Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday weekend found Touro Synagogue and Masjid-ur-Raheem (Mosque of the Merciful) repeating their wonderfully successful Weekend of Peace and Community that began in 2005 before the storm. Designed to promote understanding between two great religions through joint worship and communal service, the congregations prayed and worked together on Friday and Saturday, January 12 & 13. Friday afternoon, Touro Synagogue members went to Masjid-ur-Raheem for an informative and inspiring lecture by a new convert to Islam, followed by afternoon prayers and lunch.

That evening, the members of the mosque arrived at Touro Synagogue for Shabbat worship and the Forgotston Chapel was overflowing with people and prayers. A Shabbat dinner followed with Muslims and Jews sitting together enjoying a wonderful meal. After dinner, Imam Rafeeq Nu'Man joined Rabbi Andrew Busch in leading the combined congregation in a study of text from the Torah and Koran. Everyone was able to share the similarities and differences in the teachings they reviewed.

The biggest event was still to come. Nearly 35 volunteers from Touro Synagogue, Masjid-ur-Raheem, St. Ann's Episcipal Church and Tulane Medical Center went to the neighborhood of Treme, where the mosque is located to assist the needy from there and surrounding areas. Over 200 people received free hot food (turkey, red beans & rice and fresh fruit), canned goods, clothing and medical evaluations (including HIV tests), and the services of a social worker.

To see more pictures of the event, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/mredstone/WeekendOfPeace2007

A special thanks to Whole Foods and Joel Brown and Kosher Kajun Deli and Grocery, as well as Mia McGuire for spending all day doing face painting.