othErs 18 dunedin’s sons of abraham By Michael NeilsoN
Before getting started, I should clarify that the title of this article does not refer to a <strong>co</strong>uple of blokes you might catch down at the Cook on a Thursday night. Abraham and his sons Isaac and Ishmael provide the historical and spiritual roots of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. University Chaplain Greg Hughson explains: “Abraham is a very special character, who was admired by all the followers of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. He is a great example of faith and trust in God.” Sharik Hussein, a Muslim student and member of the Student Interfaith Group, provides a nice analogy: “Think of three holes in the ceiling, with three beams of light, but still the same source of light. That is Abraham to the three faiths.” Jewish people trace their roots back to Isaac, who formed the “Israelites” nation, while Muslims trace their heritage back to Ishmael, who formed the “Ishmaelite” nation. Christians fit in there somewhere, but it’s more <strong>co</strong>mplicated. They all believe in the one God, but have differing opinions on how to interpret God’s teachings and whom they regard as true “prophets”. Muslims regard Prophet Mohammad as the final messenger of God, while Jews insist that they’re still waiting for the messiah to turn up. Fast forward a few thousand years, cross several oceans, and you’ll find small Jewish and Muslim <strong>co</strong>mmunities in Dunedin. A small number of Jews first arrived in Dunedin during the Nineteenth Century, creating a cultural and artistic legacy disproportionate to the tiny Jewish population. The Jewish <strong>co</strong>mmunity helped develop the early e<strong>co</strong>nomy of the city, notably the Hallensteins family, who started a well-known clothing chain – bet you can’t you guess its name? The first synagogue, built on Moray Place in 1863, is today the Temple Gallery. Mathew Shrimpton, President of the Jewish Students Asso- ciation and the Student Interfaith Group, says that today the Jewish <strong>co</strong>mmunity is small – “about 50 families or so” – but quite progressive, meaning there is not a strict adherence to traditional Jewish practices. While you are unlikely to see bearded Orthodox Jews knelling in prayer, the <strong>co</strong>mmunity still gets together every fortnight or so, as well as for big cultural and religious events. Dunedin’s mini Tel aviv Shrimpton’s own practice is not strictly “day to day”, but more an “identity, cultural thing”, which he attributes to university life and the lack of other Jewish students. “If I lived somewhere else in a more Jewish environment I might be doing more religious things. I guess it’s a function of where you are… like a buffet really, you take what you want and leave what you don’t.” One of these traditions is Sabbath, the Jewish day of rest. Traditionally, from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday Jewish people will eschew everyday activities and use the time to reflect on spiritual aspects of life and spend time with family. Among other things, they are prohibited from “lighting a fire”, which <strong>co</strong>vers the use of electricity and automobiles, and other traditional scarfie activities. With university assignments and social events it can be very difficult as a student, though ultimately Shrimpton enjoys the practice: “I like being able to switch off and take some time to think. I guess it’s a chance to look at yourself without any outside influences.” brothErs <strong>critic</strong>.<strong>co</strong>.<strong>nz</strong> 19
Change language