On Feb. 1 and 2, Enid Bloch, founder and
editor of the online magazine Jewish Muslim
Friendship in Western New York, will pres-
ent lectures in Sarasota on the theme Lessons
from the Mosque: What a Jewish Woman
Learned from Muslim Friends.
The Feb. 1 lecture will be part of a Congregation
for Humanistic Judaism (CHJ) service at 10:30
a.m. at Unity, located at 3023 Proctor Road in
Sarasota, CHJ has announced.
For more information, visit www.chj-sara-
sota.org or call 929-7771. The program is free
for CHJ members; for non-members, the cost
is $5.
The following day, Feb. 2, at 2 p.m., the
Women's Interfaith Network of Sarasota/
Bradenton/Venice will present the same pro-
gram at the Unitarian Universalist Church,
located at 3975 Fruitville Road in Sarasota.
That event is also open to the public, with
a donation of $3 requested at the door. For
more information, visit www.womensinter-
faithnetwork.org (WIN) or call 377-1003.
Over the past four years, Bloch "has been
deeply involved in efforts to foster trust and
understanding between the Jewish and Muslim
communities in western New York," a news
release explains. That time frame includes "a
period of severe crisis," when a prominent
leader of the Muslim community was falsely
accused of harboring "pro-terrorist" senti-
ments, the release adds. "The dignified way
the Muslim community responded contains
lessons for us all," the release notes.
Bloch "has an entirely different view of Islam
[than] the frightening stereotypes which fill
American media," the release says.
Bloch is a frequent speaker at interfaith
events and a photographer for Kulanu, an
organization dedicated to supporting iso-
lated emerging Jewish communities around
the globe, the release continues. She also is a
board member of HEAL, an organization that
helps recent African refugees, and she teaches
at universities and colleges, the release notes.
ENID BLOCH TO DISCUSS LESSONS FROM THE MOSQUE
Enid Bloch/Contributed photo
Sarasota News Leader January 31, 2014 Page 117
