Publish "Of Strangers & Enemies"

This book began with an interview - one that my wife did on CNN during Lent 2015. She decided to wear the hijab for Lent, and suddenly she had national and international media paying attention to it. While we were preparing together for the CNN interview, we decided that her message was to encourage people to love neighbors, strangers and enemies. She nailed the interview. With a professor getting fired for doing the same thing less than a year later, it is clear that there is a need for a different story to be told than the one of fear, isolation, and indifference that our politicians and religious leaders keep telling us. That's the impetus for 'Of Strangers & Enemies: A Pathway to Peace for Jews, Christians, & Muslims'.

'Of Strangers and Enemies' takes a look at three commands – to love neighbors, strangers, and enemies – through the lenses of each of the three Abrahamic faiths. The goal is to demonstrate that each faith – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – contain commands and guidance towards transforming relationships through the way we live in relation to neighbors, strangers, and enemies. The purpose of this book is to encourage people to engage in what I have termed “dialogical friendships”, characterized by reciprocity, mutuality, and openness to our religious others. It seeks to be both culturally relevant (given our current political and social climate) as well as timeless in its approach.

"Many books have been written in an attempt to help us understand these issues and to find a meaningful way towards peace between these three religions. However, much of that discussion takes place in the realm of academia, meaning that many ‘normal’ people either don’t have access or won’t attempt to access those resources. I felt it was important to distill some of this information in a way that a person who has never thought about these ideas can come to an understanding of them, as well as to inspire people from all backgrounds to see their lives as an important part of this peacemaking process." (Of Strangers & Enemies, Introduction)

I am a teacher and a writer with The Isaac Ishmael Initiative, working primarily with Christians to encourage them to engage in meaningful and reciprocal relationships across lines of religious difference, especially with Muslims in our communities.  My life is dedicated to changing the narrative of fear and isolation that is purveyed by political and religious leaders in our communities, nation, and world.  I created SE7EN FAST with my wife last year to create an opportunity for non-Muslims and Muslims to break bread together, one of the most profound acts of peacemaking known to humankind.  I'm also relatively unknown.

That anonymity is a barrier to traditional publishing.  Today, publishing a book with a publishing house is more related to how many people know you than it is to do with with you have to say.  If you have a 'platform', or a guarantee of sales for the book, you will get it published.  If not, it doesn't really matter the quality or relevance of the book - it won't get published.

For this reason, I have chosen to go the route of self-publishing 'Of Strangers & Enemies: A Pathway to Peace for Jews, Christians, and Muslims'.  Self-publishing is relatively simple, especially as the book industry has changed so dramatically.  The money that I am raising for this project will go towards paying for professional copy-editing and publication costs related to self-publishing. 

As the content of 'Of Strangers & Enemies' is incredibly relevant to our current political and social challenges, I hope to move forward with this project swiftly, completing the publishing process by the end of March, 2016. 

However, as a self-employed non-profit worker, I don't have the funds to make this happen on my own.  That's where you come in.  By giving to this campaign, you not only voice your support for the publication of this book, but you also attest that you are interested in participating in the process of making peace with your neighbors, strangers, and enemies.  I believe this book is both incredibly important and increasingly relevant.  It needed to be written, and now it needs to be read. 

I can't do that without you.

I am incredibly grateful for your support in making this project a success.  The first step is publication.  The next step is getting the book into the hands of as many people as possible - which can't happen if without your help in completing the first step.  Thanks so much for walking the pathway of peace with me!