NEW YORK: The American Jewish Committee hosted the Second International Hindu-Jewish Summit in Jerusalem last week. The summit, according to Ved Chaudhary, General Secretary of Hindu Collective Initiative, NY, brings together 20 Hindu leaders, including some of the most important names in contemporary Hindu world, with Jewish leaders including the Chief Rabbis of the State of Israel and the Rabbinate's Commission for Inter-religious Dialogue.

It was a meeting which ought to have been held years before considering the international political and religious situation, at once so volatile and significant for creation of a more purposeful relations. Two of the world's most ancient and equally important spiritual and moral traditions have finally thought it fit to come together for a dialogue and hence cement a bond of understanding."

Almost by definition, diplomatic relationships are superficial and transient," said Rabbi David Rosen, AJC's International Director of Interreligious Affairs. His observation, "by developing and deepening inter-religious understanding and intercultural ties, one gives far more substance and durability to such relationships," touches the heart of the matter.The International Hindu-Jewish summits are an initiative of the World Council of Religious Leaders (WCORL), and are held under the auspices of the All India Dharma Acharya Sabha and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.

The first summit took place last year in Delhi and explored commonalities inthe respective Jewish and Hindu traditions and identities. In Delhi the delegates committed to continue meeting and develop initiatives to promote social justice, religious freedom and mutual education about Hinduism and Judaism.

This meeting, between one of the largest bodies of spiritual thoughts representing Hinduism and much smaller group of religious tradition, Judaism, signifies the manifestation of a dynamic realization of the universality of all traditions paving way for all different groups to come together without going into the complexities of their age and volumes of wisdom, especially the differences in the perception of the "Absolute," or whatever one deems to call it.Arguably that reinforces the Upanishadic message of universality of human spirit and continues the inquiry without any further debates, but "let the experiences of mutual learning pave the WAY.

"This week's summit in Jerusalem has been organized in cooperation with AJC and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. While in Israel, the leaders also are meeting with President Shimon Peres, government, ministers, as well as Christian and Muslim religious leadership. Rabbi Rosen, who is also a member of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel's Commission for Inter-religious Dialog, and participated in the first summit, expressed his deep satisfaction that AJC is playing such a key role in this bilateral development."Never before has such a high level delegation of Hindu leaders visited Israel, let alone for an official dialogue with the Israeli religious establishment and under national auspices," said Rabbi Rosen.