03/26, 03/31 Spirituality in a Time of Crisis — FB Live Interfaith Panel Series

COVID-19 has affected all of us in ways that we would not have imagined just a few months ago. As we all work to cope with this challenge, we are offering a three-part series titled Spirituality in a Time of Crisis. This interfaith series, featuring female religious leaders as panelists in recognition of Women’s History Month, will discuss how to take a step back, reflect, and understand not only our current situation and the world outside but also ourselves and those we love. Join us in reflection on March 24th, March 26th, and March 31st on the ING Facebook page. To receive updates on the series, register below!

Thursday, March 26th 7:30 – 8:30 PM PSTBuilding and Inspiring Fellowship and Community in a Time of Crisis

In times of crisis, news reports are full of stories about neighbors and strangers going out of their way to share food, rescue pets, locate loved ones, and help rebuild what has been lost. In our second panel, we seek to understand how religious traditions contribute to the displays of compassion, altruism, and creative solution-seeking that blossom when disaster strikes communities.

Speakers: ING Executive Director Maha Elgenaidi (Muslim), Rabbi Amy Eilberg (Jewish), Lakshmi Subramanian (Hindu), Reverend George Anne McDonnell (Christian), and Venerable Tenzin Chogkyi (Buddhist). Facilitator: ING Bay Area Director Ishaq Pathan.

Tuesday, March 31st 5:00-6:00 PM PSTReflecting on Gratitude and Faith in a Time of Crisis

Religious traditions can teach us a lot about the importance of gratitude as a foundation of our life, even—or perhaps especially—in times of crisis. By funneling our emotions into positive action, we grow our empathy with others. In our third and final installment of this series, we learn helpful techniques that allow us to slow down and recognize and give thanks for all the blessings in our lives.

Speakers: ING Content Manager Ameena Jandali (Muslim), Rabbi Melanie Aron (Jewish), Sheila Mohan (Hindu), Dianne Muller (Christian), and Venerable Tenzin Chogkyi (Buddhist). Facilitator: ING Bay Area Director Ishaq Pathan.

Hearts for Justice: Toward Understanding: A Jewish, Christian, Muslim Conversation

Please join us for an interfaith conversation between leaders in the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths. Rabbi Sarah Weissman, the Reverend Matthew Dutton-Gillett, and Sheikha Maryam Amir will be our featured speakers for this event.

In this dialogue, we are hoping to move beyond the great and formidable edifices of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which means also to move beyond the stereotypes that we tend to have about these great traditions. Instead, we hope to give one another a glimpse into the way in which the sacred stories of these faiths have interacted with and transformed our personal stories, which is nothing less than a glimpse into what it is that is compelling to each of us as followers in and leaders of our respective traditions. And perhaps… how, especially in this season where our public discourse seems to be disorienting and divisive, our traditions invite us into a different way of talking and being together that we find thoughtful and hopeful and helpful in cultivating a heart for justice. We believe that this more personal encounter between our traditions will do more justice to each of them. And, as you will see, we will each have something to say not only about what is powerful to us in our own faiths, but how we understand our faiths to shape our interaction with the world in terms building a world that is more just.

Following the conversation there will be an interfaith community resource fair in Trinity Hall. This event is free and there is childcare avaliable. Tickets are recommended as space is limited. RSVP for childcare is required.

Tickets and more information are avaliable here!

About Our Speakers

Rabbi Sarah Weissman, Associate Rabbi at Congregation Beth Am. Rabbi Sarah Weissman is an associate rabbi at Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, where she has served since 2008. In addition to her pastoral and pulpit duties, Rabbi Sarah oversees the adult education program and the Interfaith Outreach Committee. Rabbi Sarah and her husband, Eric Weissman, are proud parents of a son, Maverick.

Rev. Matthew Dutton-Gillet, Rector at Trinity Church in Menlo Park. The Rev. Matthew Dutton-Gillett is the rector of Trinity Church in Menlo Park where he has served since 2009. An Episcopal priest for the past 25 years, Matthew has served congregations in Missouri, Illinois, and Tennesee before coming to California. While deeply rooted in the Christian tradition, Matthew is interested in the way all religious traditions draw us into narratives and relationships that ultimately seek to transform us.

Sheikha Maryam Amir, Instructor at Hikmah Institute. Maryam Amir received her Master’s in Education from the University of California, Los Angeles, where her research focused on the effects of mentorship rooted in Critical Race Theory for urban high school students of color. Maryam has memorized the Holy Quran, has spent the past 12 years studying Islamic scholarship and holds a second degree black belt in the martial arts form Tae Kwon Do. She writes for prominent Muslim sites such as aljumuah.com and virtualmosque.com and tours nationally and intentionally addressing communities on topics such related to spirituality, social issues and women’s studies.

Meet A Muslim

You are invited to join us for an informal conversation and learn what it’s like to be a Muslim member of our community. To date, Moina has held over 80 events, allowing many in the Bay Area to participate in an open dialogue; sharing honest questions and thoughts, receiving equally honest answers about Islam and the everyday life of a Muslim.

Please bring an open mind and your questions.

City of Santa Clara Recognizes Muslim Appreciation Month

Join us in celebrating Muslim Appreciation Month at Santa Clara City Hall! Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor will be presenting the Muslim Community a proclamation to commemorate the Month during the Special Order of Business portion of the city council meeting.

August has been designated as Muslim Appreciation Month by the California State Legislature through a resolution sponsored last year by Assemblyman Bill Quirk. He will be reintroducing the resolution this year with Assemblymember Ash Kalra and Assemblymember Kansen Chu.

Cities and counties throughout the state have introduced their own proclamations to commemorate Muslim Appreciation Month.

Tapping Into God: An Interfaith Experience

In 2017, author Debbie Belmessieri had a vision of taking her acclaimed book and making it into a video series. Join the author for a very special preview of the “pilot” for TAPPING INTO GOD: an
Interfaith Experience. Each episode features two respected leaders from two totally different faith
traditions meeting for the very first time on camera. Together, they explore each other’s perspective
and seek to find common ground.

“Episode 1” features Dr. David Brown of the Mormon Church and Imam Ahmad Salman of the Bay
Area Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Mosque.

Tickets are FREE (available through Eventbrite) but donations are encouraged after the screening. The book will also be available for sale.

President Trump’s Executive Orders & the Muslim Religion— What You Can Do

Speaker: Maha Elgenaidi

  • Founder of the Islamic Networks Group, a non-profit organization that works to counter prejudice and discrimination against American Muslims through education and relationship building.
  • Author of training handbooks on outreach for American Muslims, as well as training seminars for public institutions on developing cultural competency with the American Muslim Community.
  • Part-time lecturer on Islam in the modern world at Santa Clara University

Maha has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Civil Rights Leadership Award from the California Association of Human Relations Organizations and Citizen of the Year Award from the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.

The public is welcome and admission is free.

For more information, contact:

Keith Casto, (408) 221-1304, kcasto@cwclaw.com
or Carla Zaccheo, (408) 218-3342, czaccheo@sbcglobal.net

Fear of a Faith: Sharia, Surveillance, Terrorism and the Muslim Ban

Ameena Jandali, Founding Member, Islamic Networks Group
Jihad Turk, President, Bayan Claremont Islamic Graduate School
Joe Simitian, Supervisor, Santa Clara County—Moderator

What’s real and what’s not? Join us for this special community forum to learn more about the policies, politics and current events that affect the United States and our overall understanding of Muslims and the Islam religion.

Co-presented by the office of Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian

Film Premiere: St. Francis of Assisi and the Sultan of Egypt

During the Crusades, Saint Francis of Assisi risked his life by walking across enemy lines to meet the Sultan of Egypt, the Muslim ruler Al-Malik al-Kamil. This remarkable encounter, and the commitment to peace of the two men behind it, sucked the venom out of the Crusades and changed the relationship between Muslims and Christians for the better.
Featuring dramatic reenactments and renowned scholarship, this amazing story is brought to life in “The Sultan and the Saint.” Scholars interviewed include Michael Cusato (St. Bonaventure University), Sr. Kathy Warren (Sisters of St. Francis), Suleiman Mourad (Smith College), Homayra Ziad (Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies), Paul Moses (The Saint and the Sultan), and others.
Join us for this premiere in San Jose to learn about the remarkable spiritual exchange between the Sultan and the Saint, and the great risks they took for peace.
Admission is free of charge. Tickets at SultanSaintSanJose.eventbrite.com
This film contains some scenes of violence and may not be appropriate for children under 12. Please use your own discretion.
film poster

Interfaith Passover Unity Seder

Led by Rabbi Laurie Hahn Tapper and Father George Aranha, this interfaith celebration of a Passover Seder will include Jewish, Christian and Muslim participants. Members of other Faith traditions are welcome, as well.

RSVP by March 20 to Carol Rossi, 408-264-9786 or rossitwo@sbcglobal.net

Questions: contact diane@jvalley.org or call 408-357-7504

Unity Seder Flyer

Hands Around the Mosque

Love is the only force capable of uniting a divided nation

We Muslims, Arabs and South Asians are honored and grateful to our fellow American from diverse communities and faiths for standing with us in this climate of hate and division.

Let us send a profound and sacred message of our unity to the world as we reaffirm our commitment to stand by and support each other as one nation, the United States of America

Please join us for an interfaith/inter‐community gathering and move “From fear to friendship”

Tea and snacks will be served; Family event, children are welcome.

A special request to our faith leaders: Kindly wear your religious attire for the event.

Register at EVENTBRITE

SiVIC is one of the many partners for this event.