Forgiveness in Judaism & Islam | Virtual Interfaith Religion Chat
Channel: Muslim Community Center - MCC East Bay
Date: 2021-08-11

Interfaith Interconnect hosts August's virtual religion chat with a Jewish and a Muslim with the question: "How does your community provide for those in need of forgiveness?"

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The panelists are Dr. Rabbi Milder (Congregation Beth Emek) and Dr. Abdul-Mun'im Jitmoud (Muslim Community Center - East Bay).

This virtual program was delivered via Interfaith Interconnect of the Tri-Valley and the Muslim Community Center - East Bay (MCC East Bay) in Pleasanton, California on August 11, 2021.

About the Speakers:
Rabbi Laurence Elis Milder, Ph.D.
Rabbi Larry Milder is a native of St. Louis, Missouri. He received his B.A. at Brandeis University and was ordained at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 1983. Following ordination, he earned a Ph.D. in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies at Brandeis University, where he was the recipient of a fellowship from the Center for Modern Jewish Studies, a research institute devoted to the social scientific study of American Jewry.

Rabbi Milder has pursued dual careers in the rabbinate and in academia. He has served congregations in Indianapolis, IN; Bangor, ME; and Westborough, MA. He also was an assistant professor (of Judaic studies) at the University of Maine and a lecturer at the Bangor Theological Seminary. From July 2011 through June 2013, Rabbi Milder served on the faculty of the American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro, NC, as the Academy’s Reform Rabbi.

Rabbi Milder has been active in civic affairs, interfaith coalitions, and youth work. He has served the Union for Reform Judaism as a regional director in its Social Action and Youth divisions.

Rabbi Milder’s hobby is composing and performing Jewish folk music. His songs are popular in youth groups and summer camps throughout North America. Rabbi Milder is married to Janet Elis Milder. They have three children: Miriam, Avi, and Alex.

Abdul-Mun'im Jitmoud, Ph.D.
Dr. Abdul Mun'im Sombat Jitmoud was born and raised on a small rice farm in Thailand. He felt his calling to teaching when his principal asked him to lead his first-grade peers at his village school.

After finishing Teacher’s College in Thailand, he came to the U.S. for higher education. While working on his Ph. D, Dr. Abdul-Mun’im fell in love with his colleague, Dr. Linda-Jamilah Kolocotronis.

She embraced Islam and over the next 30 years, they raised six boys as Dr. Jitmoud moved from city to city to serve as principal at seven Islamic schools in the U.S.

In 2015, while in retirement in Thailand, Dr. Jitmoud received the tragic news. His 22-year-old son Salahuddin was fatally stabbed during a robbery while he delivered pizzas in Lexington, Ky.

The slaying rattled Lexington’s large Muslim community, which wondered whether the killing was a hate crime. It was not. Two years later, Dr. Jitmoud sat on the witness stand and looked at his son’s murderer. “I don’t blame you,” he said.

Dr. Jitmoud asked the court to spare the life of his son’s murderer. He cited verses from the Qur’an.

The Washington Post quoted Jitmoud as saying: “Forgiveness is the greatest gift of charity in Islam.”

Jitmoud later embraced his son’s murdered in court, who sobbed as he apologized for Salahuddin’s death. A video of that moment went viral on social media and made headlines around the world.

Dr. Jitmoud now travels around the world speaking about the power of forgiveness. He received Malaysia's First Compassion Award.

Videos:
- Morgan Freeman Meets Father of Killed Pizza Delivery Driver Salahuddin Jitmoud: https://www.facebook.com/Brotherly.co/videos/vb.121661129123/502093693667458/?type=2&theater
- Father Forgives Son's Murderer | Dr. Abdul Munim Sombat Jitmoud: https://youtu.be/dJlVn43QVSc
Sombat Jitmoud on forgiving his son's attacker: https://youtu.be/viEF_ycHgWI
- Court Cam: Victim's Father Forgives Defendant in Emotional Court Sentencing: https://youtu.be/8wifYHbVl9c

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