These women spread the word on religious tolerance
Book clubs bind Jews, Christians, and Muslims
NEWTON -- The 14 women sitting in an outdoor hut, or sukkot , for the Jewish harvest holiday may not be related, but they call themselves the Daughters of Abraham or spiritual sisters. They're gathered in a tight circle discussing sukkot and one of this month's book club picks -- "The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews , and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain " by María Rosa Menocal -- at the home of rabbi Cherie Koller-Fox .
But their discussion could easily be called "How Muslims, Jews , and Christians Created a Culture of Acceptance in Modern Boston."
"They thrived together," says Saadia Husain Baloch , a Muslim software engineer, referring to the book.
"They really benefited from each other socially and economically," interjects Anne Minton , a retired Catholic nun.
And for the next hour, the women raise their hands, itching to share their stories on the subject.
As their club's name suggests, the DOA are Jewish, Christian, and Muslim women who gather to talk about literary works that delve into one or more of their faiths, which are connected through Abraham.
What began with a book club in Cambridge in the aftermath of 9/11 has evolved into five clubs in Boston that are generating interest nationwide.
After PBS aired a story on them this month, women in 14 other states called the DOA to start their own groups.
Besides finding good reads and engaging in lively talks about the Bible and the Koran, the women have discovered clarity into one another's faiths and insights in to their own.
"You are constantly educating the people in the group, and they are educating you," says Husain Baloch , who prays five times a day, something with which some of the other women in her club were unfamiliar.
Looking to bond with Jewish and Christian women as well as wanting to share her experiences as a Muslim in Boston, she and her mother, Farhat , joined the Newton group last year. "You learn about people's experiences just out of discussing the books," Husain Baloch says.
Koller-Fox, a hospital chaplain who is this night's host, says she has learned about the different layers of Christianity. "I learned that Christianity is not monolithic. It's not that I didn't know that, but I didn't understand it the way I do now," she says, adding that she has also walked away with a better understanding of how dedicated Muslims are to their faith. "I've come to really respect Islam from the point of view of the women in the group," she says. "I admire their devotion to it."
Conflict in the Middle East and religious enmity has motivated religious followers of other faiths to better understand one another in and outside of Boston.
In New York, three Muslim, Jewish , and Christian mothers wrote a book about their own group, "The Faith Club." The book explains how other interfaith clubs can bridge religious barriers through honest conversation.
The founder of the DOA also found light in the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001. That night, Edie Howe attended an interfaith service at the First Church of Cambridge, where she remembers the pews packed with women, including some with head scarves representing the Muslim faith. Looking to foster understanding among the Abrahamic faiths, she came up with the idea for a women's book club.
"We really were daughters, or children of Abraham," Howe recalls. "I was so distraught at the thought of the hatred based on stereotypes. If people could just get to know a Jew or a Muslim or a Christian, they would have different feelings."
After a year of planning, a group of 18 women met for the first time. As word spread through the religious grapevine, more groups formed. Now there are three groups in Cambridge, one at Boston College, and one in Newton with at least 100 women altogether. Each group has about 21 members, with about seven representing each faith.
The women range in ages (from 18 to 72) and in jobs (from students and teachers to lawyers and real estate agents ) . Yet they share a common interest in how they apply their faiths in their everyday lives.
"One of the most powerful things is I feel my own faith strengthened when I encounter the faith of the other women in the group," says Minton , who helped found the first book club with Howe. She also attends four of the Boston - area groups. "After 9/11, it was clear to me that whatever time God has given me, I wanted to bring reconciliation and understanding among these three faiths."
The women meet for two hours, from 7 to 9 p.m., and they keep a list from which they rotate books from the three religions. Books, both fiction and nonfiction, range from history to memoirs to religious philosophy or poetry from Arabs in Andalusia , Spain.
The first half hour, they have social time and catch up on their lives . Then they discuss the selected book for an hour.
At this month's meeting they discuss "A Vanished World: Medieval Spain's Golden Age of Enlightenment" by Chris Lowney . The book deals with medieval Spain when Jews, Christians, and Muslims lived together peacefully in Spanish villages.
Some of the women have bonded outside the book club as well. Last year they traveled to Spain to explore holy sites. In May they visited Jerusalem. Some women also visit each other's mosques, temples , and churches to observe services. Koller-Fox invited Husain Baloch to attend a Rosh Hashana service, where she was a guest speaker. The Monday before the October group meeting, Husain Baloch invited some of the women to observe iftar, the meal served at the end of the day to break fast during the Ramadan holidays.
"People are looking for the opportunity to make connections with people of different faiths," Husain Baloch adds. "For Muslims it's the added bonus for people to get to know us."
Johnny Diaz can be reached at jodiaz@globe.com. 
