Café Finjan, a series of cultural events designed to foster community between the Jewish and Muslim populations of the Chicago area, is kicking off a new round of events. Where: The Open Mic Night will be held at the Mercury Café, 1505 West Chicago Avenue, 1 block east of Ashland.

When: Thursday, July 20, 2006. The doors of Mercury Café open to Café Finjan at 7:00p.m. Performances will begin promptly at 8:00pm.

The goal of the evening is to establish points of contact and nurture greater understanding between Jews and Muslims of Chicago by providing a forum for new and established performers, especially from these communities.

The goals of the organizers are to explore our experiences as minorities, immigrants, and/or people of faith, and to develop a shared agenda of pluralism, respect, and civil rights in a domestic context. We believe that our communities and the relationships between them are shaped by much more conflict. We encourage performances that creatively envision new points of contact and diverse aspects of Jewish and Muslim identities in Chicago and North America.

The Café Finjan cultural events series is organized by the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA), the Chicago chapter of the Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals (CAMP-Chicago), the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), and American Muslims for Activism and Learning (AMAL).

For more information, contact Safiya Stoffel at sstoffel786@hotmail.com

"Finjan," a word in both Arabic and Hebrew, is a metal pot for brewing coffee in the traditional Middle Eastern style, not only in the home, but also on a campfire, with comrades gathered around for warmth.

Suggested Donation: $5

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