Project Abraham: A Conversation Between Muslims, Christians and Jews

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This project is proudly supported by the
Australian Governments Living in Harmony
programme. The programme promotes mutual
respect, participation in the Australian way of
life, Australian values and a sense of belonging
for everyone. It recognises that, whatever our
backgrounds and beliefs, we are united as
Australians and are committed to a shared future
characterised by peace, stability and
opportunity. For more information on the Living
in Harmony programme, visit www.harmony.gov.au
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A Conversation Among Muslims, Christians and
Jews
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Project Abraham Reaching out to the
CountryWelcome to our exhibition - Project
Abraham Reaching out to the country.Project
Abraham is an interfaith programme, which
explores the religious and historical
commonalities between Christianity, Islam and
Judaism. The initiative, which is based in
Adelaide, South Australia, is supported by the
Australian Government through its Living in
Harmony programme.The primary goals of this
initiative are to create an ongoing dialogue
among religious leaders and congregants of the
three Abrahamic faiths and to educate the greater
community about the precepts and practices of
these world religions through seminars, school
programmes and a travelling exhibition.
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In 2006, Project Abraham visited regional centres
throughout Australia, including Gosford, NSW,
Shepparton, VIC, Whyalla, Murray Bridge and
Renmark, SA and the Gold Coast, QLD.This year
the programme will be officially launched on
Harmony Day, 21 March in a joint venture between
the Marion and Onkaparinga Councils in Adelaide.
It will then travel to regional communities
across Australia.This exhibition was developed
in a truly cooperative spirit between Muslims,
Christians and Jews. As you stroll through this
exhibition we hope that you too will be inspired
by the tremendous sense of hope and optimism that
has been engendered by our programme. Shalom
Aleichem. Assalamu Alyakum. Peace Be With You.
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BeliefsBoth Judaism and Islam are monotheistic
religions and each religion affirms that central
belief in prayer. Christianity is also a
monotheistic religion but believes in the
Trinity, the union of three persons (Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit) in one Godhead.
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Jews affirm the unity of God in the prayer known
as the Shema.Shema Yisrael adonai eloheinu,
adonai echad.Here O Israel the Lord is our
God, the Lord is One!
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Muslims declare their allegiance to God in the
ShahadahLaa Illaha Illal-laah
Muhammadur-rasoolullaahThere is no deity worthy
of being worshipped but Allah.And Muhammad is
the messenger of Allah.
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THE LORDS PRAYEROur Father in heaven,hallowed
be your name.Your kingdom come.Your will be
done,on earth as it is in heaven.Give us this
day our daily bread.And forgive us our sins,as
we forgive those who sin against us.And do not
lead us into temptation,but deliver us from
evil.(Matthew 69-13)
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SymbolsThe Magen David (shield of David), or as
it more commonly known, the Star of David, is the
symbol most commonly associated with Judaism. It
is said to represent the shape of King Davids
shield. According to some Judaic sources, the
Star/Shield of David signifies the number seven,
that is the six points plus the center. The
number seven has religious significance in
Judaism, eg. The six days of Creation, plus the
seventh day of rest. The Magen David was adopted
as the emblem of the Zionist movement in 1897 and
today is a universally recognized symbol of
Jewry. It appears on the flag of the State of
Israel.
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The CrescentIn the early stages of the Islamic
era, the crescent was never used as a symbol of
Islam. However, the crescent gradually became a
sign related to Islam because most Islamic annual
rituals and festivals are dependent on the lunar
calendar, which is determined by the first
sighting of the new moon (crescent) each month.
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The CrossThe Christian cross is the universal
religious symbol of Christianity. Its
significance derives from the gospel accounts of
the New Testament which describe Jesus the
Christs death by crucifixion. This painful
method of execution was common for slaves and
non-Romans convicted of serious crimes in the
Roman Empire.
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Jerusalem is a holy city to all three Abrahamic
FaithsThe Western Wall The Western Wall is a
fragment of the wall that surrounded the Temple
compound. As one of the few surviving structures
connected to the Temple, which was destroyed by
the Romans in 70 CE, it is considered the holiest
site in the world for Jews. Jews are drawn there
to pray, but also to speak directly to God. It
is also customary to leave notes in the cracks
between the stones that are addressed to God.
photographer Sammy Avnisan
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Al-Aqsaa The Al-Aqsaa Mosque and its
surroundings is the third significant Mosque and
sacred site to Muslims after the Mosques in
Makkah and Madinah. It is the place where many
prophets worshipped God and is also the place
where Prophet Muhammad took off in his famous
Ascension Journey to Heaven.
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Garden of GethsemaneThe Garden of Gethsemane is
at the foot of the Mount of Olives opposite the
walled city of Jersualem. It was in this garden
at night where Jesus prayed, just before he was
betrayed, and taken to be crucified. Here Jesus
experienced great agony but accepted what would
be done to him. He asked his special disciples
(closest friends) three times to pray with him,
but they all let him down and fell asleep.
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Water is a life giving force, refreshing the
body, mind and spirit. Cleansing waters are used
in sanctification and purification rituals in
Judaism, Islam and Christianity
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The Mikvah The mikvah is the Jewish ritual bath.
All mikvahs (or mikvaot) have seven steps and
must contain a significant percentage of fresh
water. Bodies of fresh water, such as lakes,
rivers, and the ocean, can also be used as
mikvaot. Converts to Judaism must immerse
themselves in the mikvah as part of the
conversion process. Observant Jews will visit
the mikvah before Shabbat and particularly prior
to the significant holy days to purify
themselves. Also, Orthodox women visit the
mikvah each month following menstruation. Jews
who enter the mikvah do so already completely
clean, with nails cut short and hair combed so
that the water will reach every bit of their
skin. The mikvah is not a bodily cleansing but
rather a spiritual cleansing..
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Muslim Ablutions Before Prayer
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Christian Baptism The origin of the word
baptism is from the Greek baptein, which
means to dip, to immerse. Baptism is a
sacrament in which one becomes a member of the
Christian community. Water is seen as a cleansing
agent immersion in water is symbolically seen as
dying to sin and rising to a new life in God.
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Madinah Muslims recognize three major mosques as
their most sacred places of worship Makkah,
Madinah, and Jerusalem. Madinah is the place
where the Prophet Muhammad PBUH migrated and
lived for almost ten years. The mosque in
Madinah, Almasjid An Nabawi, was built by the
Prophet himself and expanded over the years. The
latest expansion will accommodate up to 1.5
million people.
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Makkah The Grand Mosque in Makkah, Almasjid
Alharam, is the largest place of worship in the
world, with a capacity of more than 2.5 million
worshippers. The Cube (Kabah) is the black
building, which is the direction of the Qiblah,
which Muslims face when they pray (Salat).
Muslims believe that Abraham and his son Ishmeal
built the mosque. Traces of Ishmeals footsteps
are still visible and honoured by Muslims.
Muslims do not worship the building of the Cube,
but are ordered by Allah to direct towards
it. Makkah is the birth place of Prophet
Muhammad PBUH. The Prophet of Islam died in
Madinah. In Islam, Hajj, which is an annual
pilgrimage, is performed mainly in Makkah.
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The Torah is the most sacred object in Jewish
ritual. It is a handwritten scroll, containing
the Five Books of Moses (the Bible from Genesis
to Deuteronomy). It is made of parchment, wrapped
around two wooden rollers. It is housed in the
Ark of the Covenant (Aron Ha-Kodesh) and is only
taken out during services. Congregants may follow
the reading of the Torah with a book called a
Chumash. The Torah is adorned with a mantle, a
silver breastplate, and a silver pointer called a
Yad (hand).
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Congregants may follow the reading of the Torah
with a book called a Chumash.
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The Holy Quran is the most sacred text of
Muslims. It is considered the literal word of
God, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
He received these revelations over the course of
23 years. The Holy Quran consists of 114
chapters called surahs. Besides the stories of
previous Prophets, the Holy Quran contains
Islamic Sharia law and regulations. The
recitation of the Holy Quran is an act of worship
and hence anyone who wishes to open the Holy
Quran and recite from it must perform ablution
before doing so.
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The Holy Bible is the most sacred text of
Christians and is often regarded as a single
volume, literally The Book or the Holy
Scriptures. However, it is a collection of texts
written over many centuries by a variety of
authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Christians agree on the core collection (canon)
of 66 books 39 of which has been called the Old
Testament but now is frequently called the Hebrew
Scriptures and 27 in the New Testament. The
Catholic Church accepts a further six books as
canonical in the Old Testament making a total of
45. The New Testament covers the ministry of
Jesus in the Gospels and the birth of the early
Church in the Epistles. The Pectoral Cross is a
small cross worn about the neck of a cardinal or
bishop and suspended by either a cord or a chain.
The cord is scarlet and gold for a cardinal and
green and gold for a bishop.
(Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide)
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The Holy Bible, Torah and the Holy Quran record
the stories of Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac,
Jacob and his descendants, Moses, Aaron, David
and Solomon. Islam, Judaism and Christianity
recognise Abraham as the forefather of their
religions.
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Muslim men are required to wear loose-fitting
clothes and are encouraged to wear a turban or a
kind of hat called a kufi. They must allow a
beard to grow if they can do it.
27
Muslims use a prayer mat when they pray. It
ensures that the area where they pray is clean.
Shiite Muslims prostrate themselves on a turbah,
a small disk made of clean soil.
28
Traditional Jewish men will grow a beard and
earlocks (Peot). In Synagogue, Jewish men wear a
turban or skullcap known as a kippah and tallit,
a prayer shawl with fringes. Progressive Jewish
women may also wear a tallit.
29
The zucchetto is a small skullcap worn by clergy
in the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. For
Catholics, it is white for the Pope, scarlet for
a cardinal, and violet for a bishop. The stole,
which generally has a small cross sewed or
embroidered at both ends, is worn only by
deacons, priests, and bishops.
(Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide)
30
Muslim men are encouraged to apply scented
cologne when they enter a mosque in order to have
their prayers witnessed by angels. The perfume is
non-alcoholic.
31
At the end of the Sabbath on Saturday night, Jews
perform a ceremony in which they pass around a
spice box, scented with cloves and cinnamon.
Everyone takes a turn smelling it to remind them
of the holiness of the Sabbath and to ensure a
sweet week.
32
The liturgical blessing of oil is used in the
Christian church in baptism, confirmation and
ordination ceremonies and also in a separate form
of blessing for the oil of the sick, for water,
and for bread. It is an invocation to Jesus to
give His creatures power to cure the sick, to
purify the soul, to drive away impure spirits and
to wipe out sins.
(Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide)
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Matzah is unleavened bread used to commemorate
the miraculous liberation of the Jewish people
from Egyptian slavery more than 3000 years ago.
When the ancient Israelites fled Egypt, they
didnt have time to let their bread rise. Today,
during Passover, Jews eat matzah for eight days.

(Adelaide Jewish Museum)
34
A Kiddush cup is on used on Shabbat, Passover and
other Jewish holidays. Wine is put in the goblet
and a blessing is recited as an affirmation of
the celebration.
(Adelaide Jewish Museum)
35
The Chalice and wafers are used by Christians
during the Mass, Eucharist, and Communion service
to commemorate the last Passover celebrated by
Jesus with his Disciples.
(Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide)
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The Paten is a small shallow plate upon which
bread or a large wafer is placed before the Mass
or Communion to be consecrated and shared with
the congregation.
(Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide)
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Candles are used in many Christian rituals. The
blessing of the Paschal candle is a notable
feature of the service on Easter Saturday.
During the service it is first ornamented with
five grains of incense and then lighted with the
newly blessed fire.
(Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide)
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The Jewish holiday, Hanukkah commemorates the
military victory of the Maccabees, over the
Syrians in 165 B.C.E. The holiday is now
observed for eight days. On the first night of
the festival, a single candle is lit in the
menorah, a nine branched candelabra. An
additional candle is lit each night, so that all
the candles are burning on the eighth night.
(Adelaide Jewish Museum)
39
Muslim women wear a hijab or veil to cover
their hair, and loose-fitting clothing either
long pants or a dress to the ankles and a
shirt, gown or blouse that covers to the wrists.
The brooch says Assalamu Alaykum, which means
May Peace Be With You.
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Both Muslim men and women may carry a tasbih
(beads on a string), which they use to count the
series of glorifications and praise to the Lord.
41
Orthodox Jewish women wear either a wig or a
snood (Kissui-Rosh) for home or casual wear to
cover their natural hair and wear either a
long-sleeved blouse that covers the wrists and a
skirt that covers the ankles or a long dress.
42
During early morning prayers Jewish men put on
tefillin (black boxes with leather straps
attached). The boxes contain prayers written on
parchment. One box is fastened to the left arm
and the other is placed on the forehead. If the
man is left handed, the box is fastened to the
right arm.
(Adelaide Jewish Museum)
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Rosary prayer beads of the Roman Catholic Church
are designed to aid in the recitation of the
Lords Prayer and Hail Mary prayer. While
reciting these prayers, participants are also
encouraged to think of Joyful, Sorrowful and
Glorious events in the life of Jesus and his
Mother Mary. The Rosary is also used in the
Anglican, Old Catholic and Lutheran
denominations.
(Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide)
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Mosque The mosque or masjid is the house of
worship for Muslims. Inside the mosque, there is
a small curved inward niche on the front wall,
which indicates the direction of Makkah. There is
a raised pulpit, where the imam stands, and
separate prayer areas for men and women.
Outside the mosque, there is an area where
people can ritually wash before prayers. Many
mosques are designed with a domed roof. There is
also a minaret from which the muazzin calls
people to prayer five times a day.
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Synagogue The synagogue is the house of worship
for Jews. It has a community hall and a sanctuary
for prayer. Inside the sanctuary there is a
raised platform, known as the bimah from which
the rabbi conducts the services. On the wall
behind the rabbi stands the Ark of the Covenant
(Aron Ha-Kodesh), which houses the Torah,the
sacred scrolls. The Eternal Light, an oil lamp,
hangs over the Ark of the Covenant and represents
Gods eternal presence. Most traditional
synagogues are constructed facing
eastwardtowards Jerusalem. In traditional
synagogues, men and women sit in separate
sections. In progressive congregations, men and
women sit together.
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Church The church is the house of worship for
Christians. Inside the church is a font used for
baptism by sprinkling or pouring water. Some
churches also include permanent or temporary
baptism pools for full immersion baptism. A
Communion table, which is also known as the altar
in sacramental denominations (Catholic, Lutheran,
Orthodox, Anglican) is used for serving the meal.
A lectern is used for reading Scriptures and the
minister or priest delivers a sermon or homily to
the congregation from a pulpit. A large wooden
crucifix hangs from a prominent position in the
church. In the Protestant tradition there is no
figure of the crucified Christ on the cross. In
the sacramental traditions, the cross includes a
depiction of Jesus.
47
Halal and Kosher dietary laws Observant Jews and
Muslims both follow strict dietary laws.
According to Jewish law, acceptable foods and
drink are kosher. The Holy Quran and other
Islamic sources describe the halal standard for
good and wholesome foods. Both religions require
that animals must be ritually slaughtered under
the highest standards of cleanliness and purity.
In both religions, pork is forbidden and all
processed foods must contain acceptable
ingredients. However, halal and kosher dietary
laws differ in certain areas. According to the
halal standard, shellfish are generally allowed,
while alcohol and other intoxicants are
forbidden. According to the kosher standard,
shellfish are forbidden while alcoholic beverages
are allowed under strict guidelines. Approved
foods are stamped with halal and/or kosher
labels.