October 7: Where do we go from here?
:
The devastating Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th, including the taking of hostages and the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis that has killed over 40,000 Gazans, have caused profound grief, anger, and anguish. In this context, it has been challenging to even envision a path to dialogue. The circle of violence is ever expanding. and the ripples have stretched across our country as well.
In this time, there are three things we can do together:
- let us grieve and mourn together, let us reach out across our religious and political views and dialogue, and let us stand up together against religious bias.
|
|
Donate to the Metrowest Interfaith Community. Donations go through the Fatima Shrine Account.
|
Open Mosque Day at Islamic Society of Greater Milford, Hopkinton
Date: October 19, 2024
Time: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Masjid Al-Ikhlaas, 2 West Elm St, Hopkinton, MA 01748
Join us for Open Mosque Day, a community event designed to foster understanding, build relationships, and promote interfaith dialogue. Whether you’re curious about Islam, interested in learning about different cultures, or simply want to meet your neighbors, this is a welcoming space for all.
Refreshments will be provided, and all are welcome!
Register here
Time: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Masjid Al-Ikhlaas, 2 West Elm St, Hopkinton, MA 01748
Join us for Open Mosque Day, a community event designed to foster understanding, build relationships, and promote interfaith dialogue. Whether you’re curious about Islam, interested in learning about different cultures, or simply want to meet your neighbors, this is a welcoming space for all.
Refreshments will be provided, and all are welcome!
Register here
Join us we explore the relationship between Islam and Christianity, seeking common ground and opportunities to teach us and our children our important ties in the community today. For more information.
The Road to Peace:
Presented September 25, 2024 @ Hillside Community Church & Sanctuary UCC, Medford, MA This Road to Peace panel and community conversation will feature Jewish, Muslim, and Christian thought-leaders and peacemakers in a moderated and collaborative discussion and community conversation of justice and peace for the people of Israel and Palestine.
The event is hosted by the Hillside Community Church & Sanctuary UCC Partnership in collaboration with the Islamic Council of New England, the Boston Workers Circle Center for Jewish Culture and Social Justice, and Massachusetts Peace Action. Local Medford co-sponsors include: Islamic Cultural Center of Medford, Safe Medford, and Medford for Palestine. The event features regionally and nationally celebrated panelists:
Dr. Karameh Kuemmerle, Pediatric Neurologist, Boston Children’s Hospital;
Dr. Eve Spangler, Author and Associate Professor, Boston College;
Dr. Lara Jirmanus, MD, MPH
Instructor, Harvard Medical School; Rabbi Brian Walt, Co-Founder, Rabbis for Human Rights-North America;
Moderated by Rev. Ashlee Wiest-Laird, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Jamaica Plain, MA
For full bios and more about the collaborators: https://sanctuaryucc.org/event/the-ro...
The event is hosted by the Hillside Community Church & Sanctuary UCC Partnership in collaboration with the Islamic Council of New England, the Boston Workers Circle Center for Jewish Culture and Social Justice, and Massachusetts Peace Action. Local Medford co-sponsors include: Islamic Cultural Center of Medford, Safe Medford, and Medford for Palestine. The event features regionally and nationally celebrated panelists:
Dr. Karameh Kuemmerle, Pediatric Neurologist, Boston Children’s Hospital;
Dr. Eve Spangler, Author and Associate Professor, Boston College;
Dr. Lara Jirmanus, MD, MPH
Instructor, Harvard Medical School; Rabbi Brian Walt, Co-Founder, Rabbis for Human Rights-North America;
Moderated by Rev. Ashlee Wiest-Laird, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Jamaica Plain, MA
For full bios and more about the collaborators: https://sanctuaryucc.org/event/the-ro...
Interfaith devotions and prayer with our Baha'i Friends and others
Every Tuesday Morning - Contact Susan Nolan - https://bit.ly/interfaithtuesday
Every Third Saturday Morning - Contact Gina Fox - https://bit.ly/saturdayinterfaith
Every Third Saturday Morning - Contact Gina Fox - https://bit.ly/saturdayinterfaith
We also share and network with programs from the
Multifaith Collaborative of the Open Spirit Center of Framingham,
Islamic Center of Boston, Wayland,
Peace Islands Institute,
The Nejaf Islamic Center
The Islamic Society of Greater Milford.
Multifaith Collaborative of the Open Spirit Center of Framingham,
Islamic Center of Boston, Wayland,
Peace Islands Institute,
The Nejaf Islamic Center
The Islamic Society of Greater Milford.
Our Refugee Team Completes Another Home for a New Refugee Family in the Area
Addressing Antisemitism: A Guide for Allies
Identifying, Understanding, and Addressing Anti-Jewish Harm
Project Shema | ProjectShema.org
Project Shema | ProjectShema.org
Memories of the Festival of Ridvan of the Baha'i Community at Fatima Shrine
On Sunday, April 28, 2024, more than seventy people gathered together with members of the Baha'i community in the Metrowest area to celebrate the must revered, Festival of Ridvan. The Festival of Ridván is a 12-day festival in the Bahá'í faith that celebrates the beginning of the faith in 1863. The festival commemorates the 12 days that Bahá'u'lláh spent in Baghdad in 1863, during which he announced that he was God's Messenger for a new age. The name "Ridván" means "paradise".
Siri Karm Singh Khalsa, one of our dialogue partners, composed this beautiful prayer for our Interfaith Breaking of Ramadan Fast in late March. As the war between Israel and Palestine continues, we remain vigilant in prayer and advocacy for peace for all. https://hollistoninterfaith.org
For the Interfaith book discussion contact [email protected] | For World Day of Prayer contact [email protected]
Download our Latest E-Newsletter
Pictures from our Interfaith Iftar for Peace at Fatima Shrine
Blog Post: Inspiration from See No Stranger
One of the hardest things we can do as humans is to love our enemies past the harm and hurt they have caused. Valarie Kaur , author, and member of the Sikh faith has given us a book that can help us to do this work and a compass that lays out the steps in doing this.
In See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love, Kaur provides us with a book that is part memoir and part how-to manual on how to practice what she describes as “revolutionary love”. She defines revolutionary love as the active decisions humans make to wonder about others, our opponents, and ourselves. This act of wonder, she says, will help make the world a better place. Failing to wonder ultimately leads to violence against people who we consider as the other.
Below is a slide show of our book study that first took place at the Sikh community in Millis, Guru Ram Das Ashram.
In See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love, Kaur provides us with a book that is part memoir and part how-to manual on how to practice what she describes as “revolutionary love”. She defines revolutionary love as the active decisions humans make to wonder about others, our opponents, and ourselves. This act of wonder, she says, will help make the world a better place. Failing to wonder ultimately leads to violence against people who we consider as the other.
Below is a slide show of our book study that first took place at the Sikh community in Millis, Guru Ram Das Ashram.
The Training Active Bystanders Program (TAB)
Photos for this post are taken from Quabbin Mediation's website at https://www.trainingactivebystanders.org/. We are grateful.
In these difficult times, it’s important to keep our sense of community. We advocate doing all we can to support each other – especially those who may be the target of harm-doing due to increased community fears. Quabbin Mediation currently offers trainings online and will return to in-person models when possible.
The Training Active Bystanders (TAB) program helps participants recognize when they are bystanders, analyze situations, and evaluate the consequences for everyone involved. TAB heightens bystanders’ power. It teaches how bystanders can interrupt harm-doing and generate positive actions by others. Active bystandership does not mean aggression against the harm doer. It means taking responsible action to help people in need instead of remaining passive and becoming complicit. Bystanders gain the competencies they need if they decide to take action when they witness something they feel is unfair, or wrong, or troubling. Contact us for more information.
The Training Active Bystanders (TAB) program helps participants recognize when they are bystanders, analyze situations, and evaluate the consequences for everyone involved. TAB heightens bystanders’ power. It teaches how bystanders can interrupt harm-doing and generate positive actions by others. Active bystandership does not mean aggression against the harm doer. It means taking responsible action to help people in need instead of remaining passive and becoming complicit. Bystanders gain the competencies they need if they decide to take action when they witness something they feel is unfair, or wrong, or troubling. Contact us for more information.
Interfaith Faith Candlelight Prayer for Peace in Israel, Palestine, and Here
On December 3, 2023, the Metrowest Interfaith Community and others gathered for a candlelight prayer and a shared meal together at Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Holliston. Our Jewish and Muslim neighbors, Christian, Baha'i, Sikh and others joined in as we brought together our sorrow and grief for so many uselessly killed, men, women, and children, of those still held captive, and so many others affected by this awful tragedy.
From the Qur'an, teachings of the Baha'i, Christian and Hebrew scriptures, from poetry, music and reflection, we raised up all our hopes for a peace that just not ceases the violence, but a provides a future full of hope for everyone. See also the Building Bridges Blog
From the Qur'an, teachings of the Baha'i, Christian and Hebrew scriptures, from poetry, music and reflection, we raised up all our hopes for a peace that just not ceases the violence, but a provides a future full of hope for everyone. See also the Building Bridges Blog
Second Project of the Interfaith Refugee Committee
Our Interfaith Refugee Committee enthusiastically took on a second project to help a Ukrainian mother and her adult son into an apartment in Framingham. We are grateful to all our donors for furniture and houseware needs. Contact us if you would like to volunteer or have items you wish to donate at [email protected].
Pictured in the middle are Svetlana and her son Sasha who we helped house in an apartment in Framingham. They are here on a special refugee program from the Ukraine. Also pictured on the left is Dianne Evans, Jess McGuire in the foreground, and Fr. Carl Chudy on the right, members of the Interfaith Refugee Committee.
The Humanity of Muhammad: Christian Views
The Interfaith Book Club of the Islamic Center of Boston, Wayland, Massachusetts, sponsored a book reflection on Dr. Craig Considine's book, The Humanity of Muhammad: A Christian View. Rev. Dr. Ian Mevorach of Common Street Spiritual Center, Natick, and Fr. Carl Chudy, D. Min. of the Metrowest Interfaith Community of Holliston offered their perspectives as we learn to build bridges in our communities. Shaheen Akhtar, coordinator of the book club, moderated the event. It was held on Saturday, November 11th, from 3 pm to 4:30 pm.
Tea with Swami Tyagananda
On Sunday, October 15 a group of us from the Metrowest Interfaith Community met with Swami Tyagananda, head of the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society, popularly known as the Hindu community. With tea and snacks generously provided by Swami, we entered into a fascinating conversation about Hinduism, faith and the search for spirituality. You can see more at their website here
Statement of the MetroWest Interfaith Community on Recent Antisemitic Incident
The Holliston Public Schools sent this statement recently: Linked is a press release from the town administrator regarding some small paper swastikas found on Damigella Field in Holliston recently. While this field is used after hours by the community for evening and weekend sports, it is concerning that this is happening adjacent to the schools.
In light of this, we have authored a collective statement of our Metrowest Interfaith Community that we would like to share with you. Please forward this to your communities and friends.
In light of this, we have authored a collective statement of our Metrowest Interfaith Community that we would like to share with you. Please forward this to your communities and friends.
What Spiritual Story Will You Write
We wanted to share the work of Katie Gordon, who is doing interesting things in the nontraditional dialogue of spirituality across and within the borders of religion, a real challenge for traditional faiths and one we do well to be part of. Check out her latest on Tiny Letters.
Susan Nolan, one of our dialogue partners from the Baha'i faith, is organizing a special interfaith prayer event together with her interfaith friends. All are welcome anytime. Contact Susan for more information here. The gathering can found here.
Season of Creation with Pope Francis
From the Catholic Church, The Season of Creation is an interfaith celebration of God's creation. It starts on September 1, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and ends on October 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology.
This year's theme is "Listen to the voice of creation." The Season of Creation is a special time for all peoples to pray and work together to care for our common home. Pope Francis' first document on this is Care for Our Common Home. A follow-up document to consider contemporary climate issues is addressed to "all people of good will on the climate crisis."
Download Care for our Common Home
Download Further Moral Reflections on the Climate Crisis
Ways We Can Help Ukraine
We come together as peoples of different faiths and secular points of view to protest, pray, and act in justice over the blatant and unjustified invasion of Russian troops into the sovereign nation of Ukraine. As we gather in prayer, we also would suggest other ways we may help the people of Ukraine. Below are a few possibilities.
Charity organizations are offering a wide range of support for those affected by the war. Here are a few that have received high marks (three to four stars) from Charity Navigator, which assesses groups’ efficiency, transparency and other factors.
Charity organizations are offering a wide range of support for those affected by the war. Here are a few that have received high marks (three to four stars) from Charity Navigator, which assesses groups’ efficiency, transparency and other factors.
- Donations through the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Eastern Europe Crisis Response.
- Donations the Catholic Relief Service.
- Global Giving supports non-profits around the world through crowdfunding. Its Ukrainian crisis relief fund is working toward a goal of $7m to provide food, water, shelter and other assistance to refugees.
- Direct Relief is working to fulfill a list of medical needs provided to the organization by Ukraine’s health ministry.
- For local media in Ukraine, you can support the English-language Kyiv Independent and the New Voice of Ukraine directly. There is also a GoFundMe page to support Ukrainian media more broadly as journalists risk their safety.
- An array of Resources to help Ukrainian refugees, especially those who cross the Polish border.
- Nova Poshta Global launches the Humanitarian Nova Poshta project — to help the Ukrainian defenders and people in need. We collect humanitarian aid from international organizations and volunteers all around the world.
- Download the Peace in Ukraine Dove below, designed by Russian designer Natasha Alimova. She created this icon of peace using shapes from the national symbol of Ukraine. The logo is free to use for any purpose. It can be posted on windows, reproduced on t-shirts, and many more uses.
| peacetoukraine.png |
Here are some pics from our Candlelight Vigil for Ukraine. More resources for helping Ukraine will be posted as more efforts are organized on the ground. Let's continue our prayer, action, and advocacy.
Download below a Ukrainian prayer used during our prayer vigil and an interfaith compilation of prayers for peace.
| ukraineprayer.docx |
| interfaith-prayers-of-peace.pdf |
Metrowest Interfaith Dialogue Project in the Local News
Dialogue that Crosses Faiths
Twelve members of faith organizations in MetroWest, including Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Holliston, work on a regular basis to make their communities more inclusive. They called it the MetroWest Interfaith Dialogue Project (MIDP).
“Our hope is to the honor the religious and nonreligious diversity of our communities and neighborhoods by creating an interfaith community within communities of different faiths. We focus on three goals: Foster opportunities to come together in order to come to know one another and the faiths that inspire us; Gain insight on how much we share in common through our faiths and values; Discover how interfaith dialogue and action can make a difference in our communities and neighborhoods and helps us all flourish together,” he said.
“Our hope is to the honor the religious and nonreligious diversity of our communities and neighborhoods by creating an interfaith community within communities of different faiths. We focus on three goals: Foster opportunities to come together in order to come to know one another and the faiths that inspire us; Gain insight on how much we share in common through our faiths and values; Discover how interfaith dialogue and action can make a difference in our communities and neighborhoods and helps us all flourish together,” he said.