Def Jam Mogul Russell Simmons Hosts Peace Dialog

Hip-hop activist and entrepreneur Russell Simmons is hosting a summit this Wednesday (Nov 7th) to promote understanding between Muslim and Jewish communities. The event, which is organized by The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding (FFEU.org), will pair Muslim and Jewish leaders from 11 major U.S. cities.

"The goal of this summit is to provide the participants with the tools to cultivate a strong communal relationship as Americans in their hometowns, and not solely as Jews or Muslims," said Simmons in an interview with AllHipHop.com.

Simmons was appointed to the board of directors of the FFEU in 2002, and currently serves as chairman. The rap mogul, who helped shape the careers of Kurtis Blow, Run DMC, the Beastie Boys and Will Smith, has long used his position in the hip-hop community to promote positivity.

The conference will take place at the Islamic Cultural Center of New York and the New York Synagogue. Representatives from the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life, the Muslim Consultative Network, and the Muslim Public Affairs Council will lead workshops on issues such as the Israeli and Palestinian conflict. The idea is to focus on the areas of commonality rather than the issues which divide.

"Whether Jewish or Muslim, we are all American. There is a value system and culture that we share - these must be embraced and nurtured," said Rabbi Mark Schneier, who is both the founder and President of the FFEU. "We must stop being distracted by political hotbed issues that divide us in the Middle East and learn to relate to each other within the context of being an American."