Denver faith leaders discuss year since start of Middle East war

Monday marks one year since Hamas attacked Israel, killing more than 1200 Israelis, the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. More than 250 people were also taken hostage.

Israel's subsequent invasion of Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 41,000 Palestinians.

Jewish and Muslim faith leaders in Denver - who are unlikely friends and partners - are trying to make sense of the past year, and what may lie ahead.

Rabbi Joseph Black of Temple Emanuel said, "It's been a year of great pain as we've seen this crisis playing out in Israel and in Gaza, we have seen a lot of death and destruction on both sides."

"Sometimes you are crippled by the words, because the community has been losing a lot, and we're trying to keep bringing them back to hope because that's the only thing that people can have for now," said Imam Muhammad Kolila of the Downtown Denver Islamic Center.

Imam Kolila and Rabbi Black formed a friendship after meeting on the Governor's Clergy Council. While their views on the origins of the year-old Israel-Gaza conflict differ, they agree this is not a war about religion.

"You want to keep yourself balanced, this is not a holy war, even though these people have been using these languages, they're very provocative. But we need to go back to the source of our humanity. Can we be equal?" said Imam Kolila.

Rabbi Black said, "This is not about Jews and Muslims. This is not about how we hate each other. It's about a political situation that is being exacerbated by extremist ideology."

Rabbi Black and Imam Kolila also agree that there will never be a winner in this war.

"No one is going to win. No one is going to win this conflict, we have to learn to live together," said Rabbi Black.

"Yeah, I totally agree with Rabbi Black in that last statement, no one is going to win. And this is a fact. We have seen it for 75 years," said Imam Kolila.

The faith leaders agree that peace will only come when each side begins to see the best in the other and accepts that they want similar things.

"Let's, let's function as humans, which is a common thing that all of us share as humans. How can we fix this? How can we solve how can we bring restorative justice for every family whose kid has been taken up from them, for their kids are being killed? How can we prevent future killing from happening?," said Imam Kolila.

Rabbi Black added, "We need to see the good in others. We need to find that holiness in other people that are not like us, that look different than us, that may have different beliefs, even though they may have different traditions than us."

Black and Kolila were asked, "How do each of you individually find the hope in your own lives that allows you, when you stand before your congregations, to feel comfortable and confident enough that you can project enough hope authentically?"

Imam Kolila responded: "I'm trying my best with my community and with other Imams and the Muslim communities. How to keep that hope up and how to find hope in the midst of this confusion… Of course in my own tradition, Islam is based in hope and based in submission and peace, and that submission and that peace to God."

"Looking for ways to find the humanity in others in praying for and speaking out against what we feel is wrong. That is where you find the hope," said Rabbi Black.

Colorado Jewish and Muslim organizations held events Monday to mark the year since the start of the war. These include remembrance ceremonies, exhibits, and planned walkouts.