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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20211028T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20211028T200000
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20210930T194005Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211216T194349Z
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SUMMARY:In-Person Book Talk: "God`s Diplomats"
DESCRIPTION:Using inside sources and extensive field reporting about the secretive\, high-stakes world of international diplomacy\, Vatican reporter Victor Gaetan takes readers to the Holy See to explicate Pope Francis‘s diplomacy\, show why it works\, and offer readers a startling contrast to the dangerous inadequacies of recent U.S. international decisions.  \nYou can find more information about the book here. \n \n  \nAbout the author\nVictor Gaetan\, Ph.D.\, has served as an international correspondent for Catholic News Service and the National Catholic Register. He contributes to Foreign Affairs and America magazine. He has written from Asia\, Europe\, Latin America\, and the Middle East—experiences that provided a wealth of contacts with the notoriously tight-lipped papal diplomatic corps. He gathered rare insight in the Vatican Secret Archives\, which is not open to the public. \nFor over 20 years he has filed stories from countries in turmoil: Bosnia-Herzegovina\, Cuba\, Lebanon\, Kosovo\, Peru\, Turkey\, and Ukraine as well as from Hong Kong\, Korea\, and Taiwan. He has received numerous awards from the Catholic Press Association of North America and has written for secular publications ranging from Art & Auction to Le Figaro. \nGaetan received a Ph.D. in Ideology in Literature from Tufts University; a master`s degree from the Fletcher School of International Law and Diplomacy (MALD)\, and a license in Byzantine and Ottoman Studies from Sorbonne University in Paris (comparable to a BA). \nAbout the discussant\nMartine Miller is the Vice President of International Center for Religion & Diplomacy and a mediator and conflict transformation specialist with over 20 years of engaged experience—with communities\, governments\, regional bodies (i.e. EU\, AU\, and ASEAN)\, UN agencies\, a range of inter/national non-governmental organizations and academic institutions. Her work has engaged her directly in fluid war to post-war reconstruction and development contexts across 70 countries in Africa\, Asia\, and the Pacific\, West to East Europe\, and North and South America. \n  \nEvent Video \n\nEvent Photos\n[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”396\,397″ display=”basic_thumbnail” thumbnail_crop=”0″]
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/gods-diplomats/
LOCATION:Alex Galleries\, 2106 R St.\, NW\, Washington\, DC\, 20008
CATEGORIES:Book Talks,Past Events,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Gods-Diplomats.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20210729T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20210729T201500
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20210723T030327Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210810T185047Z
UID:17814-1627585200-1627589700@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Book Talk: Peace in the Age of Chaos
DESCRIPTION:Working on an aid program in one of the most violent places in the world\, North East Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo\, philanthropist\, and business leader Steve Killelea asked himself\, ‘What are the most peaceful nations?’ Unable to find an answer\, he created the world’s leading measure of peace\, the Global Peace Index\, which receives over 16 billion media impressions annually and has become the definitive go-to index for heads of state. Steve Killelea then went on to establish a world-renowned think tank\, the Institute for Economics and Peace. Today its work is used by organizations such as the World Bank\, United Nations\, and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and taught in thousands of university courses around the world. \n“Peace in The Age of Chaos” tells of Steve’s personal journey to measure and understand peace. It explores the practical application of his work\, which is gathering momentum at a rapid pace. In this time when we are faced with environmental\, social\, and economic challenges\, this book shows us a way forward where Positive Peace\, described as creating the optimal environment for human potential to flourish\, can lead to a paradigm shift in the ways societies can be managed\, making them more resilient and better capable of adapting to their changing environments. \nSpeaker \n Steve Killelea is the Founder and Executive Chairman of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP)\, one of the world’s most impactful think tanks on peace and what creates it. Steve is also the creator of the Global Peace Index\, the world’s leading measure of peace that ranks 163 countries and independent territories by their levels of peacefulness each year\, and is used by major organizations such as the World Bank\, OECD\, UN\, as well as governments and thousands of universities worldwide. Over the last two decades\, Steve has applied his business skills as one of Australia’s leading entrepreneurs to his many global philanthropic activities\, including his private family charity\, The Charitable Foundation\, which now has over three million direct beneficiaries. In recognition of his contribution to the global peace movement\, Steve has twice been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize and was awarded the Luxembourg Peace Prize in 2016. He has also been recognized by the Action on Armed Violence group as one of the 100 most influential people in the world on reducing armed violence. \n“Today\, Steve serves on the President’s Circle for Club de Madrid\, the largest forum of former world leaders working democratic former Presidents and Prime Ministers working to strengthen democracy\, and is an honorary president for Religions for Peace\, the largest organization in the world working on inter-religious challenges. \nDiscussant \nChic Dambach is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins and American Universities\, and he is a Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow. He was President and CEO (currently President Emeritus) of the National Peace Corps Association; former President of the Alliance for Peacebuilding\, and former Chief of Staff for Congressman John Garamendi. Previously\, he held executive positions in the arts\, sports\, and health\, and he was an “expert” advisor to the director of the Peace Corps. He serves as Chair of the Mali Affinity Group\, and he has served on dozens of nonprofit boards. He lectures regularly at colleges and universities and at conferences\, and he was a senior consultant with BoardSource where he helped write two books on nonprofit governance. \n“His career began as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Colombia\, and his memoir\, Exhaust the Limits\, the Life and Times of a Global Peacebuilder\, features a lifetime of service and successful initiatives for peace in Africa. He was nominated for the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize\, and the Institute for Economics and Peace presented him with the Leadership and Service for Peace Award in 2016. He was named the “2016 Peace Corps Champion” for keeping the spirit of service alive. His TEDx Talk “Why Not Peace” is available on YouTube. He was a national champion kayak racer and served as an official for canoe and kayak competitions in the 1988\, 1992\, and 1996 Olympic Games. \nFull Event Video
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/peace-in-the-age-of-chaos/
CATEGORIES:Book Talks,Past Events,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Peace-in-the-age-of-chaos.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20210624T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20210624T201500
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20210602T060216Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211202T162109Z
UID:17599-1624561200-1624565700@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Book Talk: No Power Over God's Bounty
DESCRIPTION:The Qur’an often addresses Jews and Christians as “People of Scripture” to indicate that they have received revelation from God. Yet\, while acknowledging the special relationship and knowledge that this revelation brings\, the Qur’an at the same time criticizes the People of Scripture for not remaining true to God’s guidance and claiming special power over God’s gifts. The mixture of acknowledgment and criticism is based on actual encounters with Jews and Christians at the time of the revelation of the Qur’an. This Christian commentary on the 31 texts in which the Qur’an discusses and addresses the People of Scripture includes the Muslim tradition of interpretation of these texts and adds Christian resonances in order to contribute to the future dialogue between Muslims and Christians on the common heritage and the differences between them. \nSpeaker: \nDr. Pim Valkenberg studied theology and religious studies in the Netherlands\, where he was involved in the dialogue between the three Abrahamic religions at the Radboud University of Nijmegen where he worked for twenty years until he came to the United States with his family to work at Loyola University Maryland and\, since 2011\, the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. His fields of specialization are comparative theology\, interreligious dialogue\, and Christian – Muslim relations. Among his publications are World Religions in Dialogue (2014\, 2017)\, Renewing Islam By Service: A Christian View of Fethullah Gülen and the Hizmet Movement (2015)\, and Nostra Aetate: Celebrating Fifty Years of the Catholic Church’s Dialogue with Jews and Muslims (2016). His latest book is published in 2021 by Peeters in Leuven: No Power over God’s Bounty: A Christian Commentary on the “People of Scripture” in the Qur’ān. \n  \nDiscussant:\nDr. Zeki Saritoprak is Professor and the Bediüzzaman Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies at John Carroll University. He holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Theology from the University of Marmara in Turkey. Professor Saritoprak is the author of Islam’s Jesus (University Press of Florida\, 2014) and over thirty academic articles and encyclopedia entries on topics in Islam. He has served as guest editor for issues of the journals Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations and the Muslim World. He is editor and co-translator of Fundamentals of Rumi’s Thought: A Mevlevi Sufi Perspective (in English; New Jersey: The Light\, 2004) and the editor of a critical edition of al-Sarakhsi’s Sifat Ashrat al-Sa’a (in Arabic; Cairo\, 1993). He is currently preparing a book on Islamic spirituality tentatively titled Islamic Spirituality: Theology and Practice for the Modern World. \nFull Event Video
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/no-power-over-gods-bounty/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Book Talks,Past Events,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/No-Power-over-Gods-Bounty-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20210603T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20210603T191500
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20210520T153051Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210810T232730Z
UID:17567-1622743200-1622747700@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Book Talk: Islamophobia: What Christians Should Know (and Do) about Anti-Muslim Discrimination
DESCRIPTION:Arson and vandalism at houses of worship. Bullying at schools and harassment at the grocery store. Political scapegoating and institutionalized discrimination. Muslims in the United States and beyond have faced Islamophobia in a range of forms. This groundbreaking book argues that Christians though they are not the targets of Islamophobia should be at the forefront of efforts to end the prejudice and discrimination that Muslims face. Writing for Christians of all denominations\, Jordan Denari Duffner offers an introduction to Islamophobia\, discusses the unfortunate ways that Christians have contributed to it\, and offers practical steps for standing in solidarity with Muslims. Viewing Islamophobia as both social justice and a religious freedom issue\, Duffner makes the case that the Christian faith calls us to combat religious discrimination even when it is not directed toward our own faith community. She weaves together insights from Catholic social teaching\, examples from Protestant leaders\, and expertise from Muslim scholars and activists\, resulting in a compelling book that will be of interest to academic and lay audiences alike. \nSpeaker/Author \n \nJordan Denari Duffner is an author\, educator\, and scholar of Muslim-Christian relations. Her books are Islamophobia: What Christians Should Know (and Do) about Anti-Muslim Discrimination and Finding Jesus among Muslims: How Loving Islam Makes Me a Better Catholic. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in theology and religious studies at Georgetown University and is an associate of the Bridge Initiative. \n  \nModerator  \nSusan Douglass received a Ph.D. in world history from George Mason University in 2016 and holds an M.A. in Arab Studies from Georgetown’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies. Her research field is education history and policy in teaching about the world and world religions. She works on instructional design\, and has published widely on American textbooks and curriculum standards policy\, and has authored teaching resources for Unity Productions Foundation films\, grant projects for the National Endowment for the Humanities\, the British Council\, and the National Center for History in the Schools and others. She is currently K-14 Education Outreach Coordinator at CCAS and has conducted teacher workshops for ACMCU since 2007. \nFull Event Video
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/islamophobia-what-christians-should-know-and-do-about-anti-muslim-discrimination/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Book Talks,Past Events,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Islamophobia.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20200909T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20200909T190000
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20200818T193059Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211214T175151Z
UID:16116-1599674400-1599678000@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Panel Discussion: "Charity In the Age of a Pandemic"
DESCRIPTION:On September 9\, 2020\, with our partner UNA-NCA\, speakers Katherine Marshall\, Kim R. Ford\, Jerome Tennille\, and moderator Stephen Moseley had a great discussion about how community solidarity has displayed itself in ways that we haven’t seen before to eradicate poverty in the age of pandemic. \n\n\n \n \nAt a time when everyone around the world is grappling with unprecedented changes and challenges in their lives\, one of the most fundamental values that continue to make positive changes in our lives is generosity. The inevitable quality of giving continues bringing individuals of all backgrounds regardless of their languages\, ethnicities\, races\, faiths\, opinions together across the globe. We have witnessed various shades of generosity as they are implemented as a means of standing together in unity. Whether that’s through educating ourselves on social issues\, raising awareness about humanitarian causes\, supporting communities through monetary contributions\, or reaching out to a neighbor next door or across the continents\, every act of goodwill has touched people’s lives. In this time of uncertainty\, there’s a fundamental truth that gives us hope – that together we can do extraordinary things. Together.  \nIn 2012\, September 5th was designated the “International Day of Charity” by the UN General Assembly to commemorate the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa\, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 “for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress\, which also constitute a threat to peace.” \nIn this spirit\, on September 9\, 2020\, Rumi Forum and UNA-NCA invited participants to a panel highlighting how individual and/or collective initiatives keep us connected. \n  \nFull Event Video\n\n \n  \nScreenshot from the Event
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/charity-in-the-age-of-a-pandemic/
LOCATION:ONLINE EVENT
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussions,Past Events,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Charity-In-the-Age-of-a-Pandemic-e1597778972233.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200707
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200708
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20200717T070942Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T191052Z
UID:17360-1594080000-1594166399@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:We Refuse to be Enemies: How Muslims and Jews can make Peace\, One Friendship at a Time
DESCRIPTION:On Tuesday\, July 7\, Sabeeha Rehman and Walter Ruby shared the wonderful story of their upcoming book\, “We Refuse to be Enemies”\, about how the paths of a Muslim woman and a Jewish man crossed and led to a joint endeavour for a meaningful purpose. \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nSabeeha Rehman and Walter Ruby\, a Muslim-American woman of Pakistani origin and a Jewish-American man who spent his formative years in Israel\, will share their story of how they connected and embarked on a mission to bring their respective communities together in their common homeland\, America. \n\n\n\nGrowing up in Pakistan\, Sabeeha never met a Jew\, her view colored by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In his youth\, Walter never met a Muslim\, his opinion shaped by Leon Uris’s Exodus. What changed their perceptions? How did they fare in nurturing Muslim-Jewish communication and cooperation? Sabeeha and Walter will share their experiences of facing pushback from their communities\, overcoming obstacles and bringing together Muslims and Jews to explore unexpected commonalities between their faiths; to work together to help people in need and stand together against bigotry. Finally\, they will offer their vision for reconciliation. \n\n\n\nSabeeha and Walter have co-authored a book\, We Refuse to be Enemies. How Muslims and Jews can make Peace\, One Friendship at a Time\, due for publication in Spring 2021. It is their hope that this book will inspire people of all faiths and ethnicities to reach out to each other and heal our nation. \n\n\n\nSpeakers of the Event\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSABEEHA REHMAN is the author of the 2016 memoir\, “Threading My Prayer Rug. One Woman’s Journey from Pakistani Muslim to American Muslim\,”  Short-Listed for the 2018 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing\, the book also received several other nominations and awards. She is also an op-ed contributor to the Wall Street Journal and New York Daily News. In the early 1980s\, concerned about raising her sons as Muslims in the absence of a Muslim community\, she set to work\, and her commitment culminated in the building of a mosque on Staten Island where her family lived. Sabeeha\, who holds a Masters in Healthcare Administration\, served as a hospital executive for 25 years.  Thereafter\, responding to her grandson’s autism diagnosis\, she co-founded the NY Chapter of the National Autism Association and served as its President from 2008-11. As a public speaker\, she has spent several decades engaging in interfaith dialogue and now serves as a board member of the Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee as well as the NY Chapter of the National Autism Association. She blogs on topics related to American Muslim experience at www.sabeeharehman.com/blog. She lives in New York City with her husband Khalid\, a retired Hematologist/Oncologist. \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n WALTER RUBY is a veteran activist in Muslim-Jewish relations. From 2008-2017\, in the position of Muslim-Jewish Relations Director at the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding\, he organized hundreds of twinning events; bringing together thousands of Jews and Muslims in over 30 countries on five continents\, including members of mosques and synagogues and Muslim and Jewish organizations. Ruby presently serves as executive director of Jews\, Muslims and Allies Acting Together (JAMAAT)\, a grassroots community of Muslim\, Jewish and Interfaith activists in Greater Washington; and as Coordinator of the Washington Area Chapter of Project Rozana\, which works to strengthen ties between Israelis and Palestinians through health care. Ruby is currently co-authoring a book with Muslim-American author Sabeeha Rehman entitled We Refuse To Be Enemies: How Muslims and Jews Can Make Peace\, One Friendship at a Time. Ruby has worked as a reporter and commentator for more than 40 years\, mainly for American Jewish and Israeli publications. His articles and op-eds have appeared in the New York Times\, Wall Street Journal\, Los Angeles Times\, USA Today and other media. Walter lives in Washington\, D.C. with his wife Tatayna.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/we-refuse-to-be-enemies-how-muslims-and-jews-can-make-peace-one-friendship-at-a-time/
CATEGORIES:Book Talks,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/We-Refuse-to-be-Enemies_-e1592422245281.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200512
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200513
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20200512T192339Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T192503Z
UID:17371-1589241600-1589327999@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Virtual Coffee Night Series: Interfaith Encounters: A model of building bridges in Israel and Palestine
DESCRIPTION:On Tuesday\, May 12\, Rumi Forum hosted Dr. Yehuda Stolov\, the executive director of the Interfaith Encounter Association (IEA)\, for a discussion about IEA’s outstanding story of building interfaith bridges in Israel and Palestine. He highlighted an inter-communal model where ongoing groups of interfaith encounters prevail the opportunity to meet the ‘other’.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBased in Jerusalem\, IEA plants seeds of the desired long-lasting friendships coupled with respect for the unique identity of each. The IEA invites people from different traditional and cultural backgrounds and faiths to join its groups. Within the groups\, participants have meaningful encounters which bring them closer to each other. Prejudice\, hostility\, and suspicion are transformed into a direct acquaintance\, mutual respect and friendship. IEA groups are both a model for inter-communal relations of appreciation and care\, and vehicles to promote them.\n\n\n\n\n\nYou can find the whole webinar on our Youtube page. \n\n\n\n\nAbout the Speaker \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYehuda Stolov is the executive director of the Interfaith Encounter Association (www.interfaith-encounter.org)\, an organization that works since 2001 to build peaceful inter-communal relations in the Holy Land by fostering mutual respect and trust between people and communities through active interfaith dialogue.\n\n\n\n\n\nDr. Stolov has lectured on the role of religious dialogue in peace-building throughout the world\, including Jordan\, India\, Indonesia\, Turkey\, South Korea\, North America and Europe. He also published many papers on related issues.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn 2006\, he was awarded the Immortal Chaplains Foundation Prize for Humanity\, which honors those who “risked all to protect others of a different faith or ethnic origin”; and in 2015 he was awarded the IIE Victor J. Goldberg Prize for Peace in the Middle East.\n\n\n\n\n\nAmong other activities\, Dr. Stolov was a member of the International Council of the International Association for Religious Freedom and a member of the steering committee for the United Nations Decade of Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe holds a B.Sc. and a M.Sc. in Physics and a Ph.D. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is married and father of three children\, living in Jerusalem.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/virtual-coffee-night-series-interfaith-encounters-a-model-of-building-bridges-in-israel-and-palestine-2/
CATEGORIES:Coffee Nights,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Interfaith-Encounters-A-model-of-building-bridges-in-Israel-and-Palestine.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200423
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200424
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20200423T192520Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T192624Z
UID:17373-1587600000-1587686399@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Virtual Coffee Night Series: United in COVID-19: Rediscovering Pluralism in the Face of a Shared Threat
DESCRIPTION:On Thursday\, April 23\, Rumi Forum in collaboration with Atlantic Institue hosted Dr. John L. Esposito from Georgetown University\, who gave a great talk about pluralism in the US\, recent trends in the social landscape\, and the particular impact of COVID19. This marked the sixth Virtual Coffee Night Series. \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nNeedless to say\, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said\, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations. \n\n\n\nYou can find the whole webinar on our Youtube page. \n\n\n\nAbout the Speaker \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr. John L. Esposito is University Professor\, Professor of Religion and International Affairs and Founding Director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding and The Bridge Initiative: Protecting Pluralism – Ending Islamophobia at Georgetown University. \n\n\n\nIn 2019\, he was S. Rajaratnam Professor of Strategic Studies\, Rajaratnam School of International Studies\, Singapore. Past President of the American Academy of Religion and Middle East Studies Association\, his more than 55 books include: Islam and Democracy after the Arab Spring\, What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam\, Shariah\, What Everyone Needs to Know\, The Future of Islam\, Who Speaks for Islam?: What a Billion Muslims Really Think\, Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam\, The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality?\, Islamophobia and the Challenge of Pluralism in the 21st Century. Esposito’s writings are translated into more than 45 languages. \n\n\n\nEsposito has served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of State and other agencies\, European and Asian governments\, corporations\, universities\, and media worldwide and has been a member of the World Economic Forum’s Council of 100 Leaders and the E. C. European Network of Experts on De-Radicalisation
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/virtual-coffee-night-series-united-in-covid-19-rediscovering-pluralism-in-the-face-of-a-shared-threat/
CATEGORIES:Coffee Nights,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/United-in-COVID-19-Rediscovering-Pluralism-in-the-Face-of-a-Shared-Threat.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200420
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200421
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20200420T192643Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T192801Z
UID:17375-1587340800-1587427199@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Virtual Coffee Night Series: Muslim Women Speak for Themselves
DESCRIPTION:On Monday\, April 20\, Rumi Forum hosted Petra Alsoofy\, Outreach & Partnerships Manager at Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) for the fifth Virtual Coffee Night speaker series. Petra Alsoofy gave an illuminating data-based presentation about Muslim women the US in a variety of dimensions; including family\, education\, wellness\, and institutional capacity.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNeedless to say\, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said\, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations. \n\n\n\nYou can find the whole webinar on our Youtube page.  \n\n\n\nAbout the Speaker \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPetra Alsoofy is the Outreach & Partnerships Manager at ISPU\, where she strengthens our valued partnerships and forges new ones with organizations who share our goal of empowering American Muslims. She joins ISPU after serving more than four years as an educator at the Arab American National Museum\, where she worked with educators\, students\, and professionals. In her role at the museum\, Petra educated visitors about the history and the contributions of Arab Americans as well as stereotypes and challenges they face. She also serves as a board member on the Michigan Council for History Education. Petra is a graduate of Grand Valley State University where she earned a BA in political science.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/virtual-coffee-night-series-muslim-women-speak-for-themselves/
CATEGORIES:Coffee Nights,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Muslim-Women-Speak-for-Themselves.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200417
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200418
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20200417T192815Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T192917Z
UID:17377-1587081600-1587167999@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Virtual Coffee Night Series: The Humanity of Muhammad:  A Christian View
DESCRIPTION:On Friday\, April 17\,  Dr. Craig Considine from Rice University was with us to talk about the humanity of Muhammad from a Christian view with an emphasis on the Identification with All Humanity (IWAH) as a moral concept. It was the fourth Virtual Coffee Night speaker series. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNeedless to say\, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said\, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations. \n\n\n\nYou can find the whole webinar on our Youtube page.  \n\n\n\nAbout the Speaker \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr. Craig Considine is a scholar\, professor\, global speaker\, media contributor\, & public intellectual based at the Department of Sociology at Rice University. He is the author of many books & articles. Dr. Considine’s opinions have been featured in the New York Times\, Washington Post\, CNN\, BBC\, CBS News\, Fox News\, MSNBC\, Newsweek\, & Al Jazeera. He has been invited to speak at some of the leading international organizations & universities in the world. Dr. Considine is visible on social media. He holds a PhD from Trinity College (University of Dublin)\, MSc from Royal Holloway (University of London)\, & BA from American University in Washington\, DC. Dr. Considine is a U.S. Catholic of Irish and Italian descent.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/virtual-coffee-night-series-the-humanity-of-muhammad-a-christian-view/
CATEGORIES:Coffee Nights,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/craig-considine-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200415
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200416
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20200415T192930Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T193027Z
UID:17379-1586908800-1586995199@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Virtual Coffee Night Series: Faith in American Public Life:  Confronting Controversies\, Cultivating Common Ground
DESCRIPTION:On Wednesday\, April 15\, for the third Virtual Coffee Night speaker series\, Melissa Rogers\, a leading expert and scholar on religion in American public life\, gave a fascinating talk on how the First Amendment encompasses common ground\, and for sharing insights on controversies about religion in public life. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNeedless to say\, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said\, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations. \n\n\n\nYou can find the whole webinar on our Youtube page.  \n\n\n\nAbout the Speaker:  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMelissa Rogers is a nationally known expert on religion in American public life. Her areas of expertise include the United States Constitution’s religious liberty guarantees and the interplay of religion\, law\, policy\, and politics.  Rogers currently serves as Visiting Professor at Wake Forest University School of Divinity and as a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. \n\n\n\nRogers previously served as Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (2013-2017)\, Chair of President Obama’s inaugural Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (2009-2010)\, Director of the Center for Religion and Public Affairs at the Wake Forest University School of Divinity (2003 – 2013)\, Executive Director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (2000 – 2003)\, and Associate Counsel/General Counsel of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (1994 – 2000).   \n\n\n\nRogers is author of Faith in American Public Life (2019) and co-author of Religious Freedom and the Supreme Court (2008).  She has received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from both Wake Forest University and the John Leland Center for Theological Studies.  Rogers holds a J.D. from University of Pennsylvania Law School and a B.A. from Baylor University. In 2017\, President Barack Obama appointed Rogers to serve as a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council.  Baylor University awarded her its Pro Texana Medal of Service and the First Freedom Center gave Rogers its Virginia First Freedom Award.  National Journal has recognized Rogers as one of the church-state experts “politicians will call on when they get serious about addressing an important public policy issue.”
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/virtual-coffee-night-series-faith-in-american-public-life-confronting-controversies-cultivating-common-ground/
CATEGORIES:Coffee Nights,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Melissa-roger-e1590675249651.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200413
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200414
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20200413T193040Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T193204Z
UID:17381-1586736000-1586822399@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Virtual Coffee Night Series: Americans Immersed in COVID-19 News
DESCRIPTION:On Monday\, April 13\, Rumi Forum featured Baxter Oliphant from Pew Research Center to talk about up to date Pew Research findings of how American public opinion responds to COVID-19 news in the media for the second Virtual Coffee Night speaker series.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNeedless to say\, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said\, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations. \n\n\n\nYou can find the whole webinar on our Youtube page.  \n\n\n\nAbout the Speaker: \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBaxter Oliphant is a senior researcher at Pew Research Center\, where he focuses on U.S. politics and policy research including partisan polarization\, trust in government\, gun policy and U.S. foreign policy. He received doctoral and master’s degrees in politics from Princeton University and holds a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University. His dissertation explored the impact of moments on U.S. presidential elections. Before graduate school\, he worked in political polling for campaigns and industry groups. Oliphant is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research and the American Political Science Association.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/virtual-coffee-night-series-americans-immersed-in-covid-19-news/
CATEGORIES:Coffee Nights,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Baxter-Oliphant-2.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200410
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200411
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20200410T193219Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T193305Z
UID:17383-1586476800-1586563199@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Virtual Coffee Night Series: Facing the COVID-19 Challenge with Empathy and Compassion
DESCRIPTION:On Friday\, Aril 10\, Rumi Forum launched the first Virtual Coffee Night speaker series. Dr. Peter Cohen talked about ways to project empathy and compassion during these testing times. \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nNeedless to say\, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said\, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations. \n\n\n\nYou can find the whole webinar on our Youtube page. \n\n\n\nSPEAKER: \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr. Peter Cohen received his Ph.D. from Florida State University in Humanities and Religion\, his M.A. from Florida State University in Biblical Studies and his B.A. in Religion and Philosophy from Springfield College. His dissertation was entitled “A Motif Index of the Angel of Death in Early Rabbinic Literature.” Dr. Cohen came to Clemson in 1995 after teaching at Appalachian State University\, Florida State University\, Florida A&M University and Tallahassee Community College. His teaching interests revolve around looking at the common traits shared by the religious traditions of the world\, rather than looking for their differences. Dr. Cohen can often be found teaching adult education in area churches on Sunday mornings or as an instructor in the University’s Osher Life Long Learning Institute for retired people from the community. Presently\, he is teaching the general education courses in Religion for the department.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/virtual-coffee-night-series-facing-the-covid-19-challenge-with-empathy-and-compassion/
CATEGORIES:Coffee Nights,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Facing-the-COVID-19-Challenge-with-Empathy-and-Compassion-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20191113
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20191114
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20191114T191153Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T191319Z
UID:17363-1573603200-1573689599@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Free to Believe: The Battle Over Religious Liberty in America
DESCRIPTION:A Fresh Perspective on Religious Freedom from One of the Nation’s Top Attorneys. \n\n\n\nOn Wednesday\, November 14\, Rumi Forum had the honor to host Luke Goodrich of Becket Law for a talk about his latest book\, Free to Believe. Goodrich discussed why religious freedom is important and how it can be defended in contemporary America. \n\n\n\n \n\nMany Americans feel like their religious freedoms are under attack and their beliefs will soon be punished as a form of bigotry. Others say these fears are overblown and Christians should stop complaining about imaginary persecution. \nIn Free to Believe\, leading religious freedom attorney Luke Goodrich challenges both sides of this debate\, offering surprising insights on the most controversial religious freedom conflicts today—including gay rights\, abortion rights\, Islam\, and the public square. Goodrich shows that threats to religious freedom are real—but they might not be what you think.As a lawyer at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty\, Goodrich has won several historic Supreme Court victories for clients like the Little Sisters of the Poor and Hobby Lobby. Combining frontline experience with faithful attention to Scripture\, Goodrich offers a groundbreaking book—full of clear insight\, practical wisdom\, and refreshing hope for all people of faith.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/free-to-believe-the-battle-over-religious-liberty-in-america/
CATEGORIES:Book Talks,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Free-to-Believe-25.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20191007
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20191008
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20191017T220806Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T191627Z
UID:17365-1570406400-1570492799@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Book Talk and Discussion: Fethullah Gulen: A Life of Hizmet
DESCRIPTION:On October 7\, 2019\, Rumi Forum hosted author Dr. Jon Pahl for a book talk and discussion on his recent biography of Rumi Forum’s Honorary President Fethullah Gulen. The event was moderated by Ori Z. Soltes from Georgetown University. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn this first critical biography of Fethullah Gülen in English\, historian Dr. Jon Pahl took us on a journey where we discovered wisdom and controversy\, from 1940’s Turkey to the U.S. in the twenty-first century. Dr. Pahl told the story of a pious Muslim boy from a tiny and remote Turkish village who on the one hand has inspired a global movement of millions of individuals dedicated to literacy\, social enterprise\, and interreligious dialogue\, but who on the other hand has been monitored by Turkish police\, seen as a threat by autocrats\, and recently declared number one enemy by the current Turkish government. With lively prose and extensive research\, Dr. Pahl traces Fethullah Gülen’s life and thought in its contexts\, states clearly his own positions\, and then lets readers draw their own conclusions from the evidence about this undeniably significant historical figure.In his book\, Dr. Pahl weaves this fascinating life into a narrative marked by five key elements\, patterns\, or relationships in Gülen’s life: integrity of participation in the nonviolent practices of Islam; principled pluralism—manifest in a commitment to dialogue; engaged empathy—deep feeling for the suffering of the world\, and willingness to engage on behalf of alleviating that suffering; a commitment to spiritual and scientific literacy; and an organizational model of social enterprise. Dr. Pahl\, a strong believer of religions as catalysts for peace\, crafts through the story of Gülen and the Hizmet Movement an introduction to Islam for non-Muslim readers\, for the questions he brings to Gülen’s life story are also the questions others bring to Islam more broadly.   \n\n\n\nAuthor and Speaker: \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJon Pahl is a historian of religions\, a public theologian\, and an award-winning teacher\, pastor\, and community activist. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago Divinity School. Dr. Pahl has spoken with audiences around the globe\, in addition to his work with diverse community groups. Dr. Pahl is the author or editor of six books\, including “Shopping Malls and Other Sacred Spaces: Putting God in Place” (Wipf and Stock) and “Empire of Sacrifice: The Religious Origins of American Violence” (NYU). He is working on a book with the title “A Coming Religious Peace.”
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/book-talk-and-discussion-fethullah-gulen-a-life-of-hizmet/
CATEGORIES:Book Talks,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/RumiForumSpeakerSeries.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20190814T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20190814T203000
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20190814T194338Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211214T194056Z
UID:17390-1565809200-1565814600@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Panel Discussion: "Religious Freedom and Minority Rights"
DESCRIPTION:On Wednesday\, August 14\, 2019\, Rumi Forum of Maryland and America Turkish Friendship Association organized an Abrahamic Panel-interfaith discussion and Eid-al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) reception. Religious Freedom and Minority Rights were addressed from the lens of Abrahamic faiths’ perspectives.   \nAbraham`s Tent initiative provided space for people of different religious and cultural traditions to get to know one another through casual conversation starting with the occasion of the Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) celebration. Through this event\, people of different religious and cultural traditions joined hands to get to know one another and sought to build a community around it. \nSpeakers: \nRabbi Amy Scheinerman is a teacher\, writer\, and hospice chaplain for the Jewish Federation of Howard County. She is a former trustee on the Board of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR)\, former president of the Baltimore Board of Rabbis\, a current member of the CCAR Responsa Committee\, and editor of the Torah Commentary column of the CCAR newsletter. Her recent book\, The Talmud of Relationships (Volume 1: God\, Self\, and Family & Volume 2: The Jewish Community and Beyond)\, was honored as a finalist in the Jewish Book Council’s 2018 National Jewish Book Awards. She also teaches in a variety of venues\, including the Melton Program in Baltimore. \nRev. Charles Watson\, Jr. is a faculty at the Religious Freedom Center of the Freedom Forum Institute in Washington\, DC\, and a graduate of The Citadel: The Military College of South Carolina. He received a commission into the U.S. Air Force and obtained the rank of captain. He is a graduate of Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology. His career led him to leadership roles as a consultant for DeWolff\, Boberg & Associates\, Inc. and at his current position as the Director of Education for BJC for Religious Liberty in Washington. As a seminary-trained religious liberty advocate and educator\, he routinely speaks across the nation and has published articles in Ethics Daily\, New Baptist Covenant\, and cbfBlog.com.\n  \nDr. Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad is President of the Minaret of Freedom Institute. He is an internationally known interdisciplinary scientist of Palestinian descent and the author of Signs in the Heavens: A Muslim Astronomer’s Perspective on Religion and Science and he teaches courses on Islamic religion\, history and civilization and religion\, science\, and freedom at Wesley Theological Seminary and a course on “Changing Views of the Universe” at American University. Among others\, Dr. Ahmad has received the “Star Cup for Outstanding Public Service” award from Montgomery County Civic Federation. \n  \nEvent Photo
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/abrahamic-discussion-eid-reception/
LOCATION:MARTI\, 6470 Dobbin Rd.\, Columbia\, MD\, 21045\, United States
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussions,Past Events,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/unnamed.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="MARTI":MAILTO:dialog@themarti.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20190404
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20190405
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20190404T194519Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211214T173225Z
UID:17392-1554336000-1554422399@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Book Talk: "City of Peace" by Henry G. Brinton
DESCRIPTION:On April 4\, 2019\, Rumi Forum and ATFA hosted Henry Brinton to talk about his new book “City of Peace”.  The talk was on Rev. Henry Brinton’s mystery novel “City of Peace\,” hosted by Rumi Forum\, American Turkish Friendship Association\, and Ezher Mosque. The book features Christians and Muslims in the town of Occoquan\, Virginia\, and is a gripping and fast-paced mystery that will engage people politically and spiritually\, leaving them with fresh insight into how they can overcome polarizing divisions among people of different cultures and faiths. \nSpeakers: \nHenry G. Brinton is an author and a Presbyterian pastor who has written on religion and culture for The New York Times\, The Washington Post\, USA Today\, and Huffington Post. His interfaith work and appreciation for the wisdom of the ancient world began on an archaeological dig in the Galilee region of Israel\, while he was a college student. In his writing and ministry\, Henry is committed to building bridges between people of diverse cultures\, religions\, and political positions.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/book-event-city-of-peace-by-henry-g-brinton/
CATEGORIES:Book Talks,Past Events,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/City-of-Peace-by-Henry-G-Brinton.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20190331
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20190401
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20190331T194643Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211214T180500Z
UID:17394-1553990400-1554076799@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Panel Discussion: "Food and Faith"
DESCRIPTION:On March 31\, 2019\, Rumi Forum organized the Food and Faith event at Sakina Halal Grill in Washington\, DC. Food and Faith both bring people together. Faith traditions have a specific relationship with food. Whether it be the role food plays in daily life or providing food to the needy\, faith traditions recognize this necessity as something more. \nPanelists: \nRev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin\, Sr. began his tenure at the Washington National Cathedral in April 2018. In his role as Canon Missioner\, Dr. Hamlin oversees the Cathedral’s outreach and social justice initiatives. Prior to his arrival at the Cathedral\, Dr. Hamlin served as the Pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church in Arlington\, VA for 22 years. Dr. Hamlin received his Bachelor of Business Administration Degree (1983) from the Howard University School of Business\, Master of Divinity Degree (1994)\, and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from the Howard University School of Divinity (1996). He has served and been appointed to numerous community\, faith-based and governmental boards\, commissions\, agencies. \nDr. Zulfiqar A. Kazmi is the founder and Executive Director of The Common Ground USA. This organizational network is dedicated to the promotion of peace through educational programs\, workshops\, conferences\, and research. Dr. Kazmi participated and lectured in more than 200 World Peace Conferences including UN co-sponsored seminars\, symposiums\, and convocations. He launched Scandinavian Peace initiatives and convened a series of seminars at The Washington Times. Dr. Kazmi made history offering special prayers and Salaat ul Maghrib during the last Christmas Dinner hosted by President Obama and First Lady at The White House. He is the recipient of the Fairfax County Proclamation 1998. In 2007 he achieved a nomination for America’s highest Civil Award “Benjamin Franklin Award”. \nJodi Balis\, RD has worked for 15 years in the community and public health in the non-profit sector as a culinary educator\, dietitian\, and nutrition director\, where she implemented cooking and wellness programs for underserved communities in the DC region\, and worked to ensure access to healthy food. Jodi recently pivoted in her career and is now a personal chef\, culinary educator\, bodyworker\, and ritual facilitator. Jodi co-creates Food Rituals with groups and individuals\, which is a visual meditation and embodiment practice that marks milestone moments in life through the collaborative and artful arrangement of vibrant colorful food\, herbs\, spices\, and stones. Jodi is also the creator and host of the podcast Purple Honey\, a gathering of female voices\, where Jewish wisdom and feminine spirituality are explored through the lens of health and wellness. \nFull Event Video  \n\n  \nEvent Photo
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/food-and-faith-at-sakina-halal-grill/
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussions,Past Events,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/WhatsApp-Image-2019-04-01-at-7.43.58-PM.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20190306T120000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20190306T133000
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20190226T171918Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220309T175704Z
UID:15220-1551873600-1551879000@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Discussion: "A Survey about American Muslims
DESCRIPTION:On March 6\, 2019\, Rumi Forum hosted American Muslim Institute’s (AMI) Executive Director Shahid Rahman as he discussed a recent study looking at the perception of American Muslims in the USA and the DMV area. The research examines the public’s perceptions of Muslim Americans. The “Americans’ Views of Muslims Survey” was conducted leading up to the midterm elections in November 2018 – a time period when myths and misinformation about Muslims have figured prominently in some local\, state\, and federal elections. The research includes insight into public perceptions of Muslim Americans at both the national and local levels in Houston\, Orlando\, Tampa\, and the Washington\, DC\, metropolitan area. \nSpeaker: \nShahid Rahman is the executive director of the American Muslim Institution (AMI). He has a Master’s in Islamic Studies. Prior to joining our AMI\, he was the president of Teach and Travel.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/rumi-forum-and-american-turkish-friendship-association-atfa-present-a-survey-about-american-muslims/
LOCATION:Rumi Forum\, 2000 P Street NW Suite #503\, Washington\, DC\, 20036\, United States
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussions,Past Events,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Scriptural-Reasoning-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20190127
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20190128
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20190127T194836Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211214T191413Z
UID:17396-1548547200-1548633599@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Panel Discussion: "Getting Closer to God"
DESCRIPTION:On January 27\, 2019\, Rumi Forum and The Jewish-Islamic Dialogue Society of Washington (JIDS) held a joint event on Jewish and Muslim Perspectives on Mysticism at the Islamic Society of the Washington Area (ISWA).  Mysticism plays an important role in the spirituality of both Judaism and Islam. It is central to developing our relationship with God and in inspiring us to serve humankind. In this session\, we’ll consider both the Jewish and Muslim mystical traditions first by hearing from devoted practitioners and then by engaging in small-group discussions. \nPanelists: \nGabriel Abasi is a lifelong Sufi who has graced the DC-area interfaith community over the years with a devotion to selfless service and a commitment to mysticism. This devotion to service recently inspired him to work on an exciting concept called “The Culture of Compassion\,” which includes creative use of blogs\, social media\, and other forms of technology to heal the planet. \nHerb Levy is an experienced teacher of Kabbalah classes at multiple D.C.-area venues and a lay leader of Kol Ami\, a Northern VA Reconstructionist Jewish Community. For the last 18 years\, Herb has been active in Kol Ami\, the Northern Virginia Reconstructionist Jewish Community. During that period\, he has led over 100 services and has taught Kabbalah classes both at Kol Ami and at a metaphysical bookstore in Old Town\, Alexandria called the Sacred Circle. He currently serves as Treasurer of the JIDS Board of Directors. \nAndra Baylus is one of DC’s leading interfaith organizers and a disciple of Meher Baba\, a Sufi-inspired spiritual leader. Andra has served as President of the Greater Washington Muslim Jewish Forum and has been active in various other interfaith and bridge-building organizations. Her service is inspired by a deep love for mysticism\, generally\, and for the teachings of Sufi spiritual master Meher Baba in particular. A former elementary school teacher\, Andra has combined her passion for service\, spirituality\, and teaching to become a truly powerful force for peace in our community. \nFull Event Video
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/getting-closer-to-god-jewish-and-muslim-perspectives-on-mysticism/
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussions,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/0127191408_HDR-e1548865126680.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20181005
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20181006
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20181005T195018Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211214T194855Z
UID:17398-1538697600-1538783999@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Book Talk: "Jesus in Islam"
DESCRIPTION:On October 5\, 2018\, Dr. Zeki Saritoprak’s talk examined the place of Jesus in the Qu’ran and Hadiths. He explored Islamic theological perspectives on Jesus\, including classical and contemporary theologians’ views of Jesus.  Dr. Saritoprak also discussed the different theological views of the descent. Finally\, he addressed the important role that Jesus can play in interfaith dialogue. \nAbout the Author: \nZeki Saritoprak\, Ph.D.\, is Professor and the Bediüzzaman Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies at John Carroll University. He holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Theology from the University of Marmara in Turkey. Professor Saritoprak is the author of Islam’s Jesus (University Press of Florida\, 2014) and over thirty academic articles and encyclopedia entries on topics in Islam. He has served as guest editor for issues of the journals Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations and the Muslim World. He is editor and co-translator of Fundamentals of Rumi’s Thought: A Mevlevi Sufi Perspective (in English; New Jersey: The Light\, 2004) and the editor of a critical edition of al-Sarakhsi’s Sifat Ashrat al-Sa’a (in Arabic; Cairo\, 1993). He is currently preparing a book on Islamic spirituality tentatively titled Islamic Spirituality: Theology and Practice for the Modern World. \nFull Event Video \n\nEvent Photo \n \n 
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/jesus-in-islam/
CATEGORIES:Book Talks,Past Events,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/jessus-in-islam-post-pic.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20180421T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20180421T183000
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20180214T205755Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211214T200930Z
UID:14826-1524330000-1524335400@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Panel Discussion: “Abrahamic Perspectives on Preserving the Environment”
DESCRIPTION:On April 21st\, 2018\, Rumi Forum organized an interfaith conversation on the environment from the perspectives of the three Abrahamic religions. \nThe 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. \nSpeakers: \n \nElizabeth (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. \n  \nTaalibah 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. \n  \n \nRev. 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. 
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/abrahamic-perspectives-on-preserving-the-environment/
LOCATION:Congregation Ner Shalom \, 14010 Spriggs Rd.\, Woodbridge\, VA\, 22193\, United States
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussions,Past Events,Speaker Series
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180329
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180330
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20180514T195237Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211214T202814Z
UID:17400-1522281600-1522367999@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Panel Discussion: "Exploring an Interfaith Connection Between Faith and Food"
DESCRIPTION:Rumi Forum assisted the US Department of Agriculture with organizing an Abrahamic panel of faith and food on March 29\, 2018. The panel discussion\, titled “Faith and Food: Exploring an Interfaith Connection Between Faith and Food“\, examined the deep connection that faith communities have with food and agriculture.  \nDr. Herbert Brown from Black Church Food Security Network\, Imam Albert Sabir from the Nation’s Mosque\, and Cantor Hinda Labovitz from Ohr Kodesh Congregation talked about the connection between faith and food. The panel was moderated by Peter Kovach.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/faith-and-food-exploring-an-interfaith-connection-between-faith-and-food-agriculture/
LOCATION:US Department of Agriculture\, 1400 Independence Ave SW\, Washington\, DC\, 20250\, United States
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussions,Past Events,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Rumi-Forum-USDA-Panel-good-friday-1-e1526312078981.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20180322T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20180322T203000
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20180108T195925Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211214T204345Z
UID:17408-1521743400-1521750600@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Panel Discussion: "Challenges to Christianity in the US-Lessons for other faith communities"
DESCRIPTION:On March 22nd\, 2018 we discussed what challenges Christianity faces in 21st century America with a group of distinguished panelists. \n \nRumi Forum and faith leaders discussed the challenges and lessons of Christianity in America. On March 22nd\, panelists presented their own narratives and facilitated strategical interfaith applications for the community. Speakers included Joel Rainey\, lead pastor of Covenant Church in Shepherdstown West Virginia\, Brian Hamilton\, co-pastor of Westminister DC and former professor of sociology in addition to Patrick Carolan\, executive director of the Franciscan Action Network and co-founder of the Global Catholic Climate Movement. The event was moderated by William Dinges who shared his expertise in religion in America.  \nSpeakers: \nJoel Rainey\, the lead pastor of Covenant Church in Shepherdstown West Virginia\, is located in the tri-state area of Maryland\, West Virginia\, and the NOVA/Washington DC area. The author of three books\, Dr. Rainey is a former missionary and evangelical denominational executive with intercultural experience on 5 continents. He has led efforts to plant more than 100 new evangelical churches in the US and around the world. He lives in Shepherdstown with his wife Amy and their three children. \n  \n  \nBrian Hamilton\, co-pastor of Westminster DC with his partner Ruth\, was ordained on Sept. 9\, 1992\, and has served parishes in Philadelphia\, Detroit\, and Westminster.  He’s a second-career pastor\, working before as a sociology professor and community developer. Brian grew up in Princeton\, Maine. He received his BA in Sociology from Eastern Baptist College. He received his Master of Divinity from Union Theological in New York City.   \n  \n  \nPatrick Carolan has been executive director of the Franciscan Action Network since 2010. He is also a co-founder of the Global Catholic Climate Movement\, an organization working on global climate justice issues as well as Faithful Democracy\, a faith coalition focused on the issue of Money in Politics\, working to educate on the corruptive influence of big money on our democracy. He is a recipient of the 2015 White House Champion for Change Award for his work in the Climate Change arena\, a Senior Fellow at the Center for Earth Ethics and is personally dedicated to social justice to bring about individual and societal transformation. \n  \nWilliam D. Dinges is an Ordinary Professor of Religious Studies in the School of Theology and Religious Studies and a fellow of the Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies at The Catholic University of America. He received his Ph.D. in American Studies in 1983 from the University of Kansas. He has been on the faculty at Catholic University for the past thirty-one years. Dr. Dinges’ research interests include a variety of religion and culture topics: Religion in America (Catholicism in particular)\, religious movements\, religion and globalization\, fundamentalism\, and religion and ecology. He has published articles on these and related topics in Sociological Analysis\, U.S. Catholic Historian\, Journal of Contemporary Religion\, Religion and American Culture\, The Way\, The Living Light\, America\, Commonweal\, and in other scholarly and popular journals and anthologies. 
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/challenges-to-christianity-in-america-lessons-for-other-faith-communities/
LOCATION:Westminster Church\, 400 I Street SW20024\, Washington\, DC\, 20024\, United States
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussions,Past Events,Speaker Series
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180121
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180122
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20171129T200105Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T200315Z
UID:17410-1516492800-1516579199@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Challenges of Survival: Religious Minority Communities in a Secular Melting Pot Nation
DESCRIPTION:The Jewish-Islamic Dialogue Society of Washington along with the Rumi Forum presented this event that examined religious minority communities in America.  \n \nJanuary 21st\, 2018 \n \n2:30 p.m.– 5:00 p.m.\n \nTemple Rodef Shalom\n2100 Westmoreland Street\nFalls Church\, VA 22043 \n  \nAmerica is rightfully celebrated for how it protects all religions. Yet our nation is not simply shaped by its religious freedom laws but also by a melting pot culture that has grown increasingly secular. For our minority religions\, the desire to assimilate into that culture has become more of a threat with each successive generation. Come hear members of the Muslim\, Jewish and Sikh communities reflect on these potentially existential challenges to the survival of their communities on these shores.   \n \n  \nPanelists:  \nNisa Muhammad \nAssistant Dean for Religious Life at Howard University\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nGagan Narang\nDirector- Organizational Development and Learning at Public Company Accounting Oversight (PCAOB)\n \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nDr. Ira Weiss\nA scholar who frequently lectures on Palestinian-Israel relations\n  \n  \n 
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/challenges-of-survival-religious-minority-communities-in-a-secular-melting-pot-nation-2/
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussions,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Challenges-of-Survival_-Religious-Minority-Communities-Main.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20171019
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20171020
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20170912T200521Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T200641Z
UID:17414-1508371200-1508457599@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Peaceful Communities: Faiths for Social Justice
DESCRIPTION:On October 19th Fairfax Presbyterian Church hosted the Rumi Forum for a discussion on social justice through the context of faith. \nDate: Thursday\, October\, 19th \nTime: 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm  \nLocation: Fairfax Presbyterian Church\n10723 Main Street\, Fairfax\, VA 22030 \n“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi \nWe define social justice as a concept of fair and just relation between the individual and society and struggle over how to promote and achieve that perfect equality. There are various ways to approach social justice from embracing your community\, to celebrating diversity\, to listening more to others\, adopting a politician\, etc.  For this event\, however\, we will approach social justice from a faith perspective. There are many elements of social justice that are referenced in various religious texts and this event aims to highlight those through the three Abrahamic faiths. By doing so\, we hope that the community can learn from each other and ways to channel their religious beliefs into social justice action. \n \nSpeakers:  \nHenry G. Brinton is the Senior Pastor at Fairfax Presbyterian Church Henry grew up in Bowie\, Maryland. He was active in the Christian Community Presbyterian Church throughout his youth and was ordained a deacon as a teenager. After falling in love with religious studies as an undergraduate at Duke University\, he earned a Master of Divinity at Yale Divinity School. In his first pastoral call\, Henry served as associate pastor of First United Church of Christ in Milford\, Connecticut\, a 1200-member congregation with a corporate style of ministry. In 1989\, Henry was called as pastor to Calvary Presbyterian Church in Alexandria. Henry writes freelance articles on religious topics for The Washington Post and USA Today and has been a writer for the preaching journal Homiletics since 1998. \nHenry met his wife Nancy Freeborne in their church youth group in Bowie. They were married in 1985 and have two children\, Sadie and Sam. \n  \n  \nHurunnessa Fariad and her family fled the war in Afghanistan in the late 1970’s and eventually settled in New York City.  She attended a music major high school and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and English Literature.  She is the youngest of 10 kids. She moved to Northern Virginia in 2004 and she currently lives in Sterling\, Va with her 4 daughters.  She was the President of her own IT company for 10 years.  She served as the Vice Principal of ADAMS Radiant Hearts Academy for 8 years until she changed departments and now serves as the Outreach/Interfaith/Communications Coordinator\, Branch Liaison and the ADAMS BEAT Music Director at the ADAMS Center under the leadership of Imam Mohamed Mag. \n  \nRabbi Emeritus Bill Rudolph has been with Congregation Beth El since 1983. He served on a part-time basis about half of that period\, during which he was the associate international director of Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life. He was number two at Hillel when it achieved the Renaissance that changed the face of the American Jewish community. He was elected as Beth El’s associate rabbi in 1996 and rabbi in 2001. Rabbi Rudolph took a leadership role in Beth El’s multi-faceted response to Middle East crises in 2002 and 2006\, including two $1 million dollar rallies for the Israel Emergency Campaign. He is the recipient of the Federation’s Matthew Simon Rabbinic Leadership Award. His position with the Federation includes the Federation Board (many terms)\, its Planning & Allocations Committee\, its Rabbinic Cabinet\, and its Missions Committee. He was co-chair of the Community Division and the Affinity Division of the Annual Campaign.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/peaceful-communities-faiths-for-social-justice-2/
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussions,Speaker Series
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20170916
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20170917
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20170814T200718Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T200842Z
UID:17416-1505520000-1505606399@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:A Discussion of God’s Compassion and Forgiveness
DESCRIPTION:On Saturday\, September 16th\, 2017 we hosted an interfaith panel around the discussion of God’s Compassion and Forgiveness at the Ohr Kodesh Temple co-sponsored by the Beth El Congregation of Montgomery County. \nInterfaith Panel on God’s Compassion and Forgiveness  \nEvent Time: 9 PM to 10:30 PM \n–Break for Refreshments–  \nService Time: 11 PM \nOhr Kodesh Temple \n8300 Meadowbrook Ln\, Chevy Chase\, MD 20815 \n  \nThis program was part of the celebrations marking the start of Jewish High Holy Days held at Ohr Kodesh Temple in Chevy Chase. Every year on the Saturday night preceding Rosh Ha-Shanah\, they have a late-night service called “Selichot” and this year we had an interfaith panel as part of that service to include speakers from each of the Abrahamic faiths who discussed God’s compassion and forgiveness from each of their faith’s viewpoints.  \n  \nBackground on the Jewish High Holy Days \nAlthough the High Holidays themselves–the two days of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) — occupy three days only\, they lie within a web of liturgy and customs that extend from the beginning of the preceding Hebrew month of Elul through Yom Kippur. The focus of this entire period is the process of teshuvah\, or repentance\, whereby a Jew admits to sins\, asks for forgiveness\, and resolves not to repeat the sins. Recognizing the psychological difficulty of self-examination and personal change\, the rabbis instituted a 40-day period whose intensity spirals toward its culmination on Yom Kippur\, a day devoted entirely to fasting and repentance. \nThe High Holiday period begins on the first day of the Jewish month of Elul. In the Ashkenazi tradition\, during this month of soul searching\, the shofar\, or ram’s horn\, is blown each morning except on the Sabbath\, to call upon listeners to begin the difficult process of repentance. Also in Elul special haftarot–prophetic portions–focusing on consolation acknowledge the vulnerability of an individual grappling with personal change. During the week before Rosh Hashanah\, intensity increases as traditional Jews begin reciting selichot\, prayers that involve confessing sins and requesting God’s forgiveness and help. On the Sabbath before Rosh Hashanah\, the selichot is chanted at midnight\, rather than their usual early morning hour. \nBackground Source: http://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-high-holidays/ \nTemple Information: http://www.ohrkodesh.org/ \nSpeakers: \nImam Ali Siddiqui Classically educated Imam\, Khatib\, Interfaith Leader\, organizer\, Chaplain\, and Advocate for Mutual Understanding and Respect\, Peace\, Economic Justice\, and Humane Immigration with 43 years of interfaith experience working with Jews\, Christians\, Catholics\, Mormons\, Quakers\, Buddhists\, Sikh\, and the other faiths in the area of community service. Imam Siddiqui is very engaged and frequently delivers invocations and benedictions at City Councils and School Boards\, civic and political groups\, and Graduation Ceremonies. He teaches Islam\, comparative religion\, history of Islam and Muslims of Americas\, contemporary issues to Muslims and non-Muslims at the institutions of higher learning including Sonoma State\, Santa Rosa Community College\, School of Religion (Claremont Graduate University)\, California Baptist University\, Disciple of Christ Seminary\, School of Theology (now Lincoln University)\, and La Verne University\, and Open University Denver. \n  \nThe Reverend Doctor Roy Howard has been the pastor of Saint Mark Presbyterian Church in Rockville since 2001. Prior to that he served congregations in Virginia and Kentucky. He earned his master’s degree in Social Work from Florida State University\, his masters in divinity from Emory University in Atlanta and his Doctorate in Ministry from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington DC Pastor Howard has been active in interfaith relations throughout his career particularly with Jewish-Christian encounters since his first trip to Israel in 1985. Since that time he has traveled to Israel many times and been instrumental in creating a dialogue with Jews and Christians\, as well as Muslims. In 2006 he and Rabbi Bill Rudolph established a dialogue group between Beth El and Saint Mark including a joint congregations visit to Israel. His most recent trip to Israel was with Interfaith Partners for Peace accompanied by Rabbi Greg Harris of Beth El and Rabbi Batya Glacier of the Jewish Community Relations Council.  \n  \nRabbi Lyle Fishman has been the religious leader of Ohr Kodesh Congregation since 1984. He served the Greenburgh Hebrew Center in Dobbs Ferry\, New York\, before that. He graduated with honors from Yale University majoring in religious studies. He spent his junior year at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He then attended The Jewish Theological Seminary in New York from which he received a Master’s degree in Hebrew Literature and then rabbinical ordination. He taught at the Herzl Institute of New York while serving as a rabbi. He has authored “Why Did Nadav and Avihu” for the Proceedings of the Rabbinical Assembly (1989) and “The Value Base of Jewish Family Life Education: A Rabbinic View” in “A Generation of Service: History of the Department on Religious Affairs 1952-1982” (1982). Rabbi Fishman is also very active in his community\, helping to create the Washington Chevra Chapter to foster a better interchange of ideas among community rabbis\, among other initiatives.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/a-discussion-of-gods-compassion-and-forgiveness/
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussions,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/A-Discussion-of-Gods-Compassion-and-Forgive-Main-2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20170503
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20170504
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20170404T200857Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T201002Z
UID:17418-1493769600-1493855999@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Women of Faith's Contribution to Society: Role Models from History
DESCRIPTION:The Rumi Forum hosted a panel event at Temple B’nai Shalom for a presentation on women of faith and their contribution to society.  \nDate & Time: \nMay 3rd\, 2017 \n6:30 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. \nVenue: \nTemple B’nai Shalom\n7612 Old Ox Road\nFairfax Station\, VA 22039 \nThe Rumi Forum organized an event highlighting the experiences of women in the three Abrahamic faith traditions. The event featured a panel discussion followed by a question and answer session where audience members had the opportunity to direct questions towards any of the three-panel members\, each one representing a different religion. \n \nReverend Meg Peery McLaughlin\, a pastor at Burke Presbyterian Church\, spoke first about the inherent equality between men and women illustrated in the book of Genesis with God’s creation of a single creature who is then separated into a man and a woman. However\, cultural and societal norms often overshadow this inherent equality found in the Bible. Reverend McLaughlin gave insight into the ways that Christian women have often struggled silently or behind the scenes in order to do God’s work. Her remarks touched upon her own family history\, as the child of generations of Presbyterian ministers\, as well as the story of Jo Ann Robinson\, a civil rights activist who was a key organizer in the bus boycott in Montgomery\, Alabama. Reverend McLaughlin spoke about how Robinson among many other women played important roles in orchestrating God’s work\, despite never receiving recognition\, and how it is often in silence where we can hear and feel God strongly. \nRiham Osman\, Communications Coordinator at the Muslim Public Affairs Council built upon the idea of silence\, speaking upon the absence of positive stories about Muslims; Muslim women in particular\, in the news or on social media. She emphasized the difficulty in working to bring these positive stories to connect with a wider audience. Osman then spoke about two Muslim women in history named Khadija and Aisha\, who provide powerful examples of female leadership in the religion of Islam. Both women were wives of the Prophet Muhammed and challenged traditional gender roles of the time. In Khadija’s case\, she engaged in trade and business (a male-dominated profession) which then allowed her to provide for her husband. Aisha\, on the other hand\, challenged gender norms of her time by becoming a scholar of Islamic jurisprudence\, which gave her the ability to interpret the law and the Quran from the very beginning. \nThe final speaker was Rabbi Laura Rappaport\, Assistant Rabbi\, and Educator at Temple B’nai Shalom\, who discussed the damaging effect of preconceived notions of gender and the different expectations that society sets for individuals as a result. Rappaport noted that Jewish women in every field have made important contributions to history\, not just in the roles typically reserved for women. She mentioned the biblical hero Esther\, who strove to save her people despite the limited resources available to her demonstrating that there are many ways to achieve greatness and forward God’s work. A lesson that Rabbi Rappaport drew from this story and from other examples of women of faith acting in ways that challenged expectations is the need to look beyond the stereotypes that we hold of others and to use these examples to broaden narrow definitions of value and appropriate behavior. \nThe discussion concluded with a question and answer session where all three panelists talked about the process of change within religion and the difficulties in adapting ancient faiths to contemporary issues. Questions touched upon the issues surrounding women’s leadership in prayer and religious ritual\, spiritual guidance in the wake of recent political events\, and the struggles of younger generations to find meaning and comfort in traditional houses of worship. Through this discussion\, the panelists were able to highlight the diverse contributions of women in religion and bring nuance to the term “woman of faith” while stressing the need for unity among faith communities in order to help bridge societal divides. \nSpeakers: \nRabbi Laura Rappaport is Assistant Rabbi and Educator at Temple B’nai Shalom. She brings a wealth of experience as a pulpit rabbi\, a Director of Congregational Learning\, a board-certified hospital chaplain\, a director of non-profits\, an adjunct college faculty member\, an educator for all ages in many settings and the mother of two. Rabbi Rappaport grew up in rural Northwest New Jersey and received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. She received her M.A.H.L. and Rabbinic Ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (Jerusalem and Cincinnati campuses). She has also completed Masters’ level courses in Bio-ethics from Rush University and the University of Washington and Doctoral level courses in Jewish Studies from Spertus College in Chicago. \n  \n  \n  \nThe Reverend Meg Peery McLaughlin serves as Co-Pastor at Burke Presbyterian Church\, alongside her husband\, Jarrett. She is a native of North Carolina\, graduated with a Bachelor’s in English Literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and with a Master’s in Divinity and in Christian Education from Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond\, VA. Meg was ordained as a Teaching Elder (Minister of Word and Sacrament) in 2006\, at Village Presbyterian Church near Kansas City\, MO\, where she served for seven years in the role of Pastoral Care. \n  \n  \nRiham Osman joined the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) in September 2013 as the Program Assistant in the Washington\, DC office\, where she provided leadership in several office initiatives. Riham currently serves as the Communications Coordinator in Washington\, DC where she specializes in digital media\, manages the organization’s online presence and works to ensure the media accurately portrays American Muslims.\nPrior to joining MPAC\, Riham was an MPAC Young Leader and participated in MPAC’s 2013 Government Summit\, which sparked an interest in her to pursue a career at the crossroads of policy and media. Riham is a 2013 University of Mary Washington alumna and received her undergraduate education in International Affairs and Middle Eastern Studies. Riham has appeared on multiple media outlets\, including NPR\, ABC7\, NBC\, and CCTV. She has also commented on issues such as countering violent extremism and Islamophobia in the Washington Post\, Bloomberg\, the Huffington Post\, and the International Business Times. \n  \nCheck out the full story\, featured in the Burke Connection: https://rumiforum.org/seeking-that-which-unites-us/
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/women-of-faiths-contribution-to-society-role-models-from-history/
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussions,Speaker Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Women-of-Faith-Role-Models-from-History-Main.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20170406
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20170407
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20170320T201019Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T201125Z
UID:17420-1491436800-1491523199@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Communities Together for Civil Rights and Liberties
DESCRIPTION:The Rumi Forum hosted a community panel event on Thursday\, April 6th\, 2017  that involved an engaging discussion on civil rights and liberties. \n \nRumi Forum Presents  \nCommunities Together for Civil Rights and Liberties \nThursday\, April 6th\, 2017 \n6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m \nBusboys and Poets (Brookland) \n625 Monroe St NE \nWashington\, DC 20017 \n“Those who would give up essential Liberty\, to purchase a little temporary Safety\, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” Ben Franklin for the Pennsylvania Assembly in its Reply to the Governor (1755) \nThe context to what we attribute this quote to now is different since moving into the 21st century but\, the core of the quote speaks volumes to today’s reality. It is the right of the legislature to govern in the interest of collective security however\, it is as well the people’s right to speak out and be heard against those collective decisions to which encroach upon any individual’s rights or liberties. Unfortunately\, we have moved into a time where the rights of minorities\, women\, religious groups\, etc. are continually threatened. In order to maintain a peaceful and harmonious society we the people need to be vigilant against the encroachment of rights and liberties that affect us and our neighbor and need to stand together in finding and maintaining the delicate balance between our collective security and the protection our liberty. \n \nOn April 6th\, 2017 the Rumi Forum hosted a community panel focusing on civil rights and liberties as part of the recurring Abrahamic Discussion Series. This event was particularly salient in today’s political climate and offered an opportunity for people with a range of backgrounds to come together in an effort to maintain a harmonious\, peaceful and tolerant society. The event reaffirmed that the balance between collective security and individual liberty should never come at the cost of someone else’s freedoms. The panel featured distinguished guests and leaders in the field of civil rights and liberties.\n \nThe first speaker\, Monica Hopkins-Maxwell\, has been the Executive Director of the ACLU of the District of Columbia since 2014. She previously worked as the Executive Director of the ACLU of Idaho where she oversaw statewide victories for LGBT equality\, immigrants’ rights\, and criminal justice reform. She spoke about the proud of the history of the ACLU as a defender of immigrants\, minorities and underprivileged populations and how the organization’s mission has become even more relevant in the modern political climate. In addition\, she stressed how important it is to work together with other groups and communities in order to be at the forefront of protecting civil liberties. In Washington\, D.C. specifically\, it is challenging to maintain a strong stance as a welcoming place for people of all identities because of the proximity to partisan politics. Hopkins-Maxwell discussed the role of the ACLU and other organizations in holding the government\, both federal and local\, accountable for their actions.\n \nThe next speaker was Rabbi Laura Rappaport\, Assistant Rabbi\, and Educator at Temple B’nai Shalom. She has experience as a chaplain\, non-profit director\, and educator\, as well as a pulpit rabbi and Director of Congregational Learning. She shed light on what Judaism has to say on the topic of civil liberties. Throughout Jewish history\, Jews have often lacked security and were often denied the protections and rights given to other groups. As such\, communities created their own security\, through relationships\, institutions\, and programs to make sure that every individual was taken care of and protected. Jewish tradition places a lot of value on caring for others since every person is created in God’s image and should be treated with respect and dignity. Because the Jewish story of creation involves just two people – Adam and Eve – no one today should claim to be superior to anyone else since we all come from the same family. Rabbi Rappaport also mentioned that the holiday of Passover tells the story of Jewish persecution and oppression\, and teaches Jews the value and importance of freedom and civil liberty. This religious legacy means that Jews have the obligation to fight for justice and security\, not just within their own community\, but to everyone in the world.\n \nFollowing Rabbi Rappaport\, the audience heard from Talib M. Shareef\, President\, and Imam of Masjid Muhammed. Imam Shareef is a retired Chief Master Sergeant of the U.S. Air Force and holds an MBA from American Intercontinental University\, as well as a diploma from Imam Muhammed ibn Saud Islamic University. He has served as an Imam in over ten cities and military locations around the world and has received many honors and awards for his commitment to interfaith dialogue.  Imam Shareef also spoke about the story of creation and the making of Adam\, who gave all of us a common human identity. He explained how the human identity is fundamental to our existence and should take precedence over any other identity that we give to ourselves because it connects all people as equals. This common identity makes it clear that all people should be treated equally and given protection because we are all the children of Adam and deserve the same liberty\, rights\, and opportunities. These principles translate to current political situations and Muslim communities in the United States\, as well as other minority communities. The religious principles that advocate equality and justice also compel us to act and work for change.\n \nThe final speaker was Reverend Kristen Looney\, Project Director of the Religious Freedom Center at the Newseum Institute. Looney specializes in religious education and has facilitated workshops for students all over the world. She is an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Maryland and a graduate of Yale Divinity School as well as the College of Wooster. Reverend Looney also spoke about the important lessons that can be learned from scripture and holy texts. Each of us is made in the image of God\, and thus deserving of respect and justice. She talked about how she views it as her mission to defend the rights of everyone to live the way they choose\, no matter their identity or beliefs. This idea is symbolized in the baptism ceremony\, where the entire congregation pledges to protect and defend all people with the help of God. By acknowledging the responsibility of the community to take action\, as well as the sometimes limited scope of human capability\, the pledge serves to inspire individuals to do better\, and do more\, to help those who are in need. This idea was internalized by the founders of the United States and is canonized in our founding documents\, making it even more crucial that we fight to create a country that lives up to the standards that were set at the very beginning. \nSpeaker Bios: \nThe Reverend Kristen Looney is the Project Director of the Religious Freedom Center of the Newseum Institute. As a religious leader and educator\, Kristen specializes in developing partnerships\, training\, and equipping leaders with dialogue skills. \nKristen is formerly the Head of Programs and Partnerships for the Tony Blair Faith Foundation (TBFF) in the United States. Kristen worked for TBFF in their London office for two years before returning to lead the strategy and expansion of its Face to Faith global schools program in the US. As a trained facilitator Kristen facilitated over 130 global videoconferences with students around the world. Kristen is an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Maryland. She is an awarded graduate of Yale Divinity School (M.Div.)\, studied at the University of Freiburg\, Germany – Junior Year Abroad\, and is an honors graduate from the College of Wooster (B.A.) in religion and German. \n  \n  \n  \n  \nMonica Hopkins-Maxwell became the Executive Director of the ACLU of the District of Columbia in 2014. Previously\, Monica served as the Executive Director of the ACLU of Idaho beginning in 2008. During her tenure there she oversaw sweeping statewide victories\, particularly in the areas of criminal justice reform\, LGBTQ equality\, immigrants’ rights and upholding the First Amendment. \nPrior to joining the ACLU\, Monica had a distinguished career in the nonprofit sector which included executive and development positions.She currently serves on the Advisory Board for Boise State University’s College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs and has been a recipient of numerous awards including the Idaho Business Review’s “Accomplished Under 40” and Women Making History Award. In 2008\, she was a Rotary Group Study Exchange participant in Sri Lanka and in 2012-13\, she was a Rockwood Leadership Institute Fellow for LGBTQ Advocacy. \n  \n  \n  \n  \nRabbi Laura Rappaport is  Assistant Rabbi and Educator at the Temple B’nai Shalom.  She brings a wealth of experience as a pulpit rabbi\, a Director of Congregational Learning\, a board-certified hospital chaplain\, a director of non-profits\, an adjunct college faculty member\, an educator for all ages in many settings and the mother of two. \nRabbi Rappaport grew up in rural Northwest New Jersey and received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.  She received her M.A.H.L. and Rabbinic Ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (Jerusalem and Cincinnati campuses).  She has also completed Masters’ level courses in Bio-ethics from Rush University and University of Washington and Doctoral level courses in Jewish Studies from Spertus College in Chicago. \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nTalib M. Shareef is President and Imam of the historic\, Nation’s Mosque\, Masjid Muhammad\, located at 1519 Islamic Way\, (4th Street)\, NW\, Washington\, DC. Imam Shareef\, is a retired Chief Master Sergeant of the United States Air Force after 30 years\, and holds a Masters of Business Administration from American Intercontinental University\, a Diploma from the Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University\, and is a graduate of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in Arabic and Middle East studies. He is a student of the late Imam W.D. Mohammed\, Muslim-American Spokesman for Humanity. \nImam Shareef served as Imam in five U.S. cities and seven military locations around the world\, and as convener\, Georgia State Association of Imams.  He led a historic interfaith delegation to Italy and received for a meeting at the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. He was one of the signers in Nigeria to the Abuja Peace Declaration organized by the International Global Peace Foundation and the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution.  He was the first Imam with military service to offer prayer at an opening session of the U.S. Congress. His military service yield’s major honors and medals.  Other awards include Denver’s Spectrum Newspaper’s “Who’s Who” among African American Leaders; Muslim Journal’s 2011 Imam of the Year; Command Roy Wilkins NAACP Leadership Award.  Imam Shareef and wife\, Tahirah\, have three children\, seven grandchildren\, are custodial parents of three others and have served as foster parents for several children. \n  \n \n 
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/communities-together-for-civil-rights-and-liberties/
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussions,Speaker Series
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20170321
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20170322
DTSTAMP:20260505T092214
CREATED:20170303T201306Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T201427Z
UID:17422-1490054400-1490140799@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Faith Over Fear: Welcoming the Stranger
DESCRIPTION:The Washington National Cathedral\, in partnership with Rumi Forum and several local organizations\, hosted a night of interfaith dialogue on March 21st\, 2017. \nFaith Over Fear: Welcoming the Stranger \nTuesday\, March 21st\, 2017 \n6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. \nLocation:\n Washington National Cathedral\n 3101 Wisconsin Ave NW\n Washington\, DC 20016 \nThe Washington National Cathedral partnered with the Episcopal Diocese of Washington\, Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington\, Rumi Forum\, All Dulles Area Muslim Society\, Washington Hebrew Congregation\, and others on March 21st to host an evening of interfaith prayer\, song\, and conversation. Building on the momentum of solidarity and collaboration\, participants heard from those of diverse faiths and shared their own experiences. This interfaith dialogue hosted at the Cathedral was an opportunity for continued conversation and action through partnerships with local organizations and offered in a way to build community among one another. \n6:30 p.m. Registration and introductions\n7:00 p.m. Program begins
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/faith-over-fear-welcoming-the-stranger/
CATEGORIES:Panel Discussions,Speaker Series
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