FAITH HOUSE Manhattan

The Invitation Home (Part 2)

~ by Juliet rabia Gentile

(This is a continuation of the last week's article. To read Part 1 click HERE.)       

 Konya is a small industrial town set like a dusty jewel in the crown of Central Anatolia. It is famous and widely visited only due to the fact that it holds the tomb of Mevlana Jelaladdin Rumi. Over the years since Mevlana Rumi’s death on December 17th 1273, a mystical order based upon his teachings called the Mevlevi order grew. The ritual practice called Sema that one associates with Mevlevis or whirling dervishes – think spinning figures in generous white gowns with funny tomb stone shaped hats whirling for hours - developed out of an incident in a marketplace right there in the town square in Konya. Everything that we know about Rumi has been preserved by his students and family members and can be found in the landscape or in the hearts of the people of Konya.

My flight from Istanbul touched down several hours late due to a burgeoning fog that wrapped itself around Konya’s empty streets like an old friend. Soon after my arrival the phone began to ring and plans mounted up. The celebrations in Konya were well under way despite the cold and fog: there was no time to rest!

It is tradition that Sufis gather together from across the globe every year for seventeen days leading up to the Shebi-Arus celebration which culminates on December 17th. This event known as the “wedding night” commemorates the time when Mevlana Rumi went to join his Beloved. The anniversary of his death is celebratory rather than somber. In fact Rumi wrote in one of his poems, “if you harvest the wheat growing over my grave and bake bread with it, it is sure to intoxicate!” So strong was Mevalana Rumi’s love for God that his fragrance still attracts lovers of all walks of life, religions and nationalities, some 800 years after his death, like bees to honey.

My first stop in Konya was the informal headquarters of the trip: Dervish Brothers Center. DBC was the place of beginning and ending of all journeys and adventures and was visited by many dervish sisters despite its name. It was a place to make and break plans, listen to music and poetry, sip endless cups of tea and have intimate discussions extending into the morning. Before long I had lost track of the number of dhikrs, impromptu musical gatherings, meals and endless prayer vigils I had attended. One highlight of historical importance was a Sufi dhikr held at the tomb of Shems i Tabriz (the mystic thought to be responsible for the full flowering of spiritual wisdom in Rumi’s adult life). This beautiful prayer ceremony which somewhat spontaneously coalesced after the afternoon prayer in the Mosque of Shems was well attended and miraculously accepted by the Mosque authorities, a quiet, though great victory for Sufi activity in Turkey.

One of curiosities of traveling to Turkey is that everywhere you go you encounter people and businesses selling Sufism and Sufi paraphernalia (not always authentic) to tourists, even while its practice is illegal under Turkish law. You may ask yourself why, at a time when Islam is weighed down with fundamentalisms of various stripes and colors, would anyone want to suppress an interpretation of Islam based upon the principle of universal love? Well, despite changing public and political opinion in favor of Sufism, its practitioners are still vulnerable to law enforcement, therefore making the beautiful that day a great triumph towards further opening the gates of understanding and tolerance. 

Perhaps more than any other lesson this journey to Konya taught me the importance of tolerance and understanding, even when I fell short. When you are in a strange country, speaking a new language the importance of open heartedness and true understanding become crystal clear. You become acutely aware of your utter dependence on the kindness of others and their willingness to cover your faults. It takes truth, sincerity and perseverance to navigate cultural divides and find common ground with the other in often difficult or awkward circumstances.

At home, surrounded by the comfort of “my family, my city, my country” it is easy to become complacent and intolerant. It is harder to extend a hand of guidance, friendship, or love. We think our lives don’t depend on it.

In a rapidly shrinking global world colored by increasing violence and polarization, perhaps now more than ever we are challenged to open, rather than shut down, to question and learn, rather than judge. This realization, which I experienced directly rather than ‘thought about’ was one of the most precious gifts I received from Mevlana Rumi and my journey to Konya. In the shadow of His light I witnessed the power of personal connection. The soul stirring invitation afforded by a warm glance, a smile, a prayer – signals that reach across language, race and religion.

In the airport on the way home we encountered that divine fog once again, hemming us in as we waited for hours in the small Konya airport. In the huddled masses there were various fellow pilgrims from England, Pakistan, South Africa and Iran. As the hours wore on and we shared stories, fruit, tea and tears it became crystal clear that we were all drawn to Konya from our various far-flung destinations for one reason: love.

Despite what shade our skin was, what language we spoke or what lives we were returning to, we were all, in our essential natures, one. In those hours of listening to the stories of my fellow pilgrims, the inner meaning contained in Rumi’s famous verses - the importance of extending the invitation of love to others, despite what we think of them - was revealed. This is true Godliness, this is the invitation Home.

"Come, come again
Whoever you are.
Pious one, infidel, heretic, fire worshipper.
Even if you promised a hundred times
And a hundred times you broke your promise,
This door is not the door
Of hopelessness and frustration.
This door is open to everyone.
Come, come as you truly are."

The Invitation Home (Part 1)

~by Juliet rabia Gentile

Since July my colleagues at Faith House Manhattan; Samir, Bowie, Jill, Lauralea and I have put much energy and thought into building a brick and mortar Home for people of all traditions or faiths, or of no particular faith at all. In early December, following a successful Faith House Living Room gathering entitled, Holy Journey: Hajj and Eid ul Adha, where we hosted various leaders from the Muslim Community in New York City, I departed to Turkey for both a personal, spiritual journey and a ground-laying expedition for an International Conference of Sufi women.

On the lengthy plane ride it dawned on me: Istanbul is my spiritual Home. Home is a laden word. For some it conjures happy memories and warm feelings while for others, like victims of violence or exile, the word signals profound grief and longing for what once was. Growing up in and around New York City, a place forever in flux and transition, the word has meant many things to me at different times. Over time I learned not to settle into one set notion of home. Therefore this thought came as a surprise. Perhaps all of us have at one point or another felt a longing for a physical home-land and similarly have felt a pull inward, a longing to find a personal sanctuary, a spiritual home to bring peace, balance and rooted-ness to our life.

Being a student of mysticism I have been taught to seek and find this center in the locus of my “heart.” Called qalb in Arabic and gunul in Turkish, the heart I speak of is not the physical heart but your emotional center where your soul resides, where one’s true essential humanity is to be found. The door to this home is always open, the entrance always immediate.

Despite this fact, on this bitterly cold day in early December I was decidedly on an outer journey into space and time. I was set to arrive in Istanbul, Turkey for a few days and then make my way to Konya, in Central Anatolia, for the Shebi-Arus (literally, wedding day) festival in honor of the poet Mevlana Jelaladdin Rumi, known as “Rumi” in the west. This trip was a long anticipated pilgrimage which I had dreamt of for years.

Islamic tradition relates that the Awliya or (Saintly friends of God) never spiritually die and therefore old cities like Istanbul and centers of spiritual learning, like Konya –places where many Awliya lived and died, are potent places to visit. Therefore I always prepare spiritually and mentally to receive whatever teachings these visits have to offer. You could say I use these travels as litmus tests or sign posts for my own spiritual journey. Spiritual pilgrimage in all traditions is like a continual Sabbath, a state in which your mind and heart are at peace and open to receive the treasures placed before you by God. In this state of openness, every person you meet, every place you visit has something to teach you.

When I arrived in Istanbul, the city was windswept and subdued by rain. The streets were virtually empty as people took a much needed rest after a week of Eid ul Adha (feast of sacrifice) celebrations. That first morning I met up with a young dervish (spiritual initiate), Kemal, who is a life-long member of the Halveti-Jerrahi Sufi order (a Sufi order founded in the 17th century in Istanbul). That day Kemal took me around to some of the sights of Istanbul including Topkapi Palace, which holds Holy relics of the Prophet Muhammad and my favorite Tea garden, the ‘Mystic Water Pipe.’ I ask you where else one can sip Turkish ‘cay’ and smoke a ‘narguila’ (a popular water pipe for scented tobacco in flavors ranging from rose to mint) all the while surrounded by floor to ceiling carpets, lamps and stray kittens cozying in warmth? This is perhaps the best way to adjust to a slower pace of life and to take in the ambience of the old world. After a few days of paying my respects and sending salams to the various Sheikhs of different Sufi orders and branches, it was time to prepare for the real adventure. I was soon to depart to that blessed city, Konya that I had long heard about and longed to visit. What I would find there, of course, defied my expectations and proved to be a memorable and life-changing experience.

(for Part 2 click HERE)

Muslim Youth Organizes to Defend Baha'is

~ report compiled by Samir Selmanovic

How many times have you heard people ask, where are the Muslim voices against discrimination and oppression? Here is a group of Middle Eastern youth who have come together in defense of minorities within their communities. We (Faith House Manhattan) have already shared with you an interview with Arab atheist posted by this vibrant group of people from Mideast Youth (www.mideastyouth.com). Their most recent effort is the creation of a video to bring attention to the rights of the Baha'is, a religious minority that has often found itself persecuted in predominantly Muslim countries.

Nowhere is the persecution worse than in Iran and Egypt where they have been denied basic rights and seen their sacred places destroyed and vandalized. In Iran, where the Baha'i Faith first emerged, Baha'i schools are shut down, leaders of the faith are arrested, executed, or harassed, and Baha'is are denied the right to higher education. In Egypt, Baha'is are not given identity papers, thus preventing them from attaining the basic rights of citizenship.

A group of predominantly Muslim youth have banded together to speak out against the discrimination. They formed a website, www.BahaiRights.org, which catalogues abuses against Baha'is and have now released a video which uses images from the film Persepolis to make a powerful statement against the persecution of the Baha'is. "When minorities are not given their rights, how can we ever expect to exercise our own?" says Kawthar Muhaib, a member of the Muslim Network for Baha'i Rights.

Censeo Productions
Safeguard The Innocent: Video in Defense of the Baha'i Minority

When I was in Europe this Summer, Egyptian Tourism Ad was on CNN International and BBC all day long, after every news. Mideast Youth's first video, called "Egyptian Tourism Ad,"  edited this popular TV advertisement into an awareness campaign for the condition of Baha'is in Egypt. It has been written about in a prominent Egyptian paper, Al Masry Al Yowm.

Egyptian Tourism Ad (Remake)

So there you have it.  Muslim youth is inspiring us Christians and Jews, to act on behalf of Baha'is!  Thank you Jeeeesus! Hallelujah! It is wonderfully interdependent new world. May our efforts help bring freedom to our brothers and sisters in Iran and Egypt.

------------------------

To watch the video in Farsi: http://tinyurl.com/63kpze

For more information contact:
Esra'a Al Shafei, Director, www.MideastYouth.com, director@mideastyouth.com
Kawthar Muhaib, Project Coordinator, MideastYouth.com, kaw@mideastyouth.com

More about our efforts to defend the rights of the Baha'i minority:

BBC Persian:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/story/2007/07/070719_si-wkf-bahaiedefence.shtml

Muslim Arab Youth Defend Baha'i Rights:
http://tinyurl.com/6odhqw

MideastYouth.com in the Press:
http://www.mideastyouth.com/press-room/

Have a Cup of Delicious Peace

~ by Ben Corey-Moran who is the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Coffee Development at Thanksgiving, and is a former member of the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s Sustainability Committee, as well as chair of United Student’s for Fair Trade’s National Advisory Board. He is inspired by his Jewish tradition's insights into justice, relationship, and deeply moved by the task of bringing his tradition to life in our time, especially in matters of food, farming, and trade. Ben lives in Northern California.

Sharing a dedication to the deepest expression of our faiths' values, Thanksgiving Coffee Company and Faith House are exploring the possibilities of global interfaith partnership for environmental justice, and an opportunity to support the 754-member Peace Kawomera Cooperative in Uganda. We hope to work together to bring this story of peace from Uganda and inspire individuals and communities here in the US.

In 2003, Joab Keki, a Ugandan farmer, walked door-to-door asking his Muslim, Christian, and Jewish neighbors to leave behind a history of conflict and face their challenges together. This community of third and fourth generation coffee farmers was struggling to make a living off the low prices offered by the local market. They faced a situation confronting millions like them around the world: struggle with low prices, or cut down the coffee trees, and surrounding forest for lumber, and try to make it with another crop. On the one hand, they had the hope for a sustainable farming future; on the other, they faced the dire consequences of poverty, both social and environmental. With the assistance of Thanksgiving Coffee Company, a family-run coffee roaster in Northern California, these Jewish, Christian and Muslim farmers formed a cooperative. They named their coffee Peace Kawomera, which means, “Delicious Peace” in the Luganda language.

Now in 2008, the Peace Kawomera Cooperative has grown to over 750 members. Thanks to their collective effort, the farmers sell directly to Thanksgiving Coffee Company, and receive $2.60 per pound, a price four times higher than what they were previously paid. This has enabled farmers to send their children to school, start savings accounts, and reinvest in their farms.

Somaili Bissaso, one of the Peace Kawomera Cooperative’s most prominent members was instrumental in convincing his Muslim community to join the cooperative, and has since led the growth and development of the interfaith peace effort. When asked about his thoughts on Thanksgiving Coffee, Bissaso responded,  “We are very grateful, and glad that you have come. You have encouraged us, and you have given us energy to love our coffee trees. Even our youth—my grandsons included—now have the hope to be coffee farmers one day. We pray that, Insha’allah, God gives us more time, luck, and energy.”

Together, the farmers have succeeded in doing something that none could have done alone. As they face the many challenges of life in rural Uganda, they look to their cooperative for hope and strength. In the coming years, the Cooperative plans to invest in land and equipment, offer microfinance to members and contribute to a variety of public health and education projects. That’s where communities like Faith House can help. Please visit our Community Development section to learn more about the Cooperative’s struggles and successes.

On the slopes of Mount Elgon, in Eastern Uganda, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian coffee farmers are struggling to heal a history of violence. Theirs is the story of farmers united by a shared struggle for fair and a sustainable economy. Their fair trade, organic and certified Kosher and Halal coffee is purchased by a growing network of churches, synagogues and mosques across the United States. We invite you to join efforts like this and harness the buying power of your community for peace and justice, and to heal the broken relationships of our world. 

To learn more about this story of peace, economic justice, and environmental sustainability, and to find out how you, your institution, or congregation can get involved, please visit Thanksgiving Coffee’s website, www.deliciouspeace.com.

An Article by Martin Marty: Differentism

 ~ from Sightings (2/26/08), by Martin Marty, author of more than 50 books, speaker, columnist, pastor, teacher, and professor of religion at University of Chicago for 35 years. "Marty" is one of the most prominent interpretors of religion today. Martin E. Marty's biography, current projects, upcoming events, publications, and contact information can be found at www.illuminos.com. In this brief essay he looks at two women, one Jewish and the other Muslim, who received advanced degrees fro Chicago's Catholic Theological Union. Both sought to explore faith in the context of an institution of another faith.

"Women Blaze an Interfaith Trail: Two teachers become first Jewish female and first Muslim female to receive advanced degrees from Catholic Theological Union," and "She's First Jewish Graduate of Catholic Theological Union" were headlines in The Chicago Tribune and The Chicago Sun-Times on May 15. These are local news items, but they represent trends that are growing in the religious cosmopolis. At least two Lutheran seminaries have Islamic Study offerings. The presence of Jews on Christian faculties is common. Time to yawn and head back to presidential campaign obsessions for excitement?

What is going on is a revolution in theological education and inter-religious relations on a scale that a religious-warring world ought to cherish. The trend or revolution has its detractors. Some Catholics are building small but well-financed colleges in which Catholic truth is set in amber or hermetically sealed: non-Catholics or Catholics of other kinds are excluded or unwelcome. That's one way of fighting "indifferentism", which The Catholic Encyclopedia defines as "the term given, in general, to all those theories, which, for one reason or another, deny that it is the duty of man to worship God by believing and practicing the one true religion."

Launch Date!

~ by Lauralea Banks

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel said more than forty years ago in an address to Protestant students and faculty at the Union Theological Seminary in New York,

Parochialism has become untenable... The religions of the world are no more self-sufficient, no more independent, no more isolated than individuals or nations... Energies, experiences, and ideas that come to life outside the boundaries of a particular religion or all religions continue to challenge and to affect every religion.  Horizons are wider, dangers are greater... No religion is an island.

For my generation, these words have only been growing in importance. We are in a dire need of an opportunity to learn to live interdependently and therefore more faithfully.

And that's why the news I have for you is so great! After over a year of dreaming, networking, fundraising, and sometimes wondering if we were crazy for thinking this could work, it's really going to happen! WE HAVE A LAUNCH DATE!!!!!!  After  much discussion and consultation with our Jewish and Muslim mentors we've decided that on SEPTEMBER 27, Faith House will officially leave the realm of ideas and become a physical, tangible community that will meet on a weekly basis! 

In order to prepare for the grand event, we will be holding preview gatherings once a month (June 14, July 26, and August 23). These meetings will be examples of what Faith House gatherings will look like. Leading to September 27, we will use these three sessions to assess and adjust our ministry. Stay tuned as we finalize our location, announce our three co-founders, and develop our programs.

This is a great time to send your contribution for the three co-founders and help us move into a new phase of our project and help us create an interdependent world! Why not do it right now?

Thank you for your support!

River of Maybe

~ by Rabbi David Ingber

INTRODUCTION (by Samir Selmanovic)

Last Friday night I visited a wonderful Jewish congregation on the Upper West Side, Kehilat Romemu. In the spectrum of Judaism from classical to experimental, this congregation firmly holds on to both, reassuring and challenging at the same time. Rabbi David Ingber and I had met a week earlier in David’s apartment, where we passionately conversed about our dreams. No words can convey to you the warmth and depth of this community. I can only offer you a slice of my experience in hope that those of you who live in New York area will visit and see for yourself.

The service took place in a rented gym, Romemu’s new regular gathering place, with one wall of windows, many of them open, all the sounds of the street coming in. During the time of the service when we all turned towards Jerusalem (which happened to be turning our back to the windows), and when we were quietly vocalizing a Hebrew melody full of longing and hope, we were all interrupted by a woman’s voice singing on the street. 

The strong voice seemed to sing in Spanish, a melody that could be from South America or the Middle East. One could not tell. As her voiced entered the gym and overpowered ours, Rabbi David said, “let’s sing with her.”  So, we did. We all started improvising as one voice and wove our Hebrew melody into her song. Someone from the congregation shouted, “everyone, come to the window.”  We all turned around and came.  Soon, there were a hundred or so heads, all men wearing yarmulkes, looking out the windows.  Right in front of us was a Christian Easter procession, with eleven large black and white art pieces depicting the traditional stations of the cross and twelve young men dressed in white robes following a priest who was carrying a cross in the front.  They all stood in front of the building absorbed in their song. Apparently this part of Spanish Harlem was one of the stations.  The Jews started waving their hands above their heads, a motion of blessing, and many who saw us at the windows waved back.  We all got blessed!  What an awkward and sweet moment!

Then Rabbi David talked about Purim, and to illustrate his message he mentioned a video, “Stroke of Insight.”  His teaching about Purim was fitting and fascinating, so I asked him to send me his comments as well as the link for the video. Here they are:

ABOUT THE VIDEO “STROKE OF INSIGHT”:
Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor had an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke. As it happened -- as she felt her brain functions slip away one by one, speech, movement, understanding -- she studied and remembered every moment. This is a powerful story of recovery and awareness -- of how our brains define us and connect us to the world and to one another (Recorded February 2008 in Monterey, California. Duration: 18:44.). To watch this powerful testimony to the spiritual aspect of our lives, click HERE.

COMMENTS BY RABBI DAVID INGBER:
It was an interesting Friday night, without a doubt. So many surprises, so much that spontaneously arose from the collective heart of all those present. Purim lends itself to non-normative or even anti-nomian practices, and what transpired Friday evening certainly qualifies as that. So many memorable moments from that prayer service, but without a doubt standing by the window, waving and blessing our fellow worshipers on the street, sticks out in my mind as special. Samir, may the day soon arrive where all that unites us as children of G-d outshines all divisions. 

Here is a brief rendition of my comments Friday evening:

The story of Purim takes place in a city called Shushan. Interestingly enough, we find two Shushans mentioned in the Bible. One is called "Shushan Habirah" or Capital Shushan and the other is called just "Shushan."  Apparently, according to many commentators, there was an inner city the capital—and an outer city, the area known as Shushan. Elsewhere in the Bible, in the book of Daniel, we find an interesting remark.  We are told that in order to enter the inner city of Shushan, Shushan Habirah, one had to cross a river. The river was called "Ulay". In Hebrew, "Ulay" means “perhaps” or “maybe.” The symbolic significance of this is profound. What emerges is the assertion that in order to enter the inner city of Shushan, the location of the King, where "liberation" and "transformation" can occur, one must cross over or enter into the great not-knowing, the mysterious realm of uncertainty where all things dissolve and all edges are rounded. This to some degree is hardwired into our very biology as you will see in the video. The video clip is a prayer, a plea for us to choose that part of our brain (right hemisphere) that blurs divisions, that allows for a melting of tensions that arise in the mind that divides. This is the mystery of the statement of the Rabbis that one is obligated on Purim to "imbibe until one cannot distinguish between ‘cursed is Haman’ and ‘blessed is Mordechai’". One day a year we allow ourselves to commit fully to the notion that all the lines we draw are functional, not ontological, instrumental means to essential ends.

Rabbi David Ingber studied Philosophy and Psychology at NYU, and has learned at a wide range of yeshivot in Jerusalem and New York, from the ultra-orthodox Yeshivat Chaim Berlin, through to modern orthodox institutions such as Beit Midrash leTorah and Yeshivat Chovovei Torah. Major influences include Rav Moshe Weinberger, David Goshen, and Rav DovBer Pinson. David received his smicha from Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi.  He promotes a renewed Jewish emphasis on meditative practices and is working for the integration of sacred body practices into mainstream Judaism. For more about Rabbi David click HERE.  To read New York Times article about him click HERE.  For learning more about congregation Kehilat Romemu and for the schedule of their services click HERE.

Meet Our Advisory Council!

From the beginning of our journey, we have been convinced we could only succeed with the wisdom of people who are on a similar journey, who have a reservoir of experience and an extensive web of connections. After hundreds of emails, phone calls, and passionate conversations in coffee shops, Manhattan delis, offices, and places of worship, we have developed a network of more than thirty such people. We are ready to report that six months of hard work has paid off!

We chose our eight best candidates to form our first Advisory Council, sent them a letter, and sat tight, praying. We imagined their answers, "I believe in what you are doing, but I have to live a balanced life. I am learning to say No. I really support you, but I am overcommitted, too involved to do anything more. I hope you understand." At times we wondered why anyone with such influence would get involved with grassroots dreamers like us. Each of these individuals has already been working on their own mission to make a difference in the world. 

This past week we received answers from all eight with words like these. Yes, this is an idea whose time has come. Yes, I am impressed by how well thought through this project is. Yes, I would be honored to be a part of this. Yes, I am ready!

We are elated!  Hallelujah!

For the definition and the introductions click HERE.

Each of these wonderful people in their own way will help build our house! Can you help us too? Encourage us. Critique us. Pray for us. Support us.

Lots of love from New York!

Religion and Violence

~ by Samir Selmanovic

January 21-21 Lauralea and I attended 38th Trinity Institute on "Religion and Violence: Untangling the Roots of Conflict" held at Trinity Wall Street episcopal church in New York. It was a powerful and thought-provoking event with satellite linked sites around the world. Speakers Katharine Jefferts Schori James Cone, Susannah Heschel, James Carroll, and Tariq Ramadan dug deep into the issues and provided us with opportunity to discuss, gain insight, and find hope.

I even had a chance for a conversation with Susannah Heschel whose father Rabbi Abraham J. Heschel is one of my top five all time favorite teachers, and with James Caroll whose book Constantine's Sword rocked everything I thought I knew about history of Christianity and Judaism when it came out in 2001. I was particularly interested in hearing Tariq Ramadan who did not get visa to come to the United States (for a no good reason!) and has joined us over a satellite connection. I was encouraged and inspired with his fresh interpretation of what Islam is about and his efforts in integrating its treasures with Western society. Although committed to different traditions, we felt spiritual kinship, hope pulling us like a river to the future.

Good news for all of you is that their presentations are now available on the Trinity Institute website. Just click HERE. If you don't have enough time to see everything, I would recommend these three presentations: James Carroll, Susannah Heschel, and Closing Panel.

For many of us the best part of the experience was participating in a small theological reflection group after each speaker. Seven of us from around the country that comprised our group bonded immediately as we wrestled with the issues and questions raised at the main sessions and shared our journeys, dreams, and hopes. I wholeheartedly recommend Trinity Institute conference in Manhattan. Come next year! The topic for 2009: Religion and Sustainability.

Highlights 2007

This past year has been a tipping point in finding the courage to act on what many of us have been carrying inside for a long time. Now we find ourselves on an unfamiliar territory. And it is not a fun experience. Like Israel in the desert, Joseph in the pit, or Jonah in the belly of the fish, we have often felt we would like to be anywhere but where God brought us.

At the same time, standing on the threshold of a new world, we listen to God more carefully. Hard inner work is under way. It is a pregnant time. We should not hurry our journey through this sacred space, surrender our difficulties too quickly, or rush to answers we don't have.

To celebrate our survival so far, here are some highlights from 2007:

1. Formation of the Support Team. The Faith House project would never have begun without 44 families and individuals around the country, and internationally, who have committed to steady, long-term support. Thank you!!! (To learn more about the importance and functions of Selmanovic Family Support Team, click HERE)

2. Transition to "big bad city." Samir switched his employment from working for a large and supportive church organization to a self-supporting ministry with all of its challenges of needing salary, benefits, health insurance etc. Vesna has found a part-time job and their two daughters have adjusted to their new schools in New York.

3. Launch Team. Responsibility for the launch team is to prepare for the first series of public meetings of Faith House. The team meets once a month and is currently comprised of 35 people. This group of people has bright minds, open hearts, and a major capacity for the delay of gratification!

4. Lauralea Banks. Lauralea has joined Samir in leading the effort of networking in the city, recruiting founders from Jewish and Muslim traditions, and contacting organizations with whom Faith House can develop partnerships. She does this on a small stipend and some additional money she has been raising herself.  (To learn more about Lauralea click HERE, to learn more about Lauralea's Support Team click HERE.)

5. Network development.  We have participated in different events where we have met amazing people from whom we can learn. One of the venues was the Urgent Conversations after the play Masked in New York. Samir has been a panelist on two occasions and has facilitated one of the panel discussions.

6. Talking, talking, and more talking. We have made progress in addressing an endless stream of questions and challenges. We have revamped the website and posted more than fifty articles; distributed more than 600 business cards in the city, nationally, and internationally; and grown our newsletter subscriptions from 300 in August to 700 in December.  Visits to our website have doubled in the second part of the year, totaling 22,000 for 2007. These are small numbers but wonderful just the same!

7. House Rule. We have been working on a set of 16 principles that would help us, over time, establish the DNA of Faith House. It has taken much time and energy and is being reviewed by our mentors. In the process we have consulted other interfaith initiatives seeking to avoid pitfalls and nurture good will.

8. Board of Directors. We have our first two members!  And we hope to add three more this coming year. This board will eventually be comprised of 10-12 people, meet quarterly, supervise Faith House leadership, ask hard questions, offer guidance, and give blessing.

9.  A major turn in strategy. The Launch Team along with our mentors have decided to postpone our launch date to the Fall of 2008 in order to find and engage founders from Muslim and Jewish tradition in making decisions about Faith House from the start, thus making decisions "with them" and not "for them." (See our employment opportunity ad below and help us spread the word!)

10.  Timeline for 2008. We have decided to have our first single public event in April/May 2008, start our pre-view gatherings once a month in Summer and launch our first weekly meeting in the Fall. 

William Bridges writes: "When we are ready to make a beginning ... we are given subtle hints--inner signals--that alert us to the proximity of new beginnings. We get faint intimations; we hear a subtle breeze, and soon we begin to discern the shape of the next step." 

Our deepest gratitude to those of you who have supported us and taken this difficult and sacred journey with us. We are looking forward to a subtle breeze on our faces this coming year!

Faith House team from New York

On Her Way

~ by Samir Selmanovic

Couple of days ago the New York Post newspaper had a front-page report titled PEACE TRAIN: Muslim rescues Jews from subway thugs.

Someone on the train said, "Merry Christmas," and when Walter Adler, 23, and his friends responded, "Happy Hanukkah" one of the men pulled up his sleeve, showed a tattoo of Christ, and said "Hanukkah, that's when the Jews killed Jesus." An angry scrum ensued. Passengers watched, waiting to see what would happen. But Muslim New Yorker, Hassan Askari, 20, intervened and rescued the group from being completely pummeled. Ten people were arrested. The following night, the two new pals, Adler with a broken nose and a fat lip, Hassan with two black eyes, broke bread together and laughed off the bruises, celebrating Festival of Lights (for video report, click HERE).

Cynics say "the hope of Faith House is a crazy hope," or "this foolishness of Faith House shouldn't happen," or "people are much less interested in pleasing God than in being right."

Well, we humans have tried just about everything to make our religions live together, like a power struggle, indifference, parallel existence, avoidance of the problem. In fact, everything except showing love to each another.  Not from a distance, but in a community. Really close. Closer than a subway train. And longer than today's news.

In Faith House we will seek to live as sojourners not competitors, where our religious identities won't depend on diminishing the other.  So, we invite you to join us as we take the well-meaning advice from the critics of this dream and then respond in these words:

Another world is possible.
Another world is necessary.
Another world is on her way.

Help us bring together an Imam, a Priest, and a Rabbi by making a contribution today!  Don't wait for others to do it.  The future of the world depends on people with "a crazy hope" acting on it. Cynics have given up, and are now free to do nothing. Don't be a cynic. It seems, at times, that only God still has hopes in humanity. It is up to us, regular people like you and me, who are invited to act on this "crazy hope of God." Thank you for joining us with your support.

Salaam, Shalom, and Peace of Christ from New York

What Is Jewish Renewal Movement (Part 2)

~ by Marcia Prager

NOTE: to read Part 1 of this article click HERE

In a deep way, Jewish Renewal is built on the idea that we live in a transformative moment in time, in which a new paradigm for spiritual life is being developed. Jewish Renewal draws heavily on the thought of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, which is a loving critique of the limitations of traditional Rabbinic  Judaism and a call to continue the ongoing renewal of Jewish life in our time, as the Talmudic rabbis did in theirs.

Jewish Renewal actively seeks a relationship with God as the immanent reality that sources and suffuses all creation, and can call to us from beyond creation as well. This changes how we view the earth, the human race, the Jewish people, the relationship of human beings to the rest of creation – everything.

Jewish Renewal is neither "halakhic" (a word usually translated as Jewish Law, but which more literally means "walking the walk") nor anti-halakhic but "neo-halakhic." Just as Rabbinic Judaism involved transcending the halakhah of Temple sacrifice, so Jewish Renewal seeks to go beyond the limitations of traditional Rabbinic Judaism to forge a new halakhah in which Judaism is conscious of its place in an interconnected world. This new halakhah, for instance, includes expansion of the practice of kashrut to include ecological and ethical  criteria, a new exploration of the concept of work as it applies to both the personal and societal Shabbat, and re-examination of intimacy and intimate relationships.

Jewish Renewal has long been committed to a fully egalitarian approach to Jewish life and welcomes the public and creative input of those who were  traditionally excluded from the process of forming the Jewish tradition.

In Jewish Renewal:

- women and men are fully equal and participatory in shaping the future of Judaism;

- those who have often been marginalized in Jewish life are welcomed and honored;

- we are committed to evolving a Jewish path accessible to all who seek to explore and learn;  we welcome all who awakened to spirituality within Jewish tradition and all who experienced that awakening while traveling other paths;

- there is respect for and often learning from other spiritual paths (e.g., Buddhism, Sufi, etc.);

- music, movement, chant, meditation, dance, and drama are encouraged as ways of connecting with God & Torah;

- our gatherings for prayer and celebration are lively,  participatory and engaging of mind and heart; we approach God most often in a circle, because we find we can amplify our prayers through each other's supportive presence;

- we desire to embody wisdom rather than etherealize or intellectualize it;

- we strive to personally sense God as suffusing the world with Divinity;

- we seek to heal the earth and society through seeking peace, justice, and ecological wholeness; we engage in Tikkun Olam, the healing of brokenness in the world through mitzvot and acts of caring.

- we are committed to a deep love of Israel, striving to realize our vision of peace between the children of Isaac and the children of Ishmael in the promised land of our ancestors.

Jewish Renewal is "maximalist" about Judaism – that is, Jewish spiritual practice is undertaken joyously and Jewish values are applied in many down-to-earth life dimensions (food, money, sex, health, politics, etc.) rather than restricted to prayer, holidays, or Torah study.

ALEPH Alliance for Jewish Renewal is a national organization that came into existence to develop,  encourage and promote outreach focused on Jewish renewal. ALEPH is the umbrella for many exciting Jewish renewal projects.

Here are some important Jewish Renewal websites to keep handy:

ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal
www.aleph.org

Elat Chayyim Jewish Spiritual Retreat Center
www.elatchayyim.org

OHaLaH: Agudat HaRabbanim L'Hithadshut HaYahadut - Association of Rabbis for
Jewish Renewal
www.ohalah.org

Rabbi Marcia Prager is Director and Dean of the ALEPH Ordination Programs and rabbi of the P'nai Or Jewish Renewal communities of Philadelphia PA, and and Princeton NJ. She is the author of The Path of Blessing and the P'nai Or Siddurim for Shabbat. Her work as a teacher of Jewish spiritual practice includes developing and co-directing the Davvenen Leadership Training Institute at Elat Chayyim, and teaching widely in Jewish and interfaith settings.

What Is Jewish Renewal Movement? (Part 1)

~ by Rabbi Marcia Prager who is Director and Dean of the ALEPH Ordination Programs and rabbi of the P'nai Or Jewish Renewal communities of Philadelphia PA, and and Princeton NJ. She is the author of The Path of Blessing and the P'nai Or Siddurim for Shabbat. Her work as a teacher of Jewish spiritual practice includes developing and co-directing the Davvenen Leadership Training Institute at Elat Chayyim, and teaching widely in Jewish and interfaith settings.

I learned about Faith House recently at the Innovation Conference in Ohio. After I introduced the Jewish Renewal movement to a largely Christian audience and led them in experiencing the dynamics of Jewish spirituality, Samir closed our meeting with a prayer and a sweet poem from a Palestinian poet, Naomi Shihab Nye. For those few moments, the whole family of Abraham became one. Later, during a conversation with Samir, I felt a clear resonance with the Faith House project in Manhattan. I believe it will give fresh hope to our largely polarized Abrahamic family as it slowly unfolds along with other renewal movements. This is my report on what is happening on the Jewish side of these developments. I invite you who are Christians and Muslims that are seeking renewal in your own faiths to teach the rest of us about God’s renewing presence in your midst.

Jewish Renewal is the ongoing creative project of a generation of Jews who are seeking to renew Judaism and bring its spiritual and ethical vitality into our lives and communities, and at the same time embrace a global vision of the role of all human beings and spiritual paths in the transformation of life on this precious planet. 

Jewish Renewal is dedicated to revealing Judaism's inner spirit and nurturing our spiritual lives. In Jewish renewal we draw significant inspiration from the legacy of Jewish mystical and Hassidic traditions, which is expressed in the cultivation of traditional practices such as meditation, chanting, and davvenen' [the uniquely Jewish prayer practice that blends light body- movement, modal chant and sacred text] and the study of traditional Kabbalistic and Hasidic sources to enhance both individual and communal practice.

Jewish Renewal as a movement seeks to transform and renew the kavvanah (spiritual intention) with which we practice a revitalized and joyous Judaism.

Jewish Renewal is a phenomenon, not a denomination. It resembles Reform Judaism in some ways, Reconstructionism in other ways, and even Orthodoxy – especially Hasidism – in some important ways. But it is not a formal denomination with an organized hierarchy or structure. Jewish Renewal is a "movement" in the sense of a wave in motion, a grassroots effort to discover and re-discover the modern meaning of Judaism as a profound, self and world-transformative spiritual practice.

Jewish-renewalists see "renewal" as a process reaching beyond denominational boundaries and institutional structures, more similar to the multi-centered civil-rights or women's movements than to contemporary denominations. This renewal process is happening in Jewish music, liturgy, midrash, education, politics . . . and in all kinds of synagogues as well as havurot (smaller, less formal constellations of Jewish community), and even in secular settings.

Jewish Renewal sees itself as transdenominational, a movement that transcends the boundaries of the various Jewish denominations. Its membership includes people who are active in the Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Orthodox worlds as well as many others whose only religious/spiritual affiliation is Renewal.

In a deep way, Jewish Renewal is built on the idea that we live in a
transformative moment in time, in which a new paradigm for spiritual life is being
developed.

. . .

Exciting?  Learn much more about Jewish Renewal next week in (Part 2)

Walking with an Atheist

~ by Titus Müller, born 1977 in Leipzig, Germany, and studied Literature and Medieval History in Berlin. He published his first novel at age 24. The sixth—The Mystery—was published this year. His books have won literary awards and together sold more than 250,000 copies. Titus Mueller is a Seventh-day Adventist Christian who lives in Germany. More information at the Author's Website (sorry, German only).

Recently, I was invited to a science fiction conference in Germany, the annual meeting of the readers of “Perry Rhodan,” one of the world’s most ubiquitous science fiction series. Materialistic science fiction portrays the future as technically and morally advanced (“Star Trek” is an example for this way of thinking), therefore depicting humanity as self-sufficient and in no need for God. On the other hand, the darker wing of science fiction asks the question: Can we trust our senses? In works like The Matrix, for example, the information we receive from our five senses is an illusion created by machines that have spun out of human control and are using humanity as an energy supply system. 

I was speaking to this audience of atheists on the topic the host had given me: “God in Science Fiction.” I had written a science fiction novel for the “Perry Rhodan” series—the first since 1963 in which someone prayed to God and believed in him. For this, a Christian publishing house awarded me with the C.S. Lewis Prize, including the opportunity to spend 40 days on the Isle of Wight. I had received hundreds of reader’s letters after that book was published. Half of them hated my novel; the other half loved it. Now the science fiction lovers wanted to know what my thoughts on God really were. 

After I gave my speech to the science fiction fans, some of them furiously attacked me, saying that the belief in God is nothing but weakness, originating from fear. A Roman Catholic priest who was in the audience tried to calm them down by saying things like: “God is not a separate being, he is in every one of us, he is what happens when we do an unselfish act.” I began to sweat.

After offering a silent prayer, I took a step forward and said: “I don’t know whether I am right in what I believe. Maybe I have to learn that what I believe is in fact wrong. Maybe I will come to different conclusions later in life. But right now, I firmly believe that God is not only in each one of us, but that he is a being of himself, an alien. You as science fiction readers will understand that thought. He is not from here, not from earth. I believe he listens when I think, feel, or talk to him. He is pure wisdom. He is smarter than all of humankind put together.”

This changed everything. My most aggressive critic talked to me afterwards: “I am the one who wrote the devastating review on your book. I didn’t know you are a seeker. I thought you think you already know everything. I didn’t know you are still open and on the way. Thank you for being sympathetic to everyone who seeks. I hadn’t thought that one can be a believer and a seeker.”

When I heard Samir speak in Germany last week I was reminded of this atheist brother who was seeking along with me. He would have liked to hear what Samir had to say. Christians who aren’t seekers anymore pretend to know all about God—which only makes God smaller and more distant. And at the same time, they turn away other seekers on the journey, forfeiting a chance to give and receive. I am glad to learn—from Samir and others—to keep going on my way to God in company with all who seek.

Peacemakers

~ by Samir Selmanovic

All war is our war.

Last week my wife Vesna and I saw Masked , an explosive Israeli play about three Palestinian brothers at the heart of the Middle East conflict. Although our rage and grief burst into tears (and I never cry watching movies!) what we learned from the play was just a beginning.

The play was followed by a post-show discussion with Yonatan Shapira, a pilot who flew hundreds of missions for Israeli Defense.  Along with 26 other pilots, he signed an open letter of refusal to fly over Palestinian territory.  After being discharged, the pilots connected with their Palestinian counterparts and founded an organization called Combatants for Peace . 

What was most intruiging to us was Yonatan's assertion that we are all part of this violent conflict.  I never thought I was.  He argued that one of the major obstacles to peace is the influx of American weapons and money to the Middle East.  Used by all sides in the conflict, boosting our economy, and paid with our tax dollars, it is our weapons that are flooding their world. Yonatan told me, "It is Christians in this country who are best positioned to help end this violence."   Sobering words.

Two days later, I was a part of the post-show discussion as one of the interfaith panelists on the topic "Dialogue Despite Difference."  For sure, I am not an authority on the Middle East conflict.  It is the idea of FAITH HOUSE congregation that has inspired the organizer to invite me.  So many people want it to be possible!

I hope you can see the play if you pass through New York or look out for it if it ever comes to a town near you.  If you pursue "peace on earth," welcome to the company of Jesus and the prophets.  If you are a peacemaker, here is a poem of Rumi, a Muslim mystic poet, that can help you feel like you are not out of your mind.

        “Start a huge, foolish project
        Like Noah.
        It makes absolutely no
        Difference what people
        Think of you.”
                                ~ Rumi

Shalom, Salaam, and Peace of Christ to you from New York!

At My House

~ by Rhonda Martin of Redlands, California

On April 14, those of us who are looking forward to the Faith House Manhattan project have organized an awareness event at my house. My husband Bob and I thought it would be a good way to show support by making our large backyard available. I had no idea how richly blessed I would be by the evening.

People poured through the house to practice music, arrange flowers, set tables with programs, place AV equipment . . . a party was unfolding. And as guests began to arrive a creative energy began to form in the air. The evening was sweetened by the testimonies of two couples moving with the Selmanovic family to Manhattan this June (Rose and Al Poblacion and Sarah and Sam McCash) and by wonderful music that included classics about New York and a Jewish prayer, Hine Ma Tov.

Samir’s daughters and their friends performed a skit, “Dad’s Bad Idea,” exploring the difficulties the family will face in New York planting this congregation. It was a riot. Samir’s commitment to the Faith House strikes me as a clear act of obedience—obedience to a call from the Holy Spirit to go to New York and love people, across all boundaries, the way Christ did.

Among the noted speakers that night was Imam Mustafa Kuko of the Riverside Islamic Center here in California. He began by saying that he had stepped inside my house at sundown to say his evening prayers. He prayed for Samir, for the Faith House project, and for each person present that night. His words sent chills up and down my arms. I was utterly shocked at how profound it felt to know that this Muslim leader had prayed to his God in my house. All I could think is that his prayers and blessings were now in the walls of my home and how fortunate we were for it.

I am not trained in religion. I do not have a great knowledge of postmodern Christianity. But I do adore my Savior Jesus and believe we are all His children. And I believe that this ministry will honor Him and bless those who come to the Faith House just as this Muslim leader blessed me. My God is big enough, and I believe that He will claim all good as His own.

My Personal Computer Catastrophe

~ by Samir Selmanovic

It has not been a good week.

My hard drive passed away. When I told my wife Vesna that demons had destroyed my computer, she said, "I think God did it!"

CityLights: A Report from the City

~ by Julijana Kojic, a graduate (Master of Theology) of Eastern Orthodox St. Vladimir's Theological Seminary in New York, interested in spirituality and women's studies, soon to be mother, and a director of CityLights

CityLights is a group of spiritual seekers, based in New York, which has existed now for five years. We began as two home groups of friends meeting in the apartments, one on the East Side and another on the West Side of Manhattan. The idea behind these weekday evening meetings was to bring us closer together in the space outside of the walls of our houses of worship, where we could share life together and explore what an authentic community can be.

In 2003 CityLights started to gather for worship on Sabbath. Throughout our short history we saw ourselves as a group that wants to be inclusive and to learn from different spiritual traditions. Although most of us are of Christian background, diversity is cherished and persons of any faith or no faith are welcome and invited to participate in the community life, discussions, and activities that we organize or to just observe.

Since our inception, the mission of the CityLights community has been “learning to love well.” We know that God is love and want to discover and understand from our own and other traditions what that means and how it can be lived out. We are looking for God's face in the faces of our neighbors, the people that live around us. New York is home for God's children of Eastern and Western Christianity, Islam and Judaism, of secular thinkers and many other religions who carry wisdom and goodness in their traditions.

Emergent Village Podcast

~ by Justin Kim

Emergent Village is a growing, generative friendship among missional Christians seeking to love our world in the Spirit of Jesus Christ.  Recently, two of Samir's sermons have been featured on the Emergent Village podcast:  Finding Our God in the Other and Courage.  These sermons have generated some passionate discussions at Emergent Village.  Check it out and contribute with your comments!

While there, you can also subcribe to the Emergent Village podcasts and newsletter. Audio and video versions of these sermons are also available under the "Featured Sermons" section on the right sidebar of this website.

Book: An Emergent Manifesto of Hope

~ by Samir Selmanovic

I love this book not only because of its great content but because it reminds me of the hope my generation of pastors and other leaders have for the future of the Christian church. When I came to the United States and came to know American Christianity, it was editors and contributors to this book that helped me deal with the struggle within me. Emergent Village was not about professional networking, about personal growth, or even about our relationships, as precious as these aspects are. This web of friends is for me, a God’s gift of hope.

I was privileged and somewhat lucky to be asked to be a part of this book. If you are inspired by the Faith House project, I suggest that after reading this book you go and Google some of the contributors and continue learning from them. These authors will take you to the roads you always hoped existed.

Samir Shares Faith House With Seattle

~ by Steve Hatzman (a report from Seattle)

Samir visited the 500 member Green Lake Adventist Church of Seattle on February 10 in part of a nation wide effort to share the vision of the Faith House project. The day started with a Q & A session followed by his main service message titled "Finding Our God in the Other" which can be found in the "Featured Sermon" section on this website. After the program, Samir was invited to a members' house for a luncheon and another opportunity for curious church goers to ask Samir questions about the project.

The Faith House ministry and Samir treasure opportunities like these because feedback from members like those of Green Lake Adventist Church play a vital role to the development of this project. Thanks for all your input and support Seattle and see you again soon!