Peace and Principle (1987)
I begin with a personal comment to our guest for the evening, Mrs. Jehan Sadat. I know that the press of the Egyptian opposition parties – and even, to an extent, the government party – has been critical of you for agreeing to speak before Jewish gatherings, and that they will be equally or more critical for appearing tonight at a Yeshiva University dinner, people who are not only Jewish but actively pro‑Israel and Zionist. We too have been criticized – both here and in Israel – by people who are exercised by our invitation to you. There is a symmetry that shapes our relations. It is to both of these groups, as well as to those of us here, that I address my remarks when I make the following historical observation: today is the thirteenth of December. It is on this very date on the secular calendar, exactly 785 years ago, in the year 1204, that there died in Fostat, the old capital of Egypt and a suburb of Cairo, one of the most authentic geniuses and most influential figures in world history. Moshe ben Maimon, known by his Hebrew acronym RAMBAM, or Rabbi Maimonides, or the Greek name Maimonides, or the name Arabs use for him, Abu Amran, passed away in his 70th year after a uniquely illustrious career as Rabbi, Talmudist, philosopher, physician, community leader, and literary stylist. In each and every one of these disciplines he became the leading light of his generation – and in some of these he remains the preeminent authority today, after almost eight centuries. But when he died 783 years ago today, not only did Jewish communities throughout the world mourn, not only did Jerusalem declare a public fast, but in Fostat both Jews and Moslems joined in declaring an official three‑day period of mourning. Such were Moslem‑Jewish relationships in Egypt eight centuries ago. And ten years ago, it was President Sadat who made his historic pilgrimage of peace to Jerusalem and, subsequently, with Prime Minister Begin and President Carter at Camp David fashioned an Israeli‑…
