On April 21st, 2018, Rumi Forum organized an interfaith conversation on the environment from the perspectives of the three Abrahamic religions.

The biblical starting point for any discussion of religious environmental stewardship is anchored around the Book of Genesis. Likewise, The Holy Qur’an and Sunnah are a guiding light for Muslims to promote sustainable development within their home countries and around the world. In modern times, however, the Abrahamic vision of the relationship between God, man, and nature becomes muddled.  In light of these contemporary confusions about the true nature of stewardship, and because the concept is so central to the concern of religious tradition, this panel will hope to shed light on the common concerns, beliefs, and aspirations of environmental stewardship.

Speakers:

Elizabeth (Lizz) Goldstein is a native of Branford, CT, in New Haven county. She completed her undergraduate studies in 2010 at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA, where she studied the sociology and anthropology of violence and how the environment plays a role in violent conflicts. She spent the Fall 2008 semester in Israel at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies. In 2016, Lizz graduated from the Academy for Jewish Religion in Yonkers, NY in May as an ordained rabbi. She moved down to Virginia to serve as the rabbi of Congregation Ner Shalom shortly after ordination. As an activist, Lizz has been involved in many Tikkun Olam projects, was a Global Justice Fellow with American Jewish World Service, and has advocated on behalf of the environment, as well as for people. She is dedicated to a career of drawing from Jewish history and values to work toward social justice and is happy to share some of those lessons and values with others.

Taalibah Hassan, M.Ed., has been a guest speaker on Islam since the 1980’s and is an experienced interfaith dialogue facilitator. She co-authored the chapter “Dialogue as A Way to Know the Other,” in the book Faithful Neighbors (2016). Taalibah serves on the Board of Directors of the Muslim Association of Virginia, which has the largest mosque in Prince William County. She is the Vice President. The Muslim Association of Virginia not only oversees the daily, Friday Congregational, and Holiday Eid prayers but also Qur’an classes and has both Boy and Girl Scout troops. The Association has a variety of programs that support the religious and social needs of the community, of more than three thousand people. She also chairs the Interfaith committee that holds several programs each year to educate people about Islam and Muslims. Taalibah has a Graduate Certificate in Muslim-Christian Studies from the Washington Theological Consortium. She is currently enrolled at Hartford Seminary in the Imam and Muslim Community Leadership Certificate program. She is a retired Biology teacher and resides in Dale City with her husband of forty –one years and has two adult children.

Rev. Dr. Lisa Kenkeremath serves as Manassas Presbyterian Interim Pastor. She has served pastorates in the Washington, DC area since 2001, most recently as Interim Pastor at Grace Presbyterian Church in Springfield, VA. She holds M.Div. and D.Min. degrees from Virginia Theological Seminary and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, respectively, and has studied in Jerusalem and Aberdeen, Scotland. She is also the author of the book, Relentless Mercy, which is a collection of sermons seeking to illuminate the ways in which God, in mercy, acts to touch, heal, and repair our broken hearts and broken world. Lisa and her husband, Deepak Kenkeremath, have two adult sons and live in Falls Church, VA.