We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit committed to deepening Muslim-Jewish understanding in the United States, from elementary school classrooms to college campuses and beyond. We design and deliver curriculum and workshops to Muslim and Jewish students, so they can learn about one another’s traditions while also gaining a deeper understanding of their own heritage and history in America.
Our focus on the U.S. recognizes the unique and often divergent experiences of Muslims and Jews within a broader framework of social justice. While our experiences are different, safety and justice for our communities in this country are bound together. Recognizing that religious bigotry, racism, and persecution are interconnected, we explore how the largely untold history of Muslims and Jews in the Americas is woven into broader struggles for justice.
For the past three years we have worked with Partners in Peace, an initiative between the Islamic and Jewish day schools of Rhode Island. In collaboration with teachers from both schools, as well as Brown professors and chaplains, we designed an interactive curriculum for fifth graders from both schools to learn together. Our team of Muslim and Jewish Brown student leaders led weekly workshops, which focused on the connections between Islam and Judaism.
Our focus on the U.S. recognizes the unique and often divergent experiences of Muslims and Jews within a broader framework of social justice. While our experiences are different, safety and justice for our communities in this country are bound together. Recognizing that religious bigotry, racism, and persecution are interconnected, we explore how the largely untold history of Muslims and Jews in the Americas is woven into broader struggles for justice.
For the past three years we have worked with Partners in Peace, an initiative between the Islamic and Jewish day schools of Rhode Island. In collaboration with teachers from both schools, as well as Brown professors and chaplains, we designed an interactive curriculum for fifth graders from both schools to learn together. Our team of Muslim and Jewish Brown student leaders led weekly workshops, which focused on the connections between Islam and Judaism.
Mission
Guided by a shared commitment to justice, our mission is to deepen understanding between Muslim and Jewish communities in the U.S. through education on the beliefs, practices, and histories of Muslims and Jews in the Americas. Working across generations, we provide Jews and Muslims with resources to understand their own identities within the U.S. while also learning about one another’s traditions and histories. |
Vision
BRIJ is a platform for bringing together Muslim and Jewish communities to build relationships around an exploration of identity and justice in the U.S. Our multimedia resources shed light on the diversity of histories, practices, and cultures of Muslims and Jews in the United States in order to dispel widespread misconceptions of both traditions. |
We are extremely grateful to the organizations and centers who support our work: the Interfaith Youth Core, the Rhode Island Foundation, the Brown University Community Building Fund, the Brown Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life, and the Swearer Center for Public Service.