Maariv – by Josh Aronson
Rabbi Marc Schneier continues to bridge worlds: from participating in the New York parade alongside Cuomo to meetings with leaders such as Erdogan, Herzog, the King of Jordan and the Saudi Foreign Minister – to promote interfaith and diplomatic dialogue.
In a special interview with Maariv, Rabbi Marc Schneier – one of the most prominent Jewish voices in the global Jewish-Muslim dialogue – reveals the behind-the-scenes of policy initiatives, meetings with kings and presidents, and the belief that guides him: Peace begins with mutual recognition. From his experience with Muslim leaders to leading a Jewish community in the US – Rabbi Schneier offers a direct vision, both spiritual and political: The key to regional and global peace is normalization with Saudi Arabia, which will be possible only after Israeli recognition of the Palestinian people’s right to a state.
“I have two tracks,” says Rabbi Schneier, “the track of my community in the Hamptons, and the track of Jewish-Muslim relations.” As founder and chief rabbi of the Hampton Synagogue – one of the largest and most influential Jewish communities in the United States – he leads a vibrant community with about a thousand worshippers every Shabbat during the summer.
Alongside his community mission, Rabbi Schneier also serves as president of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding (FFEU), which has been working for 36 years to bridge communities. First between Jews and blacks in the US, and later between Jews and Muslims around the world. “They said I was the most influential Jewish figure in the Muslim-Arab world,” he says. “But for me, it’s a mission – to bring peoples closer together.”
Schneier often speaks highly of Azerbaijan – a Muslim country that, he says, “not only supports Israel – but is proud of its Jewish community.” During one of his visits to the country, he approached President Ilham Aliyev with a request to help a Jewish school that had fallen into a $450,000 debt. “The president didn’t even hesitate,” he recalls, “he told me: ‘This is my gift to the community for Hanukkah.’”When asked what the central step required for regional peace is, Rabbi Schneier simply replies: “The path to peace is through normalization with Saudi Arabia.” However, he clarifies: “The ball is in Israel’s hands. All the Saudis are asking for is for the government to say publicly that it recognizes the right of the Palestinian people to a state. Not when, not how, not where – just recognize the right.”
According to him, such a step would create a tremendous resonance: “Imagine the spiritual center of Islam establishing peace with the spiritual center of Judaism. It would be an earthquake of hope – affecting the Muslim world, Europe, America and Indonesia.”
Three levels of normalization
For Schneier, normalization is not just a political move – but also a spiritual and economic one. “We not only share a common faith – but also a common destiny,” he says. According to him, the basis for future peace lies in improving the daily lives of Palestinians. “Ramallah is flourishing, Gaza – hell. Where there is no hope – there is extremism. The solution is economics, hope, opportunity. The Saudis and Qataris can be very helpful in this.”
Schneier reveals that he was involved in coordinating President Herzog’s visit to Turkish President Erdogan in 2022. “There was an excellent trend of rapprochement,” he says, “but the war in Gaza ruined the cards.” Regarding the Abraham Accords and the accession of countries like Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, he gently criticizes the media enthusiasm: “They worked with Israel 30 years ago. They are not annexes to the agreements – they are the pioneers.”
“The Muslim world is not monolithic,” Schneier says. “There are extremists and there are moderates. We need to focus on the blessings – not the troubles.” The main rift, he says, is not between Jews and Gentiles – but within the family of Abraham itself: “We have incredible allies in the Christian community, especially among evangelicals. The real rift is among the children of Abraham.”
Towards the end, Rabbi Schneier was asked what message he would like to be written in the title of the interview. His answer is clear: “Saudi Arabia.” But he immediately adds: “The key to normalization with Saudi Arabia – and to peace in the Middle East – is Israeli recognition of the right to exist of the Palestinian people and their aspiration for a state. This statement alone can change the face of history.”
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