A Community Discussion About Elijah, Illyas, Elyiahu

Elijah – Illyas (pbuh) – Eliyahu: Our Shared Heritage – a Community Conversation is a public discussion about Elijah that brings Islamic, Christian and Jewish traditions together on Thursday March 18, at the Russell Library on Broad Street in Middletown. The public is invited to the event, which will begin at 6:30 PM with a gathering time and refreshments from the three traditions.


The discussion will be led by  Rabbi Seth Haaz, the Rev. Richard Koenig and Dr.  Mahmoud Ayoub and will feature the commonalities of three faith communities, particularly as they relate to the prophet Elijah. The community conversation is presented by The Greater Middletown Chorale as a preamble to its performance of Mendelssohn’s Elijah on Sunday May 2 at 4 PM at the Performing Arts Center at Middletown High School. Joseph D’Eugenio, Artistic Director of the Chorale will give a brief introduction to the oratorio at the March 18^th event.

Rabbi Haaz is the newly-appointed leader of Middletown’s Congregation Adath Israel and is a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy, having served in Italy and Spain as a chaplain.  Reverend Koenig has served as a pastor for several Evangelical Lutheran churches and on a number of national interfaith committees. Dr. Ayoub, who earned his doctorate from Harvard University, is a Professor of Shi‘ite Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford Seminary and is a published author on Christian-Muslim relations; he has been appointed by the U.S. Department of State as ambassador to various parts of the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

The community conversation is funded in part by a grant from the Middletown Commission on the Arts, with additional support from Aetna Foundation, Bissell Foundation, Chevron Humankind Grants, Middlesex County Community Foundation and Pfizer Foundation.


The Greater Middletown Chorale is a non-profit auditioned symphonic chorus committed to excellence in singing and performing choral masterworks and other outstanding music for all generations of listeners. Ticket and concert information for the May 2 performance may be found at www.gmchorale.org.