It’s just a few hours before the sun dips below the horizon, and I’m doing my best to reflect on the past year and set goals for 5771.  As a people, we pray for peace.

But it feels as if the harder we pray, the more distant the reality of peace becomes. The Israelis and Palestinians are finally back at the table, and expectations are extremely low for any substantial outcome.

Meanwhile, the traditional media and the new social media are all abuzz over the Muslim cultural center to be built in the vicinity to Ground Zero.  It shows that anti-Islamic backlash is becoming a real issue in this country. One innocent Arab American cab driver was stabbed by a drunken idiot in Manhattan. Now Terry Jones, pastor of the Dove World Outreach Center, is planning a Koran burning on the 9th anniversary of 9/11 to express his outrage at radical Islam (which Gen. David Petraeus warns will endanger American soldiers in Afghanistan due to the violent anti-American sentiment it will stir up).

I still feel this falls under his First Amendment rights just as would be the case for an artist wanting to depict Jesus in an unflattering way.  Others say it doesn’t not and liken it to yelling “fire” in a movie theater.

However, I think it’s another symptom of American’s anger.  We don’t speak, we yell. Now we seem to be yelling the loudest at Muslims.  I, too, am frustrated with the Muslim community and its lack of leadership. I’d hope we’d settle our differences through dialogue, bridge building, and education – exactly what the Cordova Center is New York is designed to do.

Just when I’m about to give up, I get a ray of hope. I recently read an article by my friend Everett Rosenfeld, a sophomore at Yale University. 

Rosenfeld writes in the Yale Daily News, “J Street U, a national organization primarily led by progressive Jewish students to promote Middle East peace, has released a pledge, entitled ‘Stand Strong Against Islamophobia,’ said Ben Alter ’11, co-president and founder of the Yale branch.

“As Jews we know the dangers of hatred and violence directed against religions and ethnic minorities,” he said, “and for us to stand idly by while other groups are denigrated, persecuted and harassed would be criminal.’”

And to that we say “Amen” and may we all have a peaceful New Year.