• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom™

Enriching Women's Souls, Shattering Stereotypes

  • What We Do
    • Mission and Vision
      • Validation of Our Impact
    • Sisterhood Chapters
    • Teen Chapters: Join Us!
    • Social Justice Action Groups
      • Immigrant Communities Action Group (ICAS)
      • Racial Justice Action Group
      • Uyghur and India Action Group
    • Tzedakah/Sadaqa Day 2020
    • Building Bridges Trips
      • Building Bridges Trip 2020: Tuscon, Arizona
      • Building Bridges Trip 2019: Germany and Poland
      • Building Bridges Trip 2018: The American South
      • Building Bridges Trip 2017: Azerbaijan
      • Building Bridges Trip 2016: The Balkans
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events
  • Annual Conference
    • 7th Annual Sisterhood Conference~ Together We Rise
    • 2019 6th Annual Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom Gathering
      • Hands-on Learning Lab Workshops- Gathering 2019
    • 2018 Conference: #RaiseYourVoice
    • 2017 Conference: Rising Up
  • Who We Are
    • Executive Director’s Letter
    • Board of Trustees 2020
    • Staff
    • Regional Coordinators
    • Position Statements
      • Israel Palestine
      • Israel’s annexation plan of the West Bank
      • Racial Injustice
      • Uyghur Statement and Fact Sheet
      • Statement on Forced Hysterectomies
      • Statement Regarding Genocidal Practices Imposed on Uyghur Women
  • Resources
    • Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom Membership Manual
      • Introduction
      • Guide to Starting a New Chapter
      • Co-Leader’s Guide
      • Successful Dialogues and Effective Meetings
      • Suggested Meeting Themes
      • Sharing Holidays
      • Toolkits for Special Projects
      • Guidelines for Endorsements, Media Coverage and Social Media
      • Resources
    • Rise and Respond: Guide to Responding to Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism
    • Videos & How-to Guides
      • Engaging in Difficult Conversations: Series 1
      • Spiritual Activism and Community Service: Series 2
      • Responding to Biased or Offensive Comments by: Judith Kaye Training and Consulting
    • Holidays
    • Best Practices for Meeting Members’ Needs on Zoom
      • Zoom Friendly Meeting Ideas
  • In the News
    • Awards and Recognitions
    • Press
    • Our Newsletter
    • Updates from Our Teen Chapters
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Voluntary Dues
  • Shop
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Details: January 2016 Journey to the Balkans

Explore the rich history, beauty, and complexity of the Balkan countries through this fascinating journey of peace to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, and Albania from January 10-19, 2016! This trip is open to all Muslim and Jewish women and their spouses/partners. A special group airfare is available leaving early evening on January 10. See below for highlights of our itinerary or see our full itinerary.

  • Discover how the intersection of ethnicity, religion, and nationalism has shaped the history of the region
  • Meet with local religious leaders, community organizations, and peace activists who are pioneering projects in coexistence.
  • In Bosnia-Herzegovina, visit the capital of Sarajevo to learn about both the cultural fluorescence of its Jewish community and the tragic history of the 1995 Srebrenica Genocide.
  • Meet with Jews who helped to save Muslims during the Genocide.
  • Explore the modern metropolis of Belgrade along the Danube and Sava rivers, where you will have opportunities to build new friendships through meetings with local community groups like Women in Black.
  • Dive deeper into the histories of Muslim-Jewish coexistence with a trip to Albania.
  • In the modern capital of Tirana discover the inspiring tales of Muslim protection of Albanian Jews during World War II and learn about efforts to promote peace among the different confessional and ethnic communities in the region.

To apply for the trip, please fill out this Sisterhood Informational Form and sign up with Medji tours, who is managing our trip.

During your visit to Bosnia, you will:

  • Visit the National Museum of Bosnia where the historic Sarajevo Haggadah is kept
  • Take a walking tour of Sarajevo and its history with special accent on relations between Jews and Muslims
  • Meet with Jakob Finci, the leader of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Jewish community who also runs the charity Benevolencija, through which he helped save thousands of Muslim lives during the war
  • Learn about the history of the Balkan civil war with one of the former generals of the Army of Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Visit Srebrenica and the genocide memorial center (opened and inaugurated by US president Bill Clinton
  • Visit Kamencia and the “Valley of mass graves” where Serbs buried thousands of executed Muslim men and boys in secondary mass graves
  • Meet and have a dialogue with the association Mothers of Srebrenica
  • Meet with Nela Hasic of Women’s Health Empowerment (WHEP) providing support groups and hotlines for breast cancer survivors, free mammogram checks, pap tests, and workshops. Nela’s work is successful through the acknowledgement that cancer is a killer that doesn’t differentiate among ethnicities or religions
  • Meet the Grand Mufti of Bosnia (lead Islamic community in Bosnia) and visit the Bey’s mosque – the most important mosque in Sarajevo
  • Meet with members of the Interreligious Council in Bosnia-Herzegovina

 During your visit to Albania, you will:

  • Experience how Albania is the only country in Europe where the number of Jews increased during WWII. The tour in Albania will focus on following anecdotal stories of how Albania was able to save the Jewish community.
  • Attend Sabbath Services in Albania and share in a traditional Sabbath dinner with the community
  • Explore Tirana during a walking tour, including a visit to the Peace Bell and the Et’hem Mosque
  • Tour the State Museum to learn the history of Albania and Albanians that helped save Jewish lives
  • Meet with representatives working on interfaith efforts (the Inter-Religious Council of Albania)
  • Meet with the Alliance of Parliamentary Women and  the Network of Women who fight for equality in decision making and politics
  • Visit the Orthodox and Catholic Church in Tirana (learn about Christian Muslim relations)
  • Visit Skenderbeg Castle in Kruja
  • Meet with local Muslim families who helped save Jews during World War II
  • Visit a Madrassa (school) and talk with students and teachers about interfaith relations
  • Visit the city of Durres, See the Amphitheater and the Museum in town and learn more about the history of Durres and Albania
  • Meet with government officials, including the President of Albania, and be hosted for a government official dinner

We hope you can join us on this life-changing trip! Feel free to contact us with questions or for more information.

Footer

About Us

  • What We Do
  • Who We Are
  • Press

Get Involved

  • Contact
  • Resources
  • Annual Conference
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Donate Now
  • Privacy Policy
  • WordPress Site Credits

© Copyright 2020 — Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom™

Town Hall Facebook Live With One of The Sisterhood's Greatest Supporters inThe U.S. Senate!
Cofounders, Sheryl Olitzky and Atiya Aftab, in dialogue with Senator Cory Booker as we focus on the issues facing us as Muslim and Jewish women in this challenging time in our history. Click here to watch.