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Fall 2004

Admission Fee:
$5.00 (for Undergraduate students and Group Leaders*)
$5.00 (for Graduate Students and Faculty and Staff)

*Group leaders must be U-M faculty, staff, or GSIs.
How to book a group of 10 or more.
Group sales deadline for this event is: Monday, September 13

In celebration of the Fall 2004 Theme Semester:
"Cultural Treasures of the Middle East".

Muslim, Jewish and Christian teenagers uniting for peace in the shadow of 9/11 and the Middle East conflict. A new play by Rachel Urist and the writers of the Mosaic Youth Theatre.

The internationally-acclaimed Mosaic Youth of Detroit led by founder Rick Sperling, has partnered with executive producer and interfaith activist Brenda Naomi Rosenberg, playwright Rachel Urist, and the NCCJ's Interfaith Partners to create a powerful new peace initiative that utilizes the creative arts of drama, music, improvisation and interactive dialogue, "The Children of Abraham Project."

For more than two months Muslim, Jewish and Christians teens from metro Detroit came together to discuss their lives, their fears, and the possibility of peace between their three religions. Results of those powerful conversations are more than a new play, "The Children of Abraham Project" is a ray of hope. This fictional retelling, inspired by the story of Abraham and his two sons Isaac and Ishmael, provides a framework for exploring the bonds that bring these religions together and the conflicts, which keep them apart. From the unique viewpoint of young people, new light is shed on these centuries-old issues.

"The Children of Abraham Project" is a creative response to show how it is possible to break down the long standing barriers of prejudice and hate. The play and dialogue gives us an opportunity to bring together audiences of both teens and adults in our community. With our NCCJ Interfaith Partners we will be bringing together congregations of Christian, Muslims, and Jews, most meeting for the first time to see the performance and through interactive dialogue, experience how reconciliation and peace between all Abraham's children is possible. It also gives us the opportunity to bring together diverse religious and cultural organizations to support the project, many partnering for the first time.

Community Partners include: ACCESS Arab American Center Economic Social Services, Jewish Community Council, Interfaith Partners of N.C.C.J. (The National Conference for Community and Justice), The Metropolitan Christian Council, Detroit and Windsor, B'nai B'rith, ADL Anti Defamation League, American Jewish Committee, JET Theatre, Specs Howard School of Broadcast, American Middle East Christian Congress, Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan, Cities of Peace Project, World Sabbath of Religious Reconciliation, Metro Detroit Center for Attitudinal Healing, The Michigan Institute for Nonviolence Education, ACC, Arab American Chaldean Council, Greater Detroit Chapter Hadassah, NAACP, Pathways to Peace, Wings 4 Peace, New Voices, Nonprofit Enterprise at Work, and Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.

For more info: http://www.mosaicdetroit.org/ and http://www.communityhouse.com/