Constitutional Law

Jews, Muslims unite to serve homeless on Christmas Day

By By The Associated Press

DETROIT ? Jews and Muslims in the Detroit area united Christmas Day to serve the community while Christian neighbors celebrated their holiday.

The event traditionally known as Mitzvah Day was held on a Friday across southeast Michigan because Christmas fell this year on a Saturday, which is the Jewish Sabbath. Observant Jews don't work from sundown each Friday until sundown Saturday.

About 50 Muslims joined several hundred Jews at sites serving food to the homeless, sorting used books for a sale to benefit literacy education and taking the elderly to a Christmas Eve service.

The interfaith sites concluded by noon to accommodate Muslims' Friday prayers, and other sites were scheduled to wrap up by 3 p.m. to avoid any conflict with Shabbat.

A few hundred Muslims filled the gap on Christmas, providing meals for seniors and toys for needy children at a Detroit center.

Victor Begg, who leads the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan, said the creative scheduling allows Muslims to help Christians and Jews.

"It's a dual purpose as far as we're concerned: Serving the people and ... building relationships," Begg said.

Full post as published by First Amendment Center on December 31, 2010 (boomark / email).