Leader of Jewish-Muslim dialogue and social action group
(KCJC) Sheila Sonnenschein helped write the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom’s statement on racism and social justice for all.
“As a Jewish person, I can’t sit idly by. As we’ve learned in our KC community, the real power of these relationships is that it creates an infrastructure that is available in times of crisis,” Sonnenschein told The Chronicle.
The Sisterhood works build relationships between Muslim and Jewish women and girls, cultivating trust and respect. “Together the women commit to end acts of anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim sentiment, stand up for one another when hate is aimed at our communities and engage in social action work,” the organization’s website says.
“Not only do we speak out for each other, we speak out for all people. I’m grateful to be part of this amazing community of women working for justice,” Sonnenschein said.
She’s the Jewish co-leader of her Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom chapter. Each chapter has one Muslim and one Jewish leader. There are four chapters in Kansas City. There’s one in Topeka, too. In total, roughly 60 women are involved in the area. “The chapters are small by design so that the women can get to know each other well,” she said.
Sonnenschein has been involved since 2014 on the local and national levels, when the organization’s co-founder and executive director cold called her. She helped start the first KC chapter with two friends.
“I’ve been involved in the multi-faith community for the past 18 years, but not with a group that was specifically for Muslims and Jews,” Sonnenschein said, “People think Muslims and Jews are enemies or can’t be friends because of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Sisterhood defies that stereotype.”
She is in touch with the KC co-leaders to help disseminate information and plan together.
Sonnenschein is also a trip chair for the organization. Over the past five years, they have brought women to Bosnia and Albania, Azerbaijan, Germany and Poland, the American South and Arizona. Sonnenschein went on all of these trips and helped organize the last three. She said, “The purpose of the trips is for Muslim and Jewish women across the United States to learn together and see what’s happening in other cities and countries regarding interfaith relations and social justice initiatives that we can bring back to our communities.”
The Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom’s work is far from over. Sonnenschein said, “The statement is just a first step. The Sisterhood will be putting out action steps and ways we can learn and work as allies with our African American sisters and brothers.”
To learn more about the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, visit www.sosspeace.org.
Women can email Sonnenschein at and sign up via the website to be on a wait list. While KC chapters are full right now, you can still get emails from the central office, participate in webinars and attend the national conference in November, which will be online this year.
