Message from ICNY Executive Director
Dear Friends,
ICNY is pleased to launch a new podcast series called “NYC Faith Leaders” this month featuring Mike Weis talking about his calling to become a Cantor at the Brotherhood Synagogue in Manhattan, and his plans to establish an interfaith music festival. In each episode of this series, we will talk with diverse faith leaders throughout the city, such as Ifá priest Babalawo Antonio Mondesire, and Shaykha Fariha Fatima al-Jerrahi of the Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Order in Soho. We hope you will subscribe to the series, and download the podcasts to listen to while driving, jogging, or washing the dishes. It’s a great way to learn about the faiths of our New York City neighbors.
A highlight of the Hindu Temple’s annual Ganesa Chathurthi (birthday of Ganesh) celebrations is the Grand Ratha Yatra, when the Ganesh deity is paraded around the neighborhood of Flushing, Queens. A short video produced by ICNY imparts a sense of the sights, sounds and colors of this joyous celebration that is open to the public. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to experience a magnificent Hindu faith tradition in practice.
The Micah Faith Table NYC, a diverse coalition of multi-faith leaders, is launching a Real Living Wage NYC Campaign this Fall. The goal of the Campaign is to ensure that all New York City workers receive at least $20/hour – the wage required to meet basic needs without government subsidies. This coalition aims to transform the minimum wage in NYC into a Real Living Wage and asks that you join us at First Corinthian Baptist Church, 1912 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. in Harlem at 6:30 p.m. on October 8, 2015, to begin the campaign to make this vision of a living wage city a reality.
The Interfaith Center of New York has two events coming up for religious leaders and civic officials. The first is a partnership with the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) to launch The Peace Mapping Project on Monday, September 21, 2015 at The Interchurch Center (475 Riverside Drive or 60 Claremont Avenue). The Peace Mapping Project is a multi-year effort by KAICIID researchers to gather, analyze, and disseminate information about the hundreds of local and international organizations dedicated to peace-building, conflict resolution and interreligious dialogue here and around the world.
In addition, on Nov. 4th at 475 Riverside Dr., ICNY will be working with the Harlem Community Justice Center to hold our 31st Rabbi Marshall Meyer Retreat on the topic of Prisoner Reentry and how houses of worship can help returning citizens reintegrate into their communities. Please mark your calendars, and watch for the invitation.
Like many New Yorkers, ICNY looks forward to the arrival of Pope Francis on his first visit to New York City. In addition to a visit to East Harlem and prayer service at Madison Square Garden, His Holiness will be holding a short interfaith service at the 9/11 Museum in which Sikhs, Jains, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, and Protestants will join Roman Catholic leaders and 9/11 family members and rescue workers. For more information on the Pope’s visit see, http://www.popefrancisvisit.com.
Best Wishes,
Rev. Chloe Breyer
Executive Director
The Interfaith Center of New York
