Macedonian Muslim looks to L.A.

The Jewish Journal looks at the invitation to Macedonian Muslim Ismail Bardhi to teach at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and his troubled past in Skopje. Bardhi was a peace activist who tried to bring together the Orthodox and Muslim communities in Macedonia. Bardhi is a polyglot and a scholar and received a rifle butt in the face for his troubles. But his move to LA seems very hopeful:

"If we want people to get a more three-dimensional aspect of faith in the modern world," she added, "especially these days when it comes to Islam, there is no better place to get it than the horse's mouth. Everybody asks, 'Where are the moderate Muslims?' Well, it's great that there is one right at HUC."

Bardhi plans to stay through the spring semester, which ends in May, and then return home. Why? So he can teach his compatriots how to live in an ethnically and religiously diverse community, something he hopes to learn a lot about in Los Angeles.

I love that last bit, looking to Los Angeles for inspiration. So many see Los Angeles as a place devoid of culture, but really the city is a fascinating mosaics of people from everywhere. Much luck to Bardhi in the future!

via Progressive Muslima News.