   To # 12 Michael proud to be a jew 08:22  |  Steve the Pals. 01/09/07
  41.   "keep condemning violence" ? 08:35  |  redmike 01/09/07
  42.   sorry for u Raby ,you don`t live in the realty 08:41  |  Gad 01/09/07
  43.   Rabbi Eric Yoffie. 08:47  |  Maureen Ann 01/09/07
  44.   NO TIME IN HISTORY WITHOUT THAT 08:59  |  indrajaya 01/09/07
  45.   Eric Yoffie 09:57  |  Walt 01/09/07
  46.   for keeps 10:00  |  ron 01/09/07
  47.   Yoffie makes me feel like becoming Jewish! 10:13  |  christoph 01/09/07
  48.   Is it Islam that is being demonized or rather Islamism, the 10:19  |  Anat 01/09/07
  49.   Love to Hate 10:49  |  David 01/09/07
  50.   The media and Islam 11:06  |  KUTW 01/09/07
  51.   ignorance about Islam 11:08  |  KUTW 01/09/07
  52.   Islam is demonizing Islam 11:11  |  RF 01/09/07
  53.   Speaking in the name of Islam 11:13  |  KUTW 01/09/07
  54.   6. El-Birawi 11:20  |  KUTW 01/09/07
  55.   9. Harrison 11:26  |  KUTW 01/09/07
  56.   37 Mohamed Malleck 11:33  |  KUTW 01/09/07
  57.   hatred shown by this "talkback" 11:35  |  raymond deane 01/09/07
  58.   Islam is getting a bad rap 11:39  |  El-Birawi 01/09/07
  59.   Maureen Ann about Rabbi Eric Yoffei: "A breath of fresh air. May 11:54  |  Anat 01/09/07
  60.   There will be no peace without muslims control over Jerusalem 12:09  |  Joseph E . 01/09/07
  61.   Worlwide medias and politicians are demonizing Jewish settlers 12:13  |  Joseph E . 01/09/07
  62.   #33-35 Reader 12:19  |  Alice of Wonderland 01/09/07
  63.   58. El-Birawi: Islam is getting a bad rap 12:29  |  KUTW 01/09/07
  64.   Yes, I protested loud and clear and many times over 12:32  |  El-Birawi 01/09/07
  65.   #58 El-Birawi 12:34  |  Alice of Wonderland 01/09/07
  66.   IF you want to be a "religion of peace", you MUST reform Islam! 12:57  |  Alice of Wonderland 01/09/07
  67.   IS MUHAMMED A TRUE PROPHET ?? 13:14  |  Bill 01/09/07
  68.   Islam is one of the greatest achievements of spirituality 13:25  |  Shlomo from Tel Aviv 01/09/07
  69.   #60-61 Joseph: and so it will be... 13:31  |  Gazan 01/09/07
  70.   bill, 67: follow the same logic and... 13:34  |  bashar 01/09/07
  71.   people commit atrocities, not religion.. 13:39  |  bashar