What did Abraham teach his children about faith and coexistence? Abraham, our patriarch of absolute kindness and faith, passed on his passionate commitment for God to his children, Ishmael and Isaac, the respective fathers of Islam and Judaism. One of the greatest challenges facing people of all faiths is how to coexist and reconcile one’s own beliefs with that of another, without compromising one
self in the process. How do you balance your own absolute beliefs with compassion for those that may not share your beliefs? Do you destroy those that have no faith or are of another faith? Abraham was committed to God, and this commitment meant that he was committed to God’s children, to educate and inspire them to follow God’s law. Faith in God means faith in the human race which is created in the Image of God. Faith in God is about repair and transformation, not about destruction. In a cold room you can warm yourself by donning a fur coat, which warms you but no one else. Or you can light a fireplace, and then warm everyone in the room. Faith is not about you alone, it is about everyone around you as well. Abraham is the epitome of loving kindness and the epitome of faith. Precisely because faith is so passionate and potent a force, it can be very destructive when not driven and tempered by love and compassion. Focusing on this compassion that can be developed when connecting with each other is the core mission of Sons Of Abraham today. Although the sons of Abraham began their lives in both physical and spiritual struggle with each other, ultimately the family had a rectification and were shoulder to shoulder when burying their holy father in Hevron/Al Khalil (both names etymologically referring to "friendship" and "uniting").
