Board MembersBoard of DirectorsOrganizations listed for identification purposes only Name
|
| Dr. Yousef Abou-Allaban - Chair of the Board-Islamic Society of Boston |
| Labid Aziz |
| Prof. Qamar-Ul Huda - United States Institute of Peace |
| Prof. Shari Lowin- Stonehill College, Dept. of Religious Studies |
| Imam Taalib Mahdee - Masjid al-Quran, Boston |
| Prof. Barry Mesch - Provost, Hebrew College |
| Precious Rasheeda Muhammad - Masjid al-Quran, Boston |
| Mark Niedergang - Consultant to non-profit organizations |
| Jan Rybeck - Organizational Consultant |
| Arthur Waldstein - Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston |
Co-Directors
David Dolev and Aziz El Madi, Co-Directors of the CJMR
The co-directors of the Center for Jewish-Muslim Relations have worked in religious institutions in the past, and have seen first-hand the misconceptions each group has of the other. They have also organized interfaith dialogue efforts for many years, and have seen the potential benefits of such dialogue. Each has deep ties with their respective religious leaders and activists.
David Dolev was born in the US and moved with his family to Israel at age 14. David was a paratrooper in the Israeli military and was a founding member of Kibbutz Lotan, Israel, where he lived and worked for twenty years. David has facilitated dozens of interfaith dialogues. In addition to an array of courses in different religious disciplines, David has completed courses in Conflict Resolution and has an M.A. in Jewish Education.
Aziz El Madi, is a 36-year-old native of Morocco who moved to the U.S in 1997. He founded the Youth Department for Al Huda Society, a local grassroots organization, and was the Camp Director of the Al Huda Youth Summer Camp. He is also the former President of the Islamic Center of Maine, in Orono, Maine. Currently, Aziz is the Muslim Chaplain at Salem State College, serves on the Advisory Board of “Muslims in the West” at Harvard University, teaches Arabic and is a chemistry lab instructor at Salem College. Aziz has completed the Conflict Resolution certificate program at the Muslim American Society and is a candidate for Master in Linguistics, University of Massachusetts, Boston. Aziz has been a frequent guest speaker on the topic of Islam, Muslims in the West, and Islamic country culture, and has been a panelist on several interfaith panels in the Greater Boston area. Aziz El Madi’s Moroccan heritage has given him a working model of Jewish-Muslim harmony that continues to inspire him here in the United States. Internationally, Morocco has been considered a model country for a viable and historical Jewish community living in an Arab country. Aziz hopes to build bridges and understanding between the two communities using heritage and religion as instrument of common good in a pluralistic society.
Salma Kazmi is the founding co-director of JM Center and former Assistant Director of the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center. During her five years in this position, she was actively engaged in facilitating dialogue among Boston’s faith communities, often serving as a speaker on the topic of Islam and Muslims. Salma studied Islam at Hartford Seminary and Harvard Divinity School. As of November, 2007, Salma is temporarily living and working in San Francisco. She is still involved in the Center and will take upon herself a formal role upon her return to the Boston area.
David Dolev and Salma Kazmi
