As a part of Islamic Awareness week, the Muslim Student Association sponsored an interfaith dialogue between Jews, Muslims and Christians Wednesday evening at the Chemistry Annex on campus.

The purpose of the dialogue called "Building Bridges," was to bring different faiths together, said Omar Galahari, executive board member of the Muslim Student Association (MSA).

Galahari said the reason the MSA included the event in Islamic Awareness week was to do exactly what the name of the week suggests — spread understanding of Islam.

"By having different groups talking to each other, you create awareness," he said.

Once Associate Provost of International Affairs Earl Kellogg introduced the discussion, and Professor Michael Shapiro, president of the Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation talked about the images Christianity and Islam have of Judaism and the obstacles that must be overcome before an interfaith discussion could happen.

"All these abstract formulations of the 'other' need to be tested against history and tested against reality for an interfaith dialogue to take place," Shapiro said.

Shapiro also said that the Israeli-Palestinian issue could not be ignored if a dialogue were to take place.

"It's like a big box in the middle of the room; you can't ignore it," he said.

Pastor Larry Wilson, former pastor at First Mennonite Church in Urbana, spoke of what could be learned from the different faiths.

"This is an important conversation that needs to happen," Wilson said. "We have to get to know how to talk to each other and this kind of dialogue helps us put a face to each other."

Wilson said he could learn a lot from both Judaism and Islam and that he already has. However, he felt that more could be achieved.

"What would happen if the best of our faiths and people could learn how to talk to each other?" he asked.

Mohammed Abdullah, the past President of the Central Illinois Mosque and Islamic Center, represented Islam on the panel. He said if God chose, he could have made everyone the same religion, but he made everyone different to test them.

"The idea of building bridges requires us to break down the walls," he said. "Can we achieve oneness with this diversity?"

Abdullah also referred to the history of the Muslim community in Champaign-Urbana, and said the warmth of the community and understanding gave them an opportunity to practice their faith.

Professor Kenneth Cuno, associate professor of history and director of the program in South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, wrapped up the discussion by talking about accepting differences. He said it was important to understand each other's theologies and to work together on points of mutual interest.

"Each religion has a particular viewpoint toward each other," he said. "If we are to have dialogue, we have to accept difference."

Graduate student Paul Sundberg attended the lecture and felt that one question had not been addressed — that of intra-faith dialogue.

"Interfaith dialogue is valuable," Sundberg said. "The people who come to interfaith dialogues are already converted. It's the duty of those who go to interfaith dialogues to speak to those fanatical elements — those at the locus of the three faiths should go back and talk so that it percolates down to the man on the street."