Sometimes, being in the right place at the right time, whether by coincidence or not, can lead to macro change. I don't know what is going to happen at the Western Wall in the future, but the times they are certainly a-changing.

For the last 24 years we have been going to the Western Wall with only one goal in mind: to pray as a community of women with Torah and talllit, in full voice. This struggle for our rights as Jewish women has put me in newspapers as well as in prison; however, my intention from the beginning was neither of these things. I simply wanted to pray at Judaism's holiest site.

Asking questions is the right thing to do, and listening to the answer without interrupting is the civil thing to do. If we jump around from question to question without answering one, we achieve nothing. That is precisely what happened to me on Sean Hannity's show yesterday,

Personal relationships across religious difference creates religious literacy and interpersonal understanding; such understanding fosters compassion while cultivating a more peaceful and united society.

I had never before seen anyone protest an interfaith gathering. But yesterday, a small group of protestors verbally and physically harassed our group of religious leaders and foreign dignitaries. This response and the nature of our cross-cultural encounters leaves much to be desired.

Our strength as Bostonians comes in our diversity. We should embrace our fellow Muslim Bostonians, not fear them.

The common ground for Buddhism and Christianity is not then found in texts or philosophical musing. It is found in the hungry, the poor, the suffering, the sick.

A man with a long beard, exotic accent, flowing robes and a staff enters the mainstream American culture of Phoenix and becomes a beacon for the most assimilated people in the city. It is as if his otherness transmits an aura of authenticity, spiritual profundity and religious truth.

Some people do not believe in God at all, while others believe in many gods. Others believe that God infinitely shapes their lives and their afterlives. Others look to themselves to be shaped. There are a variety of different religions, and as many as 22 major religions in the world today.

Justice will be done if you punish a guilty individual per the law of the land, but blaming intangibles like his community and religion does not serve justice. Rather, it aggravates the cohesiveness and hurt everyone in the process.

Many years ago, when I was a feisty 16-year-old, I had a meaningful experience at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. No, it wasn't a religious awakening or a spiritual vision. Rather, it was a new understanding of the power of compromise.

Akbar the Great, ruler of most of South Asia in the 16th and early 17th century, rejected bigotry and made unprecedented moves to help non-Muslims feel at peace in his Mughal empire -- actions antithetical to current violence against vulnerable religious communities around the world.

I grew up in a one-size-fits-all Judaism that, in fact, fit very few. There was one service to attend, one way to pray, and little if any room to experiment with other ways to connect to the sacred. Now, we live in a society that demands choice.

One of the great themes of the Christian Easter story is that the love of God can overcome the worst of human folly, wickedness and weakness. This idea, if taken seriously, would be a tonic in many parts of the world today, but perhaps nowhere is it more desperately needed than in the Muslim world.

Insha Allah, we will do more intra-faith dialogue and learn to respect each other for what we believe, and not get hell bent on proving and denying each other's faith.

Saint Francis and Sultan al Malik found something special from God in each other that changed their worlds for the better. In their memory, I wish Pope Francis all the best, and all the blessings God can give him in his life and his service.

As a Christian American studying international law half way across the world in Turkey, I'm constantly confronted with the question of Huntington's "Clash of Civilizations." But in this era, Turkey doesn't have to abandon Islam to progress as a democracy and realize human rights.

If I ask you what the human rights, civil rights or environmental movements are about, you likely can give a semi-coherent description. The interfaith relations movement, on the other hand, has no defined brand.

Pluralism does not mean a mishmash of beliefs. It is the forum in which ideas are debated and hashed out. In our public forums (media, government, education, etc.) the opportunity is available for a plurality of ideas to compete for influence.

As a Muslim, I am tempted to blame bad guys among Muslims, but what good will it do to India? Deepen hatred for the Muslims? If I blame Hindus, what good will it do to India? Will it bring harmony or tear up our nation further apart?

Most Americans pick, mix and combine a variety of religious and cultural idioms to find what works for them in their everyday lives. This includes a majority of those categorized in recent polls as "nones."

As the old saying goes, the fish is the last to see or even feel the water because it is so pervasive. By analogy, what many within our society consider "normal" and appropriate, upon critical reflection, may be perceived as (re)enforcements of mainline Christian standards.

At least books and films such as "Harry Potter" and "Beautiful Creatures" have started to bring the popular image of the witch beyond the realm of the 16^th-century pointed hat. But now it's time to move forward still further into the 21^st century.

It could be the most important religious development of our time: SBNRs are as diverse and complex as any other spiritual cohort. They are here to stay, and their numbers will surely grow as pluralism evolves and access to the world's wisdom becomes even easier.

Empathy is never easy. As a man, I confess that I have struggled to be empathetic to the cause of a group of women that has been coming to the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem for close to a quarter century to pray in protest of the religious freedom they lack. But ater this morning, the Women of the Wall have my respect and my support.