Salaam Aleikhum, Shalom Aleikkhem, Peace to you.

I am honored and delighted to be introducing my friend Debbie Almontaser, teacher, bridge-builder, school-founder, and principal extraordinaire. I am also honored to be standing here with Daisy Khan, who has done so much to further the connections people everywhere. Before I go further, I want to give honor to my friend Naji Almontaser, a true help-mate, supporting the work Debbie does in every way imaginable, while doing his own brave fighting for justice.

I remember the first time I met Debbie Almontaser, 4 days after 9/11/2001, when thanks to Marcia Kannry of the Dialogue Project a group from Kolot Chayeinu gathered in the garden there with a group of Arabs and Muslims, all of us wanting to meet and listen, all of us a little apprehensive. We talked in generalities for a while, sticking with matters of the mind, until this one, slight, unimposing woman spoke up: “I wear the hijab,” she said, “and I am a school teacher, and I am afraid now of what may happen to me on the street before or after school.” With that one statement, Debbie Almontaser broke the meeting open. We could talk, finally, about what was in our hearts as well as in our minds. We could figure out ways to help her and others in those hard days. How brave, to come into that gathering and tell us of her fear.

Later she invited the group to her home to talk and learn more about one another. Later I invited her to share a sermon in dialogue with me on Rosh HaShanah. Later we created the annual Children of Abraham Peace Walk: Jews, Christians, Muslims walking through Brooklyn in peace. And two years ago she began to create the Kahlil Gibran International Academy, a school that would be a first in New York, and a beacon to the world: a public school that would teach Arabic and Arabic culture alongside math, science and English. It was a new vision and it was a big risk, but Debbie walked into with eyes open and full mind and heart at work.

You know the rest: the shameful, lying, hateful attacks on her by the most extremist Jews and the worst journalists, the lack of support at all levels – the mayor, the Department of Education, the United Federation of Teachers - that led to her resignation.

A few weeks ago a journalist asked me, “How do you feel about them winning?” It was the day after the school opened. I said, “They did not win. The Kahlil Gibran International Academy opened and is teaching children, as planned. They did not win.”

We were so honored that Debbie came to Kolot Chayeinu on the 2nd day of Rosh haShanah to tell us her story in her own words. And on Tuesday of this week (October 16), Debbie spoke publicly, after submitting her application to be principal of the school she started. Now we all know they did not and will not win. Because yesterday showed us risk-taking at its finest, and a hero coming into her own.

In this week’s Torah portion, God tells Avram (not yet Abraham) Lekh Lekha, leave everything familiar behind and travel to a place I will show you. Lekha Lekha can also mean “go to yourself.” The journey into the unknown may be a journey to yourself. Debbie Almontaser has been on a very rough journey, but she has traveled to her true self, and shown us what quiet, clear heroism can look like.