Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor

The occasion for Letter 7 is the beginning of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim festival marking their traditions regarding the patriarch Abraham and his son, Ishmael. Both Judaism and Islam see Abraham as a foundational figure but trace their descent from different sons, Ishmael and Isaac. In some cases, they share overlapping stories about the two sons, such as the belief that Abraham nearly sacrificed Ishmael/Isaac at one point. In this letter, Halevi once again narrates a visit to Hebron, which is the Jewish city most closely associated with Abraham and his family. He takes note of the Muslim and Jewish worship practices at the dual site in Hebron, suggesting that each side has a great depth of devotional richness that they could share with each other if they were inclined toward peaceful dialogue. Unfortunately, the location has been the site of terrorism—in this case, from the Jewish side, attacking Muslim worshipers—and so the current prospects for a harmony of faiths at Hebron seem distant.

Halevi uses this reflection to draw attention to another site with even more religious import for both sides: the Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem. A site of the greatest holiness for both Jews and Muslims, it is the location of the ancient Jewish temple and of a sacred tradition from the Prophet Muhammad’s life.