tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57198769599107866812023-11-16T04:06:46.742-08:00The Interfaith Experiencepresented by the Temple of UnderstandingThe Interfaith Experience,http://www.blogger.com/profile/14186949683114725312noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-31774923982855735532010-03-16T13:25:00.000-07:002010-03-22T20:26:43.054-07:00Food and Faith with Rev. Phil Waldrop<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/S6EC5lQjyOI/AAAAAAAAKUw/F3Hi4Q5fF9k/s1600-h/004-1.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 129px; height: 194px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/S6EC5lQjyOI/AAAAAAAAKUw/F3Hi4Q5fF9k/s320/004-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449640212372375778" border="0" /></a><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:12pt;" >Please join us in the Cafe at the Rubin Museum of Art as we continue our exploration of Food and Faith!</span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:12pt;" > On Wednesday March 24th at 7pm, Reverend Philip Waldrop will speak on "Food from an Interspiritual perspective."<br /><br /><span style=""></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:12pt;" >While our previous events have touched on the perspectives of Islam, Buddhism, Jainism and spirituality, Rev. Phil will speak from his experience as an Interfaith Minister, an inclusive global spirituality that honors all faiths.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:12pt;" ><span style="color:black;">Drawing from many of the world's spiritual traditions, Rev. Phil will identify five spiritual themes and several sub-themes about food itself, its role in our lives, and our relationship to it. <span style=""> </span></span><br /><span style="color:black;"><br />Rev. Philip Waldrop is on staff at the Interfaith Temple of NYC, on the Board of A World Alliance of Interfaith Clergy, Chair of its Standing Committee on Communications, and Publisher of the on-line magazine<i> INTERFAITH Today</i>. He is also a dean of first year students at The New Seminary in New York City and on the leadership team of the NY-NJ-CT Tri-State Council of Men as Learners and Elders. In 2007, he was ordained an Interfaith Minister. The interfaith approach of honoring all spiritual paths and religions, finding commonalities in essence, and seeing the mystical and transcendent as something shared by humanity drew him to this path. In addition to conducting worship services, weddings, funerals, and other customized ceremonies, Rev. Phil is a speaker and facilitator on a variety of spiritual topics, and by appointment, does spiritual counseling and healing using Reiki and Pranic Healing techniques.<span style=""> </span>Rev. Phil is also an amateur cook and likes to make dishes such as healthy soups, sautés, salads, coleslaw and cornbread.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-89881897255525098402010-02-12T06:46:00.000-08:002010-02-12T06:51:49.264-08:00Food and Faith with Imam Khalid Latif<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/S3Vq8eoDL8I/AAAAAAAAJVc/xVdWUvjOAv0/s1600-h/KhalidLatifNYPD.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 161px; height: 202px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/S3Vq8eoDL8I/AAAAAAAAJVc/xVdWUvjOAv0/s320/KhalidLatifNYPD.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437369712365481922" border="0" /></a>Please join us on Wednesday, February 24th at the Rubin Museum of Art Cafe at 7pm, with Imam Khalid Latif, the first Muslim chaplain at NYU and youngest chaplain in the history of the NYPD. Continuing our "Food and Faith" series, Imam Latif will be discussing the Muslim perspective. What does the Muslim faith dictate to its practitioners in terms of food choice? If you walk into a <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="yshortcuts"><span style="cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; background-attachment: scroll;" id="lw_1265986006_0">New York</span></span></st1:place></st1:state> eatery and see that a food is "halal," what exactly does it mean? During <span class="yshortcuts"><span style="cursor: pointer;" id="lw_1265986006_1">Ramadan</span></span>, what is the role of fasting? These questions and many more will be addressed in this intriguing talk. <o:p></o:p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /><b><span style=";font-family:";color:purple;" ></span></b>Imam Khalid Latif was appointed the first Muslim chaplain at NYU in 2005 where he began to initiate his vision for a pluralistic future on and off campus for American Muslims. He was also appointed the first Muslim chaplain at <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on"><span class="yshortcuts"><span style="cursor: pointer;" id="lw_1265986006_2">Princeton</span></span></st1:placename><span class="yshortcuts"> <st1:placetype st="on">University</st1:placetype></span></st1:place> in 2006. Spending a year commuting between these two excellent institutions, he finally decided to commit full-time to <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on"><span class="yshortcuts"><span style="cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; background-attachment: scroll;" id="lw_1265986006_3">New York</span></span></st1:placename><span class="yshortcuts"> <st1:placetype st="on">University</st1:placetype></span></st1:place>’s Islamic Center where his position was officially institutionalized in the spring of 2007. Under his leadership, the Islamic Center at NYU became the first ever established Muslim student center at an institution of higher education in the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Imam Latif’s exceptional dedication and ability to cross interfaith and cultural lines on a daily basis brought him recognition throughout the city, so much so that in 2007 Mayor Michael Bloomberg nominated Imam Latif to become the youngest chaplain in history of the <span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1265986006_4">New York City Police Department</span></span> at the age of 24.<br /><br />Imam Latif has not only managed to solidify the basis of a strong Muslim community at NYU that seeks to emphasize inclusiveness and understanding of others without compromise, but has also worked tirelessly to foster dialogue with people of other faiths in order to clarify misconceptions and encourage mutual education. Through his work Imam Latif has demonstrated not only an exceptional dedication to gaining and disseminating religious knowledge and values, but has begun to carve out a much-needed space for young American Muslims to celebrate their unique identity and have their voices heard in the larger public sphere. He is a sought after speaker, having lectured throughout the United States and in various parts of the world and has been quoted, featured and appeared in numerous media outlets including BBC, <span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1265986006_5">NPR</span></span>, CNN, the NY Times, <span class="yshortcuts"><span style="cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; background-attachment: scroll;" id="lw_1265986006_6">Newsweek</span></span>, <span class="yshortcuts"><span style="cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; background-attachment: scroll;" id="lw_1265986006_7">Time Magazine</span></span>, BET and GEO TV. Amongst many awards and distinctions for leadership and community service over the last few years, Imam Latif was most recently named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world in 2009 by <st1:placename st="on">Georgetown</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">University</st1:placetype>'s <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on"><span class="yshortcuts"><span style="cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; background-attachment: scroll;" id="lw_1265986006_8">Prince</span></span></st1:placename><span class="yshortcuts"> <st1:placename st="on">Alwaleed</st1:placename></span></st1:place> <st1:placename st="on">Bin</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">Talaal</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Center</st1:placetype> for Muslim-Christian Understanding and The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre. </p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-35501026869631454962009-12-03T09:53:00.001-08:002010-01-07T07:56:26.664-08:00Food, Inc and Dhrumil Purohit - January 28th at the Action Center to End World Hunger<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/Sxf8F0zeqfI/AAAAAAAAHoA/GJYJk3vLO9Y/s1600-h/1+movie+poster+small.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 115px; height: 170px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/Sxf8F0zeqfI/AAAAAAAAHoA/GJYJk3vLO9Y/s320/1+movie+poster+small.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411070654313048562" border="0" /></a>The Interfaith Experience, in partnership with Mercy Corps' Action Center to End World Hunger, is proud to bring its first film screening to the Big Apple. Currently on the Academy Award short list for best documentary of 2009, <a href="http://www.foodincmovie.com/">Food, Inc.</a> is a must see for all New Yorkers. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone says, "Don't take another bite till you see <a href="http://www.foodincmovie.com/">Food, Inc.</a>, an essential, indelible documentary."<br /><br />The event will take place Thursday, January 28th at the <a href="http://www.actioncenter.org/newyork">Action Center to End World Hunger</a> @ 6 River Terrace in Battery Park City. Prior to the screening, Dhrumil Purohit will discuss how food and faith interrelate from the Jain perspective. Dhurmil will speak at 6:30 -- please arrive early <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/S0LVSiQFvXI/AAAAAAAAJPs/-yLOQDEvnK0/s1600-h/lens1250499_dhrumil-purohit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 116px; height: 162px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/S0LVSiQFvXI/AAAAAAAAJPs/-yLOQDEvnK0/s320/lens1250499_dhrumil-purohit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423131415716150642" border="0" /></a>to get a seat and talk to Interfaith Experience committee members. The movie begins at 7:00. Tickets to the event are $10 plus $1.99 handling. All proceeds for this event will be shared between the Temple of Understanding and the Mercy Corps Action Center to End World Hunger. Tickets are available for purchase online from <a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/92006">Brown Paper Tickets</a> or call 800-838-3006.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/92006"><img src="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/g/fl/bpt_l.gif" width="180px" border="0" height="91px" /></a><br /><br />About Dhrumil:<br />Dhrumil Purohit is a simple sherpa who enjoys guiding people and communities through the world of holistic healing and spiritual living.<br /><br />During the day Dhrumil is a founding partner at the Clean Program, a health and wellness company that manufactures and sells detox and cleansing kits. He and his business partner Dr Alejandro Junger MD have a vision to revolutionize the world of cleansing by providing the most supportive detox program on the planet. Dhrumil is also the Chief Community Organizer behind We Like It Raw, the most popular online raw food community. And Lastly, Dhrumil serves as an advisor to a few non-profits including Donna Karan's Urban Zen Foundation.<br /><br />Dhrumil is based in Delaware, loves his family dearly and strives to be as present as his role model Eckhart Tolle.<br /><br />About Food, Inc.<br />In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, herbicide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad, but we also have new strains of E. coli the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.<br /><br />Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto) along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield's Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms' Joel Salatin, Food, Inc. reveals surprising and often shocking truths about what we eat, how it's produced, who we have become as a nation and where we are going from here.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/92006"><img src="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/g/fl/bpt_s.gif" width="108px" border="0" height="55px" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-65884418576868155742009-12-01T08:24:00.000-08:002009-12-08T08:31:43.330-08:00Important changes to noteThanks to everyone for making 2009 a successful year for the Interfaith Experience. Beginning in 2010, please note a couple of significant issues. First, our January event will <span style="font-weight: bold;">not </span>be held at the Rubin Museum of Art, but will take place at the Action Center to End World Hunger. Secondly, when the Interfaith Experience returns to the Rubin Museum of Art in February, we will moving from Friday nights to Wednesday nights. Events will be held in the RMA Cafe and will still begin at 7pm. We look forward to the new year and bringing you more great speakers.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-39488175405476358402009-10-25T21:15:00.000-07:002009-10-26T07:47:00.768-07:00Thanks to Everyone!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAV9jJ9Nz_QkVvBWLlGQ20Vq2-ubKyEteBbEPT3qYV2reS3iQoLPWc42DsJWprbTNwX0qqNuKSv2G_l5NMBPOuuxK7b7URP1cuEo-O1Aw5-yTzVcDLRMPqGiULk6EB52qwEMMIwxDsm-c/s1600-h/DSC_2773.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 231px; height: 153px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAV9jJ9Nz_QkVvBWLlGQ20Vq2-ubKyEteBbEPT3qYV2reS3iQoLPWc42DsJWprbTNwX0qqNuKSv2G_l5NMBPOuuxK7b7URP1cuEo-O1Aw5-yTzVcDLRMPqGiULk6EB52qwEMMIwxDsm-c/s320/DSC_2773.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396757601049460146" border="0" /></a><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} p {mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Thanks to Katherine Miller for making our first event of our <i>Food and Faith</i> series a successful one. We're excited for the season ahead and hope you can join us next month (November 20th) for Jess Root.<br /><br />A practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism, Jess' talk will address food justice as it relates to her faith’s meditation on interdependence and the aspiring Bodhisattva’s wish to benefit all beings. All based on what she knows best—her own, direct experience and meditations that she credits to her teachers His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Khyongla Rato Rinpoche, Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Jampa and Vivekan. <o:p></o:p></p> <p>As an example, Jess will demonstrate the ocean of difference between sitting down to what can simply be viewed as an ordinary bowl of rice, and sitting down to an extraordinary bowl or rice that’s eaten under the lens of the Buddha’s teachings on ‘dependent arising.’<o:p></o:p></p> <p face="times new roman">She’s learned and witnessed that Buddhist reflections such as these have trained her often lazy and scattered mind to slow down, reflect, and practice gratitude. This has influenced her consumer decisions for the better—motivating her to put her money, quite literally, where her mouth is, purchasing Fair Trade, local, organic, and responsibly harvested foods. <o:p></o:p></p> <p face="times new roman">Jess Root is a freelance environmental journalist and yoga instructor. Her written contributions can be found in Discovery Communications’ TreeHugger.com and PlanetGreen.com. She’s been featured in Budget Travel, E, the Environmental Magazine, and she has lectured at The Tibet Center. As the manager and yoga instructor at Bodhisattva Yoga, she aspires to crystallize the connection between sustainability, spirituality and wellness.<o:p></o:p></p>The Interfaith Experience,http://www.blogger.com/profile/14186949683114725312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-37086148634485229842009-09-29T13:13:00.000-07:002009-09-30T08:35:36.623-07:00Food and Faith: executive chef Katherine Miller<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/SsJtASyme_I/AAAAAAAAHEA/tAOHtWwUHTs/s1600-h/km.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 175px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/SsJtASyme_I/AAAAAAAAHEA/tAOHtWwUHTs/s320/km.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386987956100037618" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">On Friday October 23rd, please join us for our new series focusing on Food and Faith. Over the course of the next 8 months, we will delve into how faith interprets and addresses the many issues surrounding food and water: from nutrition and hunger, access to food, to food and water security. Our first speaker is executive chef Katherine Miller. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family:Arial;">As the executive chef of EnlightenNext, Katherine Miller is pioneering new ways of understanding health and wellness in the context of conscious evolution and spiritual enlightenment. Her insights and experience have been influenced by spiritual teacher Andrew Cohen, founder of EnlightenNext, whom she has been a student of for 18 years. Her first insight into spiritual life began 28 years ago with the study of Aikido and then Iyengar yoga, which she still practices and teaches today. In the late 80's she discovered the Indian spiritual teacher, Amachi, with whom she spent four years. Her passion for gourmet vegetarian food and optimum health has led to a unique style of cooking that integrates various principles of raw food "cooking," macrobiotics, and the newest scientific research into nutrition. Katherine is currently collaborating with other health professionals on the “Health is Wealth” initiative, a program whose mission is to engender evolution in regards to food and our spiritual, moral and ethical values.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-family:Arial;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-family:Arial;">Katherine will be speaking about food and health from her experience as a practitioner of evolutionary enlightenment and the understanding that faith in our purpose in life influences every aspect of our existence, including how we eat. She’ll pose provocative questions, such as: How do our motivations and preferences change as our understanding of life evolves? When we view ourselves not only as part of, but actually responsible for, the evolutionary process, how do we respond? Is the way that we care for our physical being – our health and vitality – reflect the understanding that we are here for a higher purpose? If so, what do we eat?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style=""><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CChris%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} p {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p><span style="font-family: Arial;">Our experience of faith and purpose deeply influences our appreciation for the life forms we depend on to live and grow. Our faith is also where we find the gratitude and humility to begin to pose these critical questions. As we find the answers, our goal is to put them into action in order to create a fundamental shift in our shared values – and the foundation for a new culture. What we put on our plates is a big part this.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p> <span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span> <p></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-74168075627015842432009-06-29T07:29:00.000-07:002009-06-29T07:39:29.521-07:00Thanks to everyoneThanks to Wesam Berjaoui for his engaging and enlightening talk on Islamic finance which closed out our winter/spring series on Faith and Finance. It was a great way to close out the season before we take a summer hiatus. Thanks again to all of our speakers, attendees and committee memebers for making the Interfaith Experience a success. We look forward to returning on September 25th for our new series on Faith and Food. Stay tuned for more details.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-33833817971371438672009-06-12T13:21:00.000-07:002009-06-23T09:35:20.478-07:00Spring Finale: Islamic finance, June 26th<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/SjK5Bs5r9wI/AAAAAAAAG08/0vxHQXx6lws/s1600-h/sharia_finance_dollar.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 132px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/SjK5Bs5r9wI/AAAAAAAAG08/0vxHQXx6lws/s320/sharia_finance_dollar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346539146526324482" border="0" /></a>Please join us for the conclusion of our "Faith and Finance" series. Our guest speaker is Wesam Berjaoui who will be discussing the principles of Islamic finance. <span class="text9">At a time when the conventional interest-based <span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1244838275_0">global financial system</span> is in turmoil, it is a natural reaction to seek more prudent and ethical alternative systems of financial management. Islamic finance offers one unique alternative and is here to stay.</span><span style=""> </span>Come learn why Islamic finance is the fastest growing phenomenon in global finance.<span style=""> </span>How does Islamic finance differ from conventional finance?<span style=""> </span>Why does Islamic law, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1244838275_1">Shariah</span>, forbid Muslims from receiving interest on loans or savings? <span style=""> </span>Please bring your questions, thoughts and enthusiasm to this highly anticipated gathering.<br /><br />The event will take place at 7pm, June 26th at the Rubin Museum of Art. We look forward to seeing you there.<br /><br />Wesam Berjaoui is Regional Manager at University Islamic Financial. He graduated from Pace University with a Bachelors degree in Finance. He started his career at Guidance Residential as a sales consultant and worked his way up to District Manager and then climbed steadily up to North East Regional Manager, managing a team of up to eight sales consultants. Wesam recently joined University Islamic Financial in October 2007 as their Regional Manager handling East Coast operations and expansion. His responsibilities extend to currently training and coaching the dynamic sales team as well as helping expand operational states.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-35020711555866246092009-05-01T14:46:00.000-07:002009-05-14T14:03:59.134-07:00Survey and May eventPlease take a couple of minutes to take a very brief, anonymous survey to help us improve the Interfaith Experience.<br /><a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Y9yy4wMWmbQ_2fsFq_2br4nrsQ_3d_3d">Click Here to take survey</a><br /><br />Many thanks. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span></span>==========================================<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">May 29th with Sheila Wall and Michael Pergola</span></span><br /><br />We hope to see everyone on May 29th for our continuing series on "Faith and Finance." We look forward to welcoming Sheila Wall and Michael Pergola from Coalition for One Voice. Please join us...<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Faith and Finance: Can It Make a Difference</span></span>"<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/SftsM7ISskI/AAAAAAAAEo4/AnztY18eIII/s1600-h/coov.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 209px; height: 170px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/SftsM7ISskI/AAAAAAAAEo4/AnztY18eIII/s320/coov.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330973553209815618" border="0" /></a><br />In the past 30 years we have witnessed a series of disruptions to the financial system that have been publicly perceived as scandals that deviate from the norm. They have followed each other with a certain inevitability, and have led to the current freezing of the world economy and the disruption of countless lives.<br /><br />We will explore this phenomenon, and what we can do individually and collectively to respond creatively to current circumstances. Questions that will be addressed include:<br />• What characteristics do the people involved in all of these situations have in common?<br />• How could some of the best trained and most gifted members of our society fail to see the long term implications of their actions<br />• What, if any, impact did the ethics courses added to the curriculum of MBA programs in the 80’s have on the behavior of financial leaders<br />• What role does the “ethic of unfettered individualism” and the “argument culture” play in creating our current distress<br />• How could a deeper experience of ethics, morality and spirituality help us see the opportunity in the current crisis<br />• How can we understand and utilize the notion of higher consciousness to inform our actions and respond creatively to the challenges we encounter in our personal and professional lives<br />• What should we expect from our leaders in finance, business and government, and<br />• How can we create the conditions, individually and socially, that will get us what we need in order for our children and our grandchildren to live meaningful lives in a just society that spans the globe<br /><br />We will focus on how the consciousness of individuality has played itself out in our institutions, particularly our financial and educational institutions, and offer insights and practices from the great spiritual traditions that can increase our capacity to experience deep inner peace in the midst of turmoil, and to find creative responses and skillful actions in the face of the current challenges.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-37426298517522586692009-04-22T12:02:00.001-07:002009-04-28T10:56:37.802-07:00In Conversation with Robert Thurman and guests<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/Se9rrd605AI/AAAAAAAAEow/j49Ocp-aQHg/s1600-h/dali-lama-thurman.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 171px; height: 171px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/Se9rrd605AI/AAAAAAAAEow/j49Ocp-aQHg/s320/dali-lama-thurman.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327595278712497154" border="0" /></a>Tuesday, May 5, 2009<br />6:30 pm to 8:00 pm<br /><a href="http://www.paleycenter.org/religion-media-and-culture-the-dalai-lama/">The Paley Center for Media</a><br />25 West 52 Street (between 5th & 6th Ave)<br />New York, NY<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:180%;">Religion, Media, and Culture</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">In Conversation with...</span></span><br /><b><br />Robert A. F. Thurman</b>, Professor, Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies, Columbia University, and President, Tibet House US <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Laurie Goodstein</span>, National Religion Correspondent for the New York Times</p> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Steve Waldman</span>, Co-Founder, President and Editor-in-Chief of Beliefnet<br /></p> <p><b>Ibrahim Abdil-Mu’id Ramey</b>, Director of Human Rights Division, Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation</p><p>For tickets: <a href="https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/7164135">https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/7164135</a> or call the box office 212-621-6600<br />Use the promotional code: temple</p><p>We're pleased to announce our very exciting upcoming program with Robert Thurman who is considered the foremost Western scholar on Tibetan Buddhism. This event will take place on May 5th at 630pm at the Paley Center for Media. See below for more information.<br /></p>Robert Thurman was the first American to have been ordained a Tibetan Buddhist monk and a personal friend of the Dalai Lama for over 40 years, Professor Thurman is a passionate advocate and spokesperson for the truth regarding the current Tibet-China situation and the human rights violations suffered by the Tibetan people under Chinese rule. His commitment to finding a peaceful, win-win solution for Tibet and China inspired him to write his latest book, <a href="http://dalailamamatters.com/" target="_blank" included="null">Why the Dalai Lama Matters: His Act of Truth as the Solution for China, Tibet and the World,</a> published in June of 2008. Popularizing the Buddha's teachings is just one of Thurman's creative talents.<br /><br />He is a riveting speaker and an author of <a href="http://www.bobthurman.com/publications.html" target="_blank" included="null">many books</a> on Tibet, Buddhism, art, politics and culture, including Circling the Sacred Mountain, Essential Tibetan Buddhism, The Tibetan Book of the Dead, Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet, Infinite Life: Seven Virtues for Living Well, Inner Revolution, The Jewel Tree of Tibet and, most recently, Why the Dalai Lama Matters.<br /><br /><h2>Religion, Media, and Culture<br /></h2><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">In Conversation with Robert Thurman</span></span><br /><br />Tuesday, May 5, 2009<br /><p class="date-time"> 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm<br />The Paley Center for Media<br />25 West 52 Street (between 5th & 6th Ave)<br />New York, NY<br /></p> <p>In 1959, coverage of the Dalai Lama's exile from Tibet catapulted his epic struggle with China onto the world stage. Fifty years later, despite highly sophisticated attacks on his reputation and threats of diplomatic sanctions against welcoming states, his celebrity is larger than ever. As the Dalai Lama visits New York in May to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of his exile, join us for a discussion to explore different perspectives on the success of his use of media in advancing awareness of the plight of the Tibetan people.</p><p>This program is presented in conjunction with <a href="http://www.templeofunderstanding.org/" target="_blank">The Temple of Understanding</a>, a New York–based organization dedicated to promoting cross cultural and inter-religious tolerance and understanding. </p>Advanced tickets are $15.<br />Purchases at the door are $20.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/7164135">https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/7164135</a><br />Use the promotional code: templeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-11515636876988455912009-04-22T11:55:00.000-07:002009-04-22T12:01:26.732-07:00April event postponedWe regret to inform you that April's Interfaith Experience has been canceled. Please note that this talk on Islamic finance will be rescheduled for June 26th. We're sorry for the inconvenience. The next Interfaith Experience talk will take place on May 29th with Sheila Wall and Michael Pergola from Coalition for One Voice.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-20128623166705826502009-03-09T06:22:00.000-07:002009-03-10T09:09:31.857-07:00Thanks to Kona and March program<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/SbUdEXm4pjI/AAAAAAAAEng/XNgexUEtlQE/s1600-h/kona.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 148px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/SbUdEXm4pjI/AAAAAAAAEng/XNgexUEtlQE/s320/kona.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311183296447161906" border="0" /></a>A very special thanks to Kona Goulet for her wonderful talk to kickoff our "Faith and Finance" series. It made us think about: does the way we spend our money reflect our higher values? I'd recommend tracking your spending (to the penny) for one week and you'll be surprised where the money goes. Give it a try.<br /><br />We look forward to seeing everyone on March 27th at 7pm for the 2nd talk of our "Faith and Finance" series.<br /><br />"Economic Turmoil and Financial Abundance"<br /><br />Andrew Wang, <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1236604598_0">Senior Vice President</span> at Runnymede Capital Management, addresses the importance of financial health in one's pursuit of physical, mental and spiritual well being. Drawing from personal and professional experience, Andrew discusses the subject of money from a Christian perspective as it relates to materialism, giving, prosperity and success. Amidst the back drop of a contracting economy, global banking crisis, and corporate malfeasance, Andrew shares the foundation of his financial ministry and how Christian views on money apply to the current economic turmoil.<br /><br />Andrew is a Senior Vice President and an Equity Portfolio Manager at Runnymede Capital Management, a registered investment adviser that serves individuals and institutional clients. Runnymede Capital Management was recently nominated as investment "Manager of the Year" for 2008 by the editors of <span style="font-style: italic;">Financial Investment News</span>.<style> O {font-size:149%;} </style><style media="print"> <!--.sld {left:0px !important; width:6.0in !important; height:4.5in !important; font-size:103% !important;} --> </style><!--[endif]--><o:shapelayout ext="edit"></o:shapelayout><o:idmap ext="edit" data="1"></o:idmap> In 1996, Runnymede coined the term "Financial Hurricanes." In the face of major downturns, Andrew believes that you must take defensive positioning which has benefits in terms of financial and emotional health. Andrew holds a B.A. in International Studies with honors from Trinity College.<p:colorscheme colors="#ffffff,#000000,#808080,#000000,#bbe0e3,#333399,#009999,#99cc00"></p:colorscheme>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-58465754249569294892009-02-19T19:11:00.000-08:002009-02-20T12:05:41.874-08:002009 Kickoff event with Kona Goulet. Please join us February 27th.<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11;">Next week, we look forward to our first event of 2009. Please join us Friday, February 27th at 7pm at the Rubin Museum of Art. Our first speaker of the season is Kona Goulet, Director of Development for EnlightenNext. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11;">"Keeping the Faith: Pursuing Higher Values in Challenging Times"<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11;">You may have heard the refrain, “<i>If you want to know what you value in life, just look in your check book.</i>” In these challenging times, when we tend to become more conservative, the question is, what are we conserving? Do we conserve that which matters most? After we cut out the “excess” in our lives, is what’s left a reflection of our higher values? Or do we succumb to survival instincts and leave our higher aspirations to times less troubling? In this talk, Kona Goulet, Director of Development for EnlightenNext, will speak about how in challenging times we must ask ourselves even more deeply just how much our lives (and finances) are expressing our faith and our deepest values.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Kona Goulet is Director of Development for EnlightenNext, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by spiritual teacher Andrew Cohen and dedicated to the evolution of consciousness and culture. She is one of Cohen’s senior students and has been practicing his teaching philosophy of Evolutionary Enlightenment for fourteen years. Goulet has worked for the past decade in the corporate and financial sectors in England, Australia and Holland. She first became the Managing Director for EnlightenNext in the UK in 2004 and two years later, became the Director of Development at the EnlightenNext World Center based in Lenox, Massachusetts. She is a passionate advocate for the potential of philanthropy to uplift and transform culture. Her work entails developing creative forums for philanthropists to come together as agents of transformation. </p><span style="font-size:11;"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-22038031666275937862009-02-13T08:30:00.000-08:002009-02-20T04:57:45.464-08:00Faith and Finance<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/SZWkNs5kqzI/AAAAAAAAEj8/Id_FLH2okpM/s1600-h/Money_Church.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 181px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/SZWkNs5kqzI/AAAAAAAAEj8/Id_FLH2okpM/s320/Money_Church.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302324691596520242" border="0" /></a>We're just two weeks away from our 2009 kickoff event with Kona Goulet on February 27th!!! With the financial turmoil surrounding all our lives, the Interfaith Experience team thought "Faith and Finance" would be an interesting topic to expand upon for our winter/spring season.<br /><br />The roots of finance have seemingly been corrupted by greed and poor risk controls. The foundations of the global financial system are broken. The global divide between the rich and poor is ever increasing. The need for sustainable business models grows everyday in the wake of global climate change. All these matters are of profound importance for all of us and one wonders what faith communities and traditions have to say about these challenges and possible solutions in the years to come.<br /><br />We look forward to exploring these issues with our speakers and hope that you can join us for the journey. Please join us on February 27th with speaker Kona Goulet.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-16045340373078581622009-01-13T13:33:00.000-08:002009-01-13T13:38:49.414-08:00February kickoffThe first Interfaith Experience event of 2009 will take place on February 27th. Please mark it down on your calendars. Stay tuned for more info.<br /><br />If you are interested in volunteering and/or becoming an active member of the planning committee, please email Chris at cwang@runnymede.com.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-39793246082908913792008-11-04T12:44:00.000-08:002008-11-20T13:29:42.738-08:00November - Contemporary Paganism<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/SRC7vLfz8bI/AAAAAAAAEbM/yAE0wo9YnKg/s1600-h/Judy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 170px; height: 169px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/SRC7vLfz8bI/AAAAAAAAEbM/yAE0wo9YnKg/s320/Judy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264914383610573234" border="0" /></a>We are pleased to announce that our November speaker is Wiccan High Priestess <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Harrow">Judy Harrow</a>. Published author and Chair of Pastoral Care and Counseling at Cherry Hill Seminary, Judy will give an overview of Paganism and the various beliefs and practices of its practitioners today. Her talk is entitled, "Contemporary Paganism: Living an Ancient Faith in the Modern World." Please join us on November 21st at 7pm at the Rubin Museum of Art. We look forward to seeing you at the event.<br /><br />"Contemporary Paganism: Living an Ancient Faith in the Modern World."<br /><br />Paganism, Neo-Paganism, Wicca, Witchcraft: these words carry a whiff of weirdness. Are we talking about harmless eccentrics, people in the grip of dangerous delusions, defiant social misfits, or maybe even worse? Actually, Pagans look just like anybody else in the supermarket or on the subway. They have ordinary jobs, homes, and families, and the normal range of other interests. But they base their spiritual practice on some different core assumptions. Modern Paganism is a new religious movement, small but growing fast, that seeks to revive the long-suppressed shamanic, nature-based, polytheistic spiritual traditions of Europe, to live in a modern, urban environment while honoring Mother Earth and Father Sky, and following the Sacred cycle of the Seasons and the phases of the Moon. And, yes, they practice magic.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-76686605950824028102008-10-14T12:47:00.000-07:002008-10-14T21:36:46.452-07:00The Greening of Faith & Why It MattersWe are very pleased to announce that the Reverend Fletcher Harper will be leading our October 24th event. With global warming and climate change an ever increasing concern, Rev. Harper will discuss the role of religion in the environmental sustainability movement from an interfaith perspective.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/SOu9utQZ8jI/AAAAAAAAEbE/uGgGjBGnr2E/s1600-h/greenfatih.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/SOu9utQZ8jI/AAAAAAAAEbE/uGgGjBGnr2E/s320/greenfatih.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254502000377852466" border="0" /></a><br />Fletcher Harper, an Episcopal priest, is Executive Director of GreenFaith, an interfaith environmental coalition based in New Jersey. An award-winning spiritual writer and nationally-recognized preacher on the environment, he has developed a range of innovative programs to make GreenFaith one of the most respected religious-environmental groups in the US. A graduate of Princeton University and Union Theological Seminary, Harper served as a parish priest for ten years and in leadership positions in the Episcopal Church prior to joining GreenFaith.<br /><br />Founded in 1992, GreenFaith is New Jersey’s interfaith coalition for the environment. GreenFaith inspires, educates and mobilizes people of diverse spiritual backgrounds to deepen their relationship with the sacred in nature and to restore the earth for future generations. At a time when religious conflicts dominate the headlines, GreenFaith unites people of diverse faiths toward the shared value of caring for the earth.<br /><br />Through religious-environmental education programs, by greening the operation of religious institutions and the homes of their members, and through legislative advocacy and values-based environmental activism, GreenFaith helps religious institutions and people of all faiths put their belief into action for the earth and all its inhabitants.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-83179143725484032392008-09-20T15:40:00.000-07:002008-09-24T05:28:06.672-07:00Fall Kickoff - September 26th - Join Us!We hope that everyone had an amazing summer as we are very excited for the upcoming fall season of the Interfaith Experience. The first event of the season is this Friday, September 26th at 7pm. Please join Seton Hall professor Peter Savastano as he discusses the African-based religions in the diaspora. Our October event will be held on the 24th with the Reverend Fletcher Harper of GreenFaith, an interfaith coalition for the environment.<p class="MsoNormal">"African-Based Religions in the Diaspora: An Exploration of Fluidity, Ambiguity, Relationality and Transformation." </p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/SNe0d2wWa6I/AAAAAAAAEaI/hheLeMyevG4/s1600-h/africa.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 205px; height: 175px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YjK0PcvbQs0/SNe0d2wWa6I/AAAAAAAAEaI/hheLeMyevG4/s320/africa.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248862315731119010" border="0" /></a>When most people are asked to define religion, their response is often "religion is a set of beliefs", especially in those cultures historically associated with the Abrahamic traditions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). While "belief" plays a role in the African based traditions in the Diaspora (i.e., <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1221950257_4">Haitian Vodou</span>, Cuban Santeria or Lucumi, Brazilian Candomble, and others), it is not dominant. Rather, in the African-based Diasporic traditions the focus is on the dynamics of healing ritual activity not creedal statements and/or doctrinal theological formulations.</p>In the African based traditions in the Diaspora, there is no Pope (to borrow from a <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1221950257_5">Roman Catholic</span> model), no cannon law, and no formal creed; they are African-based Diasporic traditions resisting institutionalization and centralization. They are dynamic and fluid, constantly expanding and contracting as the need arises. The African-based traditions in the Diaspora absorb and transform what is external to their ritual and symbol system, welcoming the "other" rather than building doctrinal walls to keep out that which is foreign. They are open-ended, rooted in the ritual action of the body, emotions, and intuition. They are innovative, improvisational and have a great capacity for ambiguity, while at the same time having a distinct world view, and a common set of symbols and ritual patterns on which practitioners draw in unique and different ways. These are traditions whose primary focus is on maintaining balanced relationships between the world of the living, the world of the ancestors, the world of the Deities (i.e., the Orisha, the Lwa or the Spirits) and when a practitioner's relationships is out of balance with any of these worlds, re-balancing is sought through divination, trance/possession, and various healing activities. <p class="MsoNormal">This lecture will explore the dynamic character of these traditions and the valuable contribution that they make to human spiritual life and to a richer understanding of religion.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-80265777983041678772008-07-22T07:07:00.000-07:002008-07-22T07:19:23.046-07:00Juliet Hollister Awards - September 18th<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rwA4I5x5Styxz1tuOcmXXO74fxkLSVaiaRfQpADCaNp7Hjsaywn7yoE84uDA0vf9HISvayyUEIZJnXTn4xt3Okxtjvfde2maAACIk6JMrhOKi3vQ-vtuK-YUVRIQmaqeRvCD5cmBzCkM/s1600-h/MajoraCarter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 166px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rwA4I5x5Styxz1tuOcmXXO74fxkLSVaiaRfQpADCaNp7Hjsaywn7yoE84uDA0vf9HISvayyUEIZJnXTn4xt3Okxtjvfde2maAACIk6JMrhOKi3vQ-vtuK-YUVRIQmaqeRvCD5cmBzCkM/s320/MajoraCarter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225842425320483458" border="0" /></a><br />We are currently planning our events for the fall season and will have some announcements on our speakers very soon. Trust me, we are going to have some amazing guests for the fall.<br /><br />In the meantime you may be interested in the Temple of Understanding's Juliet Hollister Awards Gala. The event is going to be held at the UN Delegates Dining Room on Sept 18th at 7pm. It will be an incredible evening of music and memorable honorees. Linus Roache, who presented at the Interfaith Experience in May, will be Master of Ceremony. This years honorees are:<br /><br /><table width="100%"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><li><b>Majora Carter</b> will be honored for her work to bring social and environmental justice to poor and disenfranchised communities around the world. She is a leading urban revitalization strategist, the founder of <a href="http://www.ssbx.org/MajoraCarterStaffBio.htm"> Sustainable South Bronx</a>, and a 2005 MacArthur “Genius” Fellow.</li><br /><li><b>Russell Simmons</b>, music industry pioneer, entrepreneur and <a href="http://www.rushphilanthropic.org/Content/Main.aspx?pageId=1"> philanthroper</a>, will be honored for his work to bridge the divide between people of different religions and cultures. </li><br /><li><b>Bhai Sahib Dr. Mohinder Singh Ahluwalia</b> is the leader of the largest registered Sikh community in the United Kingdom. He will be honored for his work as an intra- and inter-faith educator and for his dedication to advancing interfaith issues at the United Nations. </li></td></tr></tbody></table><br />In 1996 the Juliet Hollister Award was created to honor the Temple of Understanding's founder, Juliet Hollister, and to acknowledge the work of a religious leader whose work brings interfaith values into the place of worship and secular leaders who promote greater understanding of spiritual values in areas such as the arts, education, media, government, science, law and the environment.<br /><br /> Past awardees include Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, the Very Reverend James Parks Morton, His Holiness Sri Swami Satchidananda, President Nelson Mandela, His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama, Maestro Ravi Shankar, Wangari Maathai, Fr. Thomas Berry, Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan, and Hans Kung.<br /><br /><b>A pre-purchased ticket to the event is required.</b><br /><br /><b>To order tickets or for more information:</b> info@templeofunderstanding.org or call 212-573-9224, ext 22Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-25121635835434533642008-06-04T08:17:00.000-07:002008-06-05T20:23:01.842-07:00A special thanks and a Survey<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCO8Cm-9R2Bl5AaOs60CSWH_eNRzWX3ItSIctuJ-WFOb3d2DjX2vuwtV3g6O_rI3J2_SiHt7m7kVYLEMG7Cl1IVl21wW0sB5kXkC0B2-pXUCnIOoAp1xeNI_04ls3iFQOYMBPCn6Hbi8/s1600-h/IMG_0222.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCO8Cm-9R2Bl5AaOs60CSWH_eNRzWX3ItSIctuJ-WFOb3d2DjX2vuwtV3g6O_rI3J2_SiHt7m7kVYLEMG7Cl1IVl21wW0sB5kXkC0B2-pXUCnIOoAp1xeNI_04ls3iFQOYMBPCn6Hbi8/s320/IMG_0222.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208602329525999394" border="0" /></a>A very special thanks to Linus and to all those that attended our final event of the spring/summer season. Thanks to Linus for his enlightening and entertaining talk, as well as for joining us for dinner and laughs after the event. It was a fabulous way to close out our first full year at the Rubin Museum of Art. We're looking forward to bringing you more great events in the fall and hope that you all have an amazing summer.<br /><br />Please take a couple of minutes to take a very brief, anonymous survey to help us improve the Interfaith Experience.<br /><a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=IJg69qYRl12i62tDkokCyQ_3d_3d">Click Here to take survey</a><br />Many thanks...The Interfaith Experience,http://www.blogger.com/profile/14186949683114725312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-34578487353638053882008-05-05T08:28:00.000-07:002008-05-06T13:23:14.123-07:00Law and Order star Linus Roache joins us in MayWe are pleased to announce that Law and Order's newest star Linus Roache will present at the Interfaith Experience on May 30th at 7pm. Linus will share how his spiritual practice of Evolutionary Enlightenment has impacted his life and career.<br /><br />"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfmA-COPD_6hP1f7rJN605gaVEx7vXS5scohNl9JEGgUtwMldhSkHcNTlpnuoUo4KaZN9L5wNEN-CEmLADAqr18Kdl_2353KbNJ4PaXZuhuEs31qgBoZlqvJ05z8RhQtywhY9q0cMzxc/s1600-h/linus.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfmA-COPD_6hP1f7rJN605gaVEx7vXS5scohNl9JEGgUtwMldhSkHcNTlpnuoUo4KaZN9L5wNEN-CEmLADAqr18Kdl_2353KbNJ4PaXZuhuEs31qgBoZlqvJ05z8RhQtywhY9q0cMzxc/s320/linus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172440249946355010" border="0" /></a>Being in the World but not of the World. "<br /><br />In this talk the acclaimed British Actor <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1204302609_0">Linus Roache</span>, currently appearing as Law and Order's Chief Executive ADA Michael Cutter, will share how the perspective of Evolutionary Enlightenment is helping him navigate through the seductive world of success, celebrity and the intensity of the entertainment industry. As well as performing for over 24 years on stage, TV and screen, Linus has been a student of Evolutionary Enlightenment for the past 14 years and is now the Managing Director of the New York Center for EnlightenNext. EnlightenNext is a global network dedicated to creating a revolution in Consciousness and Culture and is founded on the vision of Spiritual Teacher Andrew Cohen and his teaching of Evolutionary Enlightenment.The Interfaith Experience,http://www.blogger.com/profile/14186949683114725312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-42745927906902324692008-04-08T11:29:00.000-07:002008-04-10T14:00:09.340-07:00Creation Spirituality: A Way Forward Together<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNJmxcoLDFIgnjFSUIsw8TMg691r1QQ9dSBXcK8RVxSKWiRN-xALrqCmmXxxhuYtN2nT4rn5BRFzKDoG2oey8zjG_HV0YAbyyFIqkVpulhrPOBRe6lJom6BIG2dmpwsBlcRLv5LqB2U4/s1600-h/masud.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 152px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNJmxcoLDFIgnjFSUIsw8TMg691r1QQ9dSBXcK8RVxSKWiRN-xALrqCmmXxxhuYtN2nT4rn5BRFzKDoG2oey8zjG_HV0YAbyyFIqkVpulhrPOBRe6lJom6BIG2dmpwsBlcRLv5LqB2U4/s320/masud.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186943888734031730" border="0" /></a>Please join us on April 25th at 7pm on the 6th floor of the Rubin Museum of Art for a fascinating discussion on "Creation Spirituality" presented by the Reverend Masud Ibn Syedullah, TSSF.<br /><br />The events of 9/11 forced many of us to consider, and reconsider our attitudes and opinions about “the other” regarding race, ethnicity, culture, and religion. Many of us who previously felt secure within the realm of those “like us” are increasingly challenged to think about and even interact with those who differ from ourselves. Join the Reverend Masud Ibn Syedullah, TSSF, for a discussion of how we can break down barriers and find the common ground between us all. Drawing upon his life experiences from growing up in a Christian and Muslim family to his many years in the Franciscan movement, Reverend Syedullah will discuss universal principals that cut across all the faiths leading us forward together in our common humanity.<br /><br />An Episcopal priest, musician, and educator, the Rev. Masud I. Syedullah, TSSF integrates resources of the Christian spiritual tradition, the arts, and liturgical worship to create experiences that facilitate spiritual growth. Born into an interfaith family (Christian and Islamic), and a professed member and pastoral officer of The Third Order, Society of Saint Francis (TSSF -- an international religious community in the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion), Father Syedullah has acquired a profound appreciation for the many ways people experience and relate to God. His work invites persons to discover the <i>everywhereness</i> of God – the ways God can be experienced in persons and places beyond ones expectations.<br /><br />Pastor of the Church of the Atonement, Bronx, New York, and member of the Liturgical Commission and the Episcopal-Muslim Relations Committee of The Episcopal Diocese of New York, his ministry encompasses the concerns and realities of both the local congregation and the broader faith community.The Interfaith Experience,http://www.blogger.com/profile/14186949683114725312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-56599865452087417022008-03-26T13:49:00.000-07:002008-03-26T14:01:03.907-07:00Friday and Interfaith DialogueWe are looking forward to part 2 of Dr. Kurt Johnson and Loch Kelly's talk this Friday night at 7pm. Please note that the event will take place on the 5th floor, not the usual 6th floor location which is temporarily closed for an installation at this time. Please arrive early to get a good seat as their January event was standing room only.<br /><br />=============================================<br /><br />In today's news, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, who visited Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in November, called on Muslims, Jews and Christians to engage in Interfaith Dialogue. He said, "The idea is to ask representatives of all monotheistic religions to sit together with their brothers in faith and sincerity to all religions as we all believe in the same God." Let's hope that leaders follow through on this call which can pave the road to peace in the Middle East. If you want to read the full article, please visit <a href="http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=4518593">www.abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=4518593.</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04664921035541309568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-78334153075092509912008-02-23T05:46:00.000-08:002008-02-29T09:39:43.553-08:00Thanks to Alex Grey<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5FdJh2y3KlTeOFfgNKpm9gV7CfcleyoOoFwXkuF-1Uq4wD3eBO0tLbJDqWkP5ZWU0XnVX_sBld3yCOQMNS1k3PxrV-DLH75DWYUrtf2h536acpRCIIlD5mvdwNvzGXOA0OGtTkbX0lI/s1600-h/IMG_0119.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5FdJh2y3KlTeOFfgNKpm9gV7CfcleyoOoFwXkuF-1Uq4wD3eBO0tLbJDqWkP5ZWU0XnVX_sBld3yCOQMNS1k3PxrV-DLH75DWYUrtf2h536acpRCIIlD5mvdwNvzGXOA0OGtTkbX0lI/s320/IMG_0119.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172398545813910818" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">A very special thanks to Alex Grey for his visually stunning presentation on Friday night. It was an honor to have him as our guest and the event went above and beyond our expectations. Thanks to all those that braved the snowy winter day and were treated to such an entertaining and enlightening talk. If you haven't been to the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors (542 27th street between 10th and 11th), you have to check it out before it moves north of the city.</span><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">We look forward to seeing everyone next month for part 2 of Dr. Kurt Johnson and Loch Kelly's presentation on Spirituality, Science and Consciousness.</span></span><br /><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36ZlRb1icJuBqZWm2GNlzAs6Jo6neWsGmli-onxEQCpwVoc6XpPaGzvXk-_J59Na6dngVBKMCD1U2ACzTOvLiE5Ss6QIvVPdvKXDMhArCmU973VkTMTWn-pv-A39eWIg_cSIA8q6EfwI/s1600-h/IMG_0120.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36ZlRb1icJuBqZWm2GNlzAs6Jo6neWsGmli-onxEQCpwVoc6XpPaGzvXk-_J59Na6dngVBKMCD1U2ACzTOvLiE5Ss6QIvVPdvKXDMhArCmU973VkTMTWn-pv-A39eWIg_cSIA8q6EfwI/s320/IMG_0120.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172398734792471858" border="0" /></a></div>The Interfaith Experience,http://www.blogger.com/profile/14186949683114725312noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5719876959910786681.post-28949991939795560352008-02-22T13:07:00.000-08:002008-02-22T13:10:01.505-08:00The show must go on...Despite the early snowfall, tonight's event with Alex Grey will still go on. Please note that our event will not take place at our usual 6th floor location, but we will be in the museum's theatre. Seating will begin at around 645pm and the presentation will start at 7pm. Hope to see you there.The Interfaith Experience,http://www.blogger.com/profile/14186949683114725312noreply@blogger.com0