Jews live in China, Ethiopia and India, and all these types of people have gathered in Israel, where they coexist, she said. She added that "unfortunately" most people who consider themselves Jewish think of that in cultural or ethnic terms, rather than in terms of the religion. That's her job to work with, she added.

Asked what it means to be a leader, Rabbi Rosen said, "Rabbis have historically been those who are learned within their community."

The word rabbi is Aramaic and means "my teacher." The rabbi is not an intercessor with God. The rabbi can lead prayers, but so can any knowledgeable person over 13, she said.

Rabbis are not needed to elevate or sanctify the prayers of the congregation in any way. she added. "We are primarily teachers."

"Imam means 'in front,' " Imam Din said. This person stands in front during the prayer service. The congregation also does not believe in a religious hierarchy. "Everybody has a direct link with God," he added.

"When a person is standing in prayer, we believe he or she is directly communicating with God."

Every adult Muslim can lead a prayer, but to avoid confusion "there's a designated imam." There are schools where people can be educated in Islamic theology, he added.

Rabbi Rosen said after earning a bachelor's degree a person can apply to rabbinical school. After five or six years, the person can end up with an ordination and a master's degree. She said the process is like becoming a physician but without a commensurate salary.

Leigh-Goldstein told the Deseret Morning News this is the third year for these interfaith meetings. For now, the idea is to keep discussions on the topic of religion so that people can better understand each other. For now the meetings are education and social.

After that understanding is achieved, she added, "we can talk about issues together."

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E-mail: bau@desnews.com