An Unprecedented Jewish/Muslim Dialogue Their Deaths Were Too Horrifying

P2 JUNE 15,Community 2007 - PAKISTAN LINK LinkOPINION/LETTERS VOL. 17/24 Friday, June 15, 2007 29 Jumadal-ula 1428H PAGE 27 PAGE 55 PAGE 42 Sheriff Baca State Bank Governor CJ Opens His For news, updated round Meets Pakistan on Investment Heart to the clock, visit Advisory Council Opportunities Angels www.PakistanLink.com memory of what happened to their children when the events involving An Unprecedented Jewish/Muslim Dialogue their deaths were too horrifying. Mas- sive psychic trauma lacks a beginning, n By Nancy R. Goodman, PhD knowledge of trauma from psycho- scholars have the tenacity to know, beautifully with the topic of Fear and middle and end. It weaves its way into and Batya Monder, MSW, BCD analytic study of Holocaust survivors study, and teach about ruptures of Trauma. Each commentary included the memories of several generations and the contemporary conflicts be- soul and culture. They are each dedi- exquisitely sensitive work with trau- as is internalized by the children of An unprecedented Jewish/Muslim tween Islam and the West. cated to creating ways to hear about matized patients. those who were victims. Many sur- dialogue took place on May 5, 2007 Dr. Nancy Goodman, the mod- the unspeakable and to facilitate cre- Dr. Dori Laub presented a pa- vivors were unable to speak because at a conference on Fear and Trauma: erator of the program, opened the ation of narrative as individuals and per on “Knowing the Unknowable of of their inner speechlessness, having Ruptured Souls; Ruptured Cultures. conference with comments about groups learn to listen to each other. the Holocaust”. He spoke eloquently split off their traumatic experiences Two speakers, one Jewish the other the importance of hearing from two Psychoanalytic commentar- about the place of testimony as an both emotionally and cognitively. Dr. Muslim, were addressing the large scholars who have been courageous ies further enriched understanding alternative to dramatic fragmenta- Laub noted that a good object is es- subject of Fear and Trauma from the witnesses to the truths of unspeakable sential for survival. Survivors don’t perspective of their own backgrounds traumas: the destruction of the Nazi know what they know till they give and their very meaningful contribu- era and the terror facing us today in testimony. Dr. Laub spoke of the ur- tions to the understanding of these the contemporary conflicts within the gency he experienced to co-found the profoundly disturbing subjects. world of Islam and between Islam and Holocaust Video Archives Project at A psychoanalyst and scholar of the West. Yale University in 1979 as a living me- the Holocaust, Dori Laub, MD and a Dr. Dori Laub and Dr. Akbar morial for testimonies of survivors. scholar of contemporary Islam, Akbar Ahmed created a double narrative as Dr. Akbar Ahmed presented a Ahmed, PhD presented papers and they spoke from extensive knowledge paper on “Creating Dialogue when entered into dialogue inviting partici- of their fields of interest and from their Cultures Rupture”. Akbar Ahmed be- pation from an esteemed audience of personal experiences as children. gan his talk by noting the uniqueness psychoanalysts, mental health pro- of the Holocaust which has no parallel fessionals, academics, and leaders of Dr. Laub, a child survivor of the in the Muslim world and the impor- organizations interested in Islam and Holocaust, spent the better part of his tance of a Jewish-Muslim dialogue. He the Holocaust. professional life working with vic- stressed the need for a narrative about The conference on Fear and tims of massive trauma and writing Muslim history and the urgency for Trauma allowed for the suffering of about therapeutic work with severe the West to understand what is hap- n Dr. Akbar Ahmed (second from right) and participants in the dialogue the Holocaust and the suffering in the trauma. Dr. Ahmed, a child on one of pening in Muslim society. The enor- world of Islam to be discussed togeth- the trains during the mayhem of the of how narratives and dialogues de- tion. Only in the creation of testi- mity of unrest was underscored by his er for the first time. Pakistani partition, and holder of the velop out of terrifying experience mony could the knowing take place. remarking that of all the refugees in The New York Freudian Soci- Ibn Khaldum Chair of Islamic Studies and were presented by Paula Ellman, “Testimony,” said Dr. Laub, “can only the world today, 80% are Muslims. He ety, Washington, DC Program and at the School of International Service PhD, Arlene Kramer Richards, EdD emerge in the presence of a passionate went on to say that in Iraq alone four the School of International Service of at American University, is a prolific and Robert Rovner, PhD. The three listener.” million refugees have been created by American University in Washington, writer on the world of Islam and a clinical papers focused on otherness He presented examples of the our involvement there. DC collaborated in bringing together creator of interfaith dialogue. Both in one form or another and meshed incapacity of mothers to have any n DIALOGUE, P28 First Muslim to Command an Aviation Squadron in US Navy n By Lt. Nathan Christensen ployed to the US 5th Fleet area of operations pilot,” he said. “There is a Naval Aviation Mu- (AOO). seum poster with a little boy holding a toy air- Cmdr. Muhammad Muzzafar F. Khan relieved “I am absolutely thrilled and honored to plane and looking up at the sky. That little boy Cmdr. Timothy Langdon as Commanding Of- be placed in that position of stewardship,” said was me.” ficer of Sea Control Squadron (VS) 31 during a Khan. “It’s an honor and a tremendous feel- Some 40 years later, Khan does not just ceremony held at sea aboard USS John C. Sten- ing.” have ambitions to be a jet pilot; he is one. Not nis (CVN 74) May 13. Khan is the first Muslim As a child in Pakistan, Khan grew up only does Khan fly jet airplanes almost daily to take command of an operational aviation around aviation. His father served in the Paki- near his native Pakistan, but also, he now com- squadron in the US Navy. The “Topcats” of VS- stani Air Force for 21 years and then flew com- mands an aviation squadron responsible for six 31 are assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, mercial airplanes for 24 years. “As far back as aircraft and over 200 personnel. n Cmdr. Muhammad Muzzafar F. Khan embarked aboard Stennis, and currently de- I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a n FIRST MUSLIM, P28 of Pakistan from falling victim to the Faakhir Joins Battle against machinations of the tobacco industry. “Music is a driver of emotions, and it Smoking in Pakistan works if you strike the right chord”, Faakhir said, before he announced that he will release a song called ‘JIAY n Pakistan Link Report Speaking on the occasion, the JA’ to initiate a campaign against Federal Heath Minister said a role smoking and drugs and also create In a high-profile event to mark the model like Faakhir had the ability to awareness about healthy lifestyle! World No Tobacco Day in Islamabad inspire youth to lead a healthy life- It was also announced during recently, leading pop artist Faakhir style. He said it was his firm belief the event that the Ministry of Health was appointed Ambassador for To- that Faakhir being a well-known ce- is clamping stricter restrictions on bacco Control in Pakistan . An MoU lebrity would be highly successful in tobacco advertisement in Pakistan was signed in this regard between the dissuading our youth from tobacco as part of a renewed initiative to se- Federal Minister for Health, Moham- use. cure 100 percent smoke-free envi- mad Nasir Khan and Faakhir. The Faakhir in his remarks said he ronments. The Ministry will also dis- World Health Organization chief in was convinced that he could play a n Federal Minister for Health, Mohammad Nasir Khan with Faakhir after the courage the setting up of designated Pakistan was also present. positive role in preventing the youth signing of the MoU smoking areas. www.PakistanLink.com COMMUNITY P20 JUNE 15, 2007 - PAKISTAN LINK n Pakistan Link Report ister Shaukat Aziz are admittedly Pakistan in Washington, concurred aware of Link’s role in furnishing Pak- with the New America Media report: istan’s perspective on various issues to “It is in my knowledge that the edito- Newport Beach, CA: In 1991, an policymakers in Washington. rials and the news analysis published enterprising family named Rehman Like the Rehmans, Qureshey re- in Pakistan Link are accorded serious saw the pressing need in the growing lied on his family for the day-to-day consideration at the policy levels of Pakistani community for a newspa- management of the paper. Safi ’s broth- the USA Administration. Th e weekly per of its own that would connect not er, Wasi Qureshey, as President and is known for its pro-Pakistan stance only the two countries, but Pakistanis Managing Editor of Pakistan Link, and the community owns it with across America as well. Faiz Rehman worked with great energy and zeal to pride because the end product is quite became the editor of the fl edgling introduce all-round improvements, impressive as compared to the other Pakistan Link with the enthusiastic and his eff orts were richly rewarded as similar publications of the commu- support of his father, the noted Urdu Pakistan Link and Urdu Link became nity”. poet Abdul Rehman Siddiqi. buzz names in the community. Th e task of launching the news- Indisputably, it was Wasi’s vast A Man with Goals n The Mansuris in the Badshahi Mosque, Lahore (March 2007) Newport Beach, CA: Well-known have a direct focus on the main- industrialist and community activist stream American community and its Arif Zaff ar Mansuri has acquired PL policymakers, think tanks and inter- Publications, LLC, the publisher of faith groups.

Load more