Rick Warren, major Jewish leaders befriend largest American Muslim group

Pastor Rick Warren to address American Muslims

NEW YORK — Sayyid Syeed remembers an interfaith event several years ago when a Jewish leader went to embrace him, saw someone snapping a photo, then suddenly pulled back.

“He said to the man, ‘Stop,’” Syeed recalled, “‘I’ll lose my job.’”

Times have changed for the Islamic Society of North America and for Syeed, who leads the group’s interfaith outreach. In a sign of growing acceptance of U.S. Muslims, one of the most prominent religious leaders in the country, evangelical pastor Rick Warren, will speak at the Islamic Society’s annual convention this weekend. Representatives from the two largest streams of American Judaism, the Reform and Conservative movements, will also be there to highlight their recently formed partnerships with the Muslim group.