Jews, Christians and Muslims gathered in a Coral Gables church. They talked Abraham, unity

As someone of the Jewish faith, Daniella Levine Cava enjoys attending church services and celebrating with Muslim friends and neighbors.

So the Miami-Dade mayor made her way to Coral Gables Congregational United Church to listen to an interfaith panel Sunday afternoon. Pastor Aaron Lauer of the Coral Gables church, Rabbi Robyn Fisher of Beth Or and Raabia Khan of the Islamic Foundation of South Florida discussed Abraham and unity at the Coalition of South Florida Muslim Organizations’ event.

Interfaith dialogues, Levine Cava said, allow people to celebrate differences in a divisive time.

“We are heralded across the world as a community that is unifying, affirming in our diversity,” Levine Cava said.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam are known as Abrahamic faiths because they’re based on Abraham’s values, Fisher said. Abraham was the first person called to be in relationship with God. He embodied compassion, generosity, love, justice and peace — values that unite the three faiths.

In Islam, Abraham starts a long line of prophets and is considered the friend of God, Khan said. He was repeatedly tested but always honored his commitment to God, which made him leader of the nations.

Abraham’s unwavering belief must have meant that he knew that God would give him a way out of sacrificing his son, Lauer said. The story reminds the faithful that God doesn’t turn away, he provides.

During the sacrifice, Abraham looks up and sees an alternative, Fisher said. The faithful can look up to answer questions, solve challenges and correct injustices.

“[There are] so many nuances in this story that are so beautiful to behold and to embrace and to have wisdom to teach us in our own lives,” Fisher said. “It wasn’t just an ancient story that we all connect to.”

Abraham’s submission to God allowed him to take a leap of faith, Khan said. He was a moral leader, she said, and used justice, mercy and kindness to unite people.

“His story is every day’s story,” she said. “Our struggles are everyday struggles”

People of different faiths can unite in a call to justice and show the world what peace looks like, Lauer said. Abraham warmly welcomed people others in his community feared, and he was blessed with a son for it.

“The Old Testament tells us love your neighbor,” Fisher said. “How are we going to love our neighbor if we don’t even know our neighbor?”

Lauer, who works with youth confirming in the church, said he wants to take more time to learn from other faith traditions.

“As Christians, [we should be] humbling ourselves and taking the place of the student... with no agenda other than to sit and learn from our siblings of faith,” he said.

All faith communities have come together in times of need, Khan said. They connected to provide COVID-19 vaccines and respond to the Surfside tragedy.

“This is Ibrahim’s, peace be upon him, example,” she said. “It is God’s blessing that we can make [this message] continue to reach the hearts of those who are not in this space and time.”