The Movement for Reform Judaism

On Rosh Hashanah we listen to a Torah text which tells how Abraham, on Sarah’s urging, sends away Hagar and Ishmael. The ‘Old’ Testament tells the same story. Christianity lays claim to Abraham and considers Christians to be Israel, his descendents. The Qur’an says, “Abraham was a righteous man of God, a Muslim, and so were his children. Abraham and Ishmael built the Ka’ba as the house of God”.

How we hear, interpret and tell our connected stories determines attitudes, behaviour and relationships. The way we have done it up to now has had disastrous consequences.

It would be too much to hope that in the coming year all will be set right and Abrahamic family relationships will be filled with mutual respect. But each of us can make a contribution this Rosh Hashanah by asking how we can hear, interpret and tell the story of Abraham, Sarah and Ishmael in such a way that we do not continue to provide grounds for hurt and rivalry."

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