Rabbis, pastors and community members of all backgrounds
gathered in a moving interfaith memorial yesterday in honor of the
second anniversary of journalist Daniel Pearl’s death.
The memorial included messages by various religious leaders who
stressed the commonality of all humans and advocated for interfaith
understanding and tolerance.
Musical performances added a special touch to the event by
reflecting Pearl’s musical talents. Roger Lebow, a concerto
soloist and chamber player with the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra,
played the cello, one of the instruments Pearl also played.
Pearl, a Wall Street Journal reporter, was kidnapped and killed
in Karachi, Pakistan by Islamic militants. His parents, Judea and
Ruth Pearl, were notified of his death Feb. 21, 2002. Judea Pearl
is a computer science professor at UCLA.
Event organizers agreed that Pearl strived for intercultural
dialogue and tolerance.
“Daniel Pearl stood for such great values, such openness
to the world that we are honored and privileged to be a part of
this,” said Ester Renzer, president of Stand With Us, a
grassroots Israel advocacy organization that helped sponsor the
event.
Dania Ahmed, president of the UCLA Pakistani Student
Association, also spoke at the memorial, stressing Pearl’s
efforts in overcoming cultural barriers and condemning the tragic
nature his murder.
“Such acts do not represent the community of Pakistan in
any way,” she said.
Messages delivered by religious leaders emphasized the common
human bond between people of different cultures and faiths.
“We have to speak out against violence which claims
religious justifications,” said Rev. Frank Wulf from the
University Religious Conference.
“We know that the history of religion has been tainted by
violence … by people who have forgotten that we come from the
same blood,” he added.
Rabbi David Wolpe from the Sinai Temple described how Pearl has
become a figure that brings many people together.
“He has transcended in his individuality to become
something that we all share,” he said.
Wolpe also discussed Pearl’s last words, “I am
Jewish,” and their significance.
“If you affirm your own identity, then you connect with
all humanity. That is what (Pearl) did. That is what in his last
moment was his soul’s song, and that is why for those of us
who did not know him his memory was such a blessing,” he
said.
Pearl’s last words inspired an anthology edited by Judea
and Ruth called “I Am Jewish.”
Judea also spoke at the memorial, discussing his son’s
success in creating friendship, respect and understanding through
journalism and music.
“By bringing together people of different faiths, building
trust, and uniting them in a common stand for sanity and humanity,
our son’s life ““ and his untimely death ““ will
make a difference,” he said.
Carol Brass, one of the few students in attendance, said she
remembered feeling disturbed when she heard of Pearl’s
murder.
“I wanted to try and honor his memory. … If there is
anything I could do it would be going to this, just being someone
who remembers him,” said Brass, a first-year philosophy
student.
The event was also sponsored by Bruins for Israel, UCLA Hillel,
St. Alban’s Episcopal Church and the Daniel Pearl
Foundation.