Dear Friends,
News from the Middle East has not been good and we feel the ripples here in New York. The Islamic Center at NYU, together with Islamic Relief, is hosting an Emergency Fundraiser for Gaza on Sunday, August 10th. Funds raised will directly impact people in Gaza. In addition, Funds can be sent to support the bereft and wounded in Israel via through the UJA Federation of New York. Also, see Truah’s statement (formerly Rabbis for Human Rights).
Closer to home the death of Eric Gardner at the hands of Staten Island Police brings up questions of police accountability as it relates past and present to both race and religion. Sign on to this petition for further investigation.
Here at the Interfaith Center we are welcoming volunteers to gain valuable experience while working with us on diverse programs. If you’re interested in volunteering time to ICNY, and are skilled in Photography, Videography, Social Media, Data-Entry/Database, please email your resume to elly@interfaithcenter.org.
This month we are pleased and honored to welcome our first guest blogger. Ram Mohan, a Trustee at The Hindu Temple Society of North America, launches our inaugural guest blog with this piece about how interfaith engagement (though programs such as those offered by ICNY) help faith communities connect with each other and work together on issues of common concern.
The “Faith Leader Spotlight” is a monthly installment featuring faith leaders working with New Yorkers in need. This series was created by ICNY interns and Princeton students Anna Rubin and Kujegi Camara who participate in the Interfaith Summer Internship Program of the Office of Religious Life. Please be sure to share these articles with others.
As our July NEH Summer Institute comes to a close, we’d like to thank the teachers who participated, and invite you to share a little of their experience:
The Institute, called “Religious Worlds of New York: Teaching the Everyday Life of American Religious Diversity” was funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and was conducted by ICNY and Union Theological Seminary. Public, private, and parochial school teachers from across the U.S. gathered here in New York City for this three-week institute on teaching religious diversity to K-12 students. While learning from academic scholars of religion, and meeting with clergy and lay leaders from diverse faith communities, the institute participants also visited houses of worship in communities large and small. One of many highlights in the course of their study was this performance of a Vodou Vévé Ritual, followed by a discussion of Vodou and Yoruba faith traditions.
As a final note, the Interfaith Center relies on the outstanding work of a dedicated staff: Sarah Sayeed, Henry Goldschmidt, Ellen Greeley, Theo Harris and Kevin Childress. This month marks the one year anniversary of Elly Mason-Murray joining the organization. Elly manages ICNY’s Human Resources, runs the office and is involved in the Center’s social media. Elly has a B.S. degree in Health Administration/Long Term Care from the University of Phoenix. She is an active member of Trinity Baptist Church in the Bronx, and also volunteers her time participating in public health campaigns related to Sarcoidosis awareness, hypertension, teen pregnancy, elder care, and pet abuse. Congratulations on your anniversary with ICNY, Elly, and thank you for all you do.
Best Wishes,
Rev. Chloe Breyer
Executive Director
The Interfaith Center of New York
The full E-Bulletin for August is available here.
