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X-WR-CALNAME:Rumi Forum
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://rumiforum.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Rumi Forum
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TZID:UTC
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TZOFFSETFROM:+0000
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TZNAME:UTC
DTSTART:20170101T000000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20180121T113000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20180121T133000
DTSTAMP:20260404T231353
CREATED:20171206T150927Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20171206T150927Z
UID:14587-1516534200-1516541400@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Maine Girls Film Screening
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/maine-girls-film-screening/
LOCATION:Little River United Church of Christ (LRUCC)\, 8410 Little River Turnpike\, Annandale\, VA\, 22003\, United States
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20180121
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180122
DTSTAMP:20260404T231353
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:20180119
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20180226
DTSTAMP:20260404T231353
CREATED:20170815T184533Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170815T184533Z
UID:14289-1516320000-1519603199@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:2018 Rumi Forum Study Trip to Australia
DESCRIPTION:Applications are now open for our new study trip to Australia! \nThe Rumi Forum is proud to announce a new study trip opportunity for Winter 2018. This program will be held in Australia encompassing the cities of Sydney and Canberra. Applications for this trip are currently open and all eligible individuals are encouraged to apply. \nYou have the option of choosing from: \nJanuary 19th – January 28th \nFebruary 16th – February 25th \nThroughout this program\, participants will be immersed in cultural activities that celebrate local customs and traditions. In addition\, this travel program will create the opportunity for participants to meet with civil society organizations\, government officials\, journalists\, academicians and think-tank scholars\, among others\,
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/2018-rumi-forum-study-trip-to-australia/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20180116T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20180116T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T231353
CREATED:20171003T140557Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20171003T140557Z
UID:14439-1516127400-1516132800@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Findings from Pew Research Center’s 2017 Survey of U.S. Muslims
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/findings-from-pew-research-centers-2017-survey-of-u-s-muslims/
LOCATION:Daniels Run Peace Church\, 3729 Old Lee Highway\, Fairfax\, VA\, 22030
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20180110T063000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20180110T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T231353
CREATED:20171114T195440Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20171114T195440Z
UID:14530-1515565800-1515614400@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Responding to Hatred and Extremism: Solutions from Faith Traditions
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/responding-to-hatred-and-extremism-solutions-from-faith-traditions/
LOCATION:National City Christian Church\, 5 Thomas Cir NW\, Washington\, DC\, 20005\, United States
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20171207T063000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20171207T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T231353
CREATED:20170906T012837Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170906T012837Z
UID:14342-1512628200-1512676800@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:American Muslims in 2017
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/american-muslims-in-2017/
LOCATION:ATFA\, 14120 Newbrook Dr.\, Chantilly\, VA\, 20151\, United States
CATEGORIES:Evening Programs
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20171109T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20171109T193000
DTSTAMP:20260404T231353
CREATED:20171025T011643Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20171025T011735Z
UID:14469-1510250400-1510255800@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Civil Rights in 2017: A Discussion with Federal Civil Rights Officials
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/civil-rights-in-2017-a-discussion-with-federal-civil-rights-officials/
LOCATION:ATFA\, 14120 Newbrook Dr.\, Chantilly\, VA\, 20151\, United States
CATEGORIES:Evening Programs
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20171019T063000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20171019T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T231353
CREATED:20170906T013141Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170906T013427Z
UID:14344-1508394600-1508443200@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Peaceful Communities: Faiths for Social Justice
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/peaceful-communities-faiths-for-social-justice/
LOCATION:Fairfax Presbyterian Church\, 10723 Main Street\, Fairfax \, Virginia \, 10723 Main Street\, Fairfax\, VA 22030
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20171019
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20171020
DTSTAMP:20260404T231353
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
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Design-Untitled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20171011T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20171011T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T231353
CREATED:20170925T185800Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170925T190247Z
UID:14413-1507746600-1507752000@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Realizing the Civil Rights Dream: Diagnosing and Treating American Racism
DESCRIPTION:Realizing the Civil Rights Dream: Diagnosing and Treating American Racism \n\n\n\nJoin us on October 11th as we sit down with Ken Bedell to talk about his new book Realizing the Civil Rights Dream: Diagnosing and Treating American Racism. \nDate: Wednesday\, October 11th\, 2017 \nReception: 6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.  \nBook Talk: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. \n2000 P St NW\, Suite 503 Washington\, DC 20036 \nREGISTER HERE  \n  \nBook Synopsis: \nThis book explains why America can realize the civil rights dream in the 21st century—if U.S. citizens take actions as individuals as well as work together for equality. \nIt has been more than 53 years since Martin Luther King Jr. made his “I Have a Dream” speech. Why has the United States still not been able to make King’s dream a reality after a half a century of effort and progress? Is there still hope of full participation for all in America? \nIn Realizing the Civil Rights Dream: Diagnosing and Treating American Racism\, author Kenneth B. Bedell proposes a civil rights dream that grows out of American history and speaks to the 21st-century reality. He makes the case that by adopting a larger perspective of the role of racism in preserving U.S. social\, cultural\, economic\, and political institutions and practices\, Americans can understand why it has been so difficult to fulfill the promises of the 1960s civil rights dream. Bedell describes and applies sociological theories that serve to explain why racism is still prevalent in the United States and identifies the steps that are necessary to overcome racism. The book concludes with proposals for ways to apply social science to realize the civil rights dream and examples of how individuals can take action to make a difference. \nFeatures: \n\nAsks—and answers—the troubling question: Why have the civil rights hopes of the 1960s not yet been realized?\nDemonstrates the relationship between what happens in everyday life and racism’s persistence\nProvides insightful historical context for racism as it exists in the 21st century\nPresents a framework for understanding how social forces preserve racism\nOffers a refreshingly optimistic perspective that racism can be overcome\n\nAvailable for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Realizing-Civil-Rights-Dream-Diagnosing/dp/1440853754 \n  \nKen Bedell\, author of Realizing the Civil Rights Dream: Diagnosing and Treating American Racism earned his doctorate in sociology from Temple University and has graduate degrees in education (New York University)\, theology ( the University of South Africa and Colgate Rochester/Crozer Divinity School)\, and in chemistry (Cornell University). Bedell is ordained in the United Methodist Church where he has served local congregation for 18 years in New York\, Maryland\, and Ohio. His work in the church included teaching sociology and communications at United Theological Seminary (Dayton)\, heading up higher education work as Associate General Secretary of the Board of Higher Education and Ministry\, holding leadership positions in the Methodist Federation for Social Action and the Reconciling Ministries Network\, and serving on the Board of Trustees of Rust College\, a HBCU in Mississippi. As the Executive Secretary for the International Association of Methodist Schools\, Colleges and Universities\, Ken traveled extensively visiting educational institutions in Brazil\, Argentina\, Korea\, Zimbabwe\, Kenya\, Mozambique\, and Austria. Most recently he served in the Obama administration as a Senior Advisor in the Department of Education. There he worked in the Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and directed the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge. Bedell published widely on topics as varied as the history of worship\, the sociology of technology\, computer technology in education\, and race relations. The World Association for Christian Communication published his book\, Different Ships\, Same Boat\, as part of a series on “In Search of Common Values.” 
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/civil-rights-dream/
LOCATION:Rumi Forum\, 2000 P Street NW Suite #503\, Washington\, DC\, 20036\, United States
CATEGORIES:Evening Programs
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Civil-Rights-Dream-Slider.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20170916T213000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20170916T230000
DTSTAMP:20260404T231353
CREATED:20170509T150933Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170912T132030Z
UID:14086-1505597400-1505602800@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:A Discussion of God’s Compassion and Forgiveness
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/compassion-and-forgiveness/
LOCATION:Ohr Kodesh Temple\, 8300 Meadowbrook Ln\, Chevy Chase \, Maryland \, 20815
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20170916
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20170917
DTSTAMP:20260404T231353
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;TZID=UTC:20170910T130000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20170910T170000
DTSTAMP:20260404T231353
CREATED:20170828T142835Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170828T143909Z
UID:14327-1505048400-1505062800@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:D.C. Unity Walk
DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, Sept 10th 12:30-5 pm\nResource Fair 12:30-1:30 pm\nWalk begins 1:30 pm \nOpening Ceremony:\nWashington Hebrew Congregation \nClosing Ceremony:\nIslamic Center of Washington \nThe Unity Walk is open and free to everyone. There is a suggested donation of $25 for adults and $10 for students\, seniors\, and those of limited income.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/d-c-unity-walk/
LOCATION:Washington Hebrew Congregation\,  3935 Macomb St NW\, Washington\, DC\, 20016\, United States
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20170906T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20170906T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T231353
CREATED:20170815T182719Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170815T183102Z
UID:14285-1504722600-1504728000@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:The Syrian Refugees Crisis: The Need for a Strategy
DESCRIPTION:Join the Rumi Forum September 6th\, 2017 for a presentation on Syrian refugees with Radwan Ziadeh a Syrian democracy and human rights advocate.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/event-syrian-refugees-crisis/
LOCATION:ATFA\, 14120 Newbrook Dr.\, Chantilly\, VA\, 20151\, United States
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20170822
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20170823
DTSTAMP:20260404T231353
CREATED:20170822T135323Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210604T135443Z
UID:17650-1503360000-1503446399@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:D.C. Unity Walk 2017
DESCRIPTION:Join the Rumi Forum and thousands of others for this years’ Unity Walk! September 10th\, 2017 \nMay we see the day when war and bloodshed cease\, when a great peace will embrace the whole world. When nation will not threaten nation\, and humanity will not again know war. For all who live on earth shall realize we have not come into being to hate or to destroy. We have come into being to praise\, to labor and to love. \n-Rabbi Nathan Sternhartz of the Ukraine (1780-1845) \n#knowyourneighbor \n \nSunday\, Sept 10th 12:30-5 pm\nResource Fair 12:30-1:30 pm\nWalk begins 1:30 pm \nOpening Ceremony: \nWashington Hebrew Congregation \nClosing Ceremony: \nIslamic Center of Washington \nThe Unity Walk is open and free to everyone. There is a suggested donation of $25 for adults and $10 for students\, seniors\, and those of limited income. \nService projects will include:\n– Apple-bagging at Annunciation Roman Catholic Church\n– Green service project at the Apostolic Nunciature to the United States \nThe Unity Walk cares about our planet!\nDon’t forget that bringing your own water bottle and utensils goes a long way in making our region friendly towards the environment. \nRegister Now! \n  \n\nInterfaith Picnic at the National Cathedral\n \nSaturday\, September 9th 5-8 pm\nWashington National Cathedral\n3101 Wisconsin Ave NW\, Washington\, DC 20016 \nBring a meal to this interfaith\, intergenerational picnic with music\, art and activities on the Cathedral’s west front. Get to know neighbors from the community and around the region as we share a meal and celebrate together. \nEnding with Havdalah (the Jewish ritual that marks the end of Shabbat) \nRegister Here\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n  \n  \n  \nVolunteer Opportunities:\nWe are looking for volunteers to help at the Unity Walk and the Interfaith Picnic.\nIf you are interested or have any questions about volunteering for the Unity Walk\, please contact us at unitywalk@ifcmw.org \nIf you’re interested in volunteering for the picnic – find out more and sign up HERE \nResource Fair Opportunities:\nShare what your organization does with others! Have a table at the Unity Walk resource fair from 12:30-1:30 pm at the Washington Hebrew Congregation. \nThe resource fair gives you an excellent opportunity to share information about your organization with walk participants. \nA table is just $75\, or can be included in the higher level donations (see below for more details). \nMore Pre-Walk Opportunities:\nHouses of worship along Massachusetts Avenue invite members of the general public to attend services and learn more about different religious traditions the week of the Unity Walk. \nParticipating houses of worship include Washington Hebrew Congregation\, St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral\, Annunciation Catholic Church\, and Sikh Gurdwara DC. \n \n \n  \nATTENTION College Students!\nAmerican University invites YOU to a special Bagel Brunch on the AU campus on the morning of the walk\, Sunday\, September 10th. \nMeet other local students committed to creating a campus community that promotes respect for all faiths and cultures. Enjoy great conversation\, free food and exciting entertainment. \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nSupport the Walk! \nThe Unity Walk is a signature IFC event. Your contribution will help sustain\nthe year-round work that fits with the goals and aspirations of the IFC.\nPlease consider donating at any of the following levels: \nSuggested Donation: $25 for adults and $10 for students\, seniors\, and those of limited income. \nIFC Neighbor: $50 and up. You will receive a Unity Walk Thank-You gift the day of the walk. \nResource Fair Participant: $75 for a table. This is a prime opportunity to share information about your organization with a diverse cross-section participants from throughout the greater DC area. \nOther Sponsorship Opportunities:\nIFC Partner: $100-$250.\nIFC Sponsor: $250-$500\nIFC Patron: $500-$1\,000\nThese include a table at the resource fair and a Thank-You in our promotional materials. \nContribute online:\nSponsorship or Donation: Donation Box (Please select “Unity Walk” on the Donate drop-down menu).\nResource Fair: Donation Box (When signing up\, please enter your organizational name at the first name prompt and “resource fair” at last name prompt.) \nContribute by check:\nMail your contribution to The Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington 100 Allison St NW\, Washington DC 20011 \nTHANK YOU!
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/d-c-unity-walk-2017/
CATEGORIES:Community Events,Interfaith Engagement
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Unity-Walk-Main.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20170527
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20170625
DTSTAMP:20260404T231354
CREATED:20170501T164431Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170501T165058Z
UID:14051-1495843200-1498348799@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Ramadan 2017
DESCRIPTION:Throughout the duration of Ramadan we will be organizing and hosting iftar dinners in D.C.\, Maryland and Virginia. \nContact iftars@rumiforum.org for more information.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/ramadan-2017/
LOCATION:Rumi Forum\, 2000 P Street NW Suite #503\, Washington\, DC\, 20036\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Ramadan-event.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20170521T140000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20170521T170000
DTSTAMP:20260404T231354
CREATED:20170501T150232Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170501T150427Z
UID:14047-1495375200-1495386000@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Fairfax Interfaith Friendship Walk
DESCRIPTION:We invite you to join us for the “Fairfax Interfaith Friendship Walk” with the mission of bringing faith communities together to appreciate each other and feel part of the same whole despite our differences on May 21st\, 2017.\nThroughout the approximately 3 miles walk we will visit 8 different house of worship in the Fairfax community where you will have the chance to engage members of the community of different backgrounds in constructive dialogue in an effort to get to know and appreciate each other. It is important in todays world to reach out to our neighbors who may be strangers in order to unify as a community who is all part of the same whole. \n  \nThe walk will take place on May 21st between 2 PM and 5 PM. We will start at the Fairfax United Methodist Church and continue with visiting St Leo the Great Catholic Church\, Daniels Run Peace Church\, Ezher Mosque\, Truro Anglican Church\, Fairfax Presbyterian Church\, Fairfax Baptist Church\, and end with the Christ Lutheran Church. We will spend 5 minutes at each stop refreshing and learning about that faith tradition. Please note that since there is no Jewish temple or a non-Abrahamic place of worship within the walking distance of this route\, those faith traditions will be invited to have a space in some of the churches along this route. Members of these traditions are encouraged to join us for walking together for our community.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/fairfax-interfaith-friendship-walk/
LOCATION:Fairfax United Methodist Church\, 10300 Stratford Ave\, Fairfax \, VA\, 22030
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20170516
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20170517
DTSTAMP:20260404T231354
CREATED:20170516T135500Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210604T135607Z
UID:17652-1494892800-1494979199@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Women’s Participation in the Decision-Making Processes and Economic Life
DESCRIPTION:On May 12th\, Sharon Kotok joined the Rumi Forum and ATFA for a discussion on women’s participation. \nSharon Kotok\, former foreign affairs officer at the U.S. Department of State discussed how women participate in the political decision-making process. \nWhen: Friday\, May 12th 7.00pm -9:00pm\nWhere: 11200 Waples Mill Road Suite 360\, Fairfax\, VA 22030 \nSpeaker’s Bio:\nSharon Kotok was a foreign affairs officer at the U.S. Department of State.  For over 20 years\, she worked with the United Nations on a number of global issues including the advancement of women’s rights\, a more effective UN response to humanitarian emergencies\, better delivery of food aid\, and an improved UN role in agricultural development.  She negotiated on behalf of the United States several UN documents\, including the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted at the UN’s Fourth World Conference on Women.  In 2000-2001\, she was detailed to the White House to be part of the World Conference Against Racism Task Force.  She retired from the State Department in 2008\, but returned in 2009\, to work in the Office of Global Women’s Issues\, where she was part of the team that developed the U.S. National Action Plan on Women\, Peace\, and Security.  In 2013 and 2014\, she was appointed to be a member of the U.S. delegation to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/womens-participation-in-the-decision-making-processes-and-economic-life/
CATEGORIES:Community Events,Interfaith Engagement
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Untitled-design.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20170512
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20170721
DTSTAMP:20260404T231354
CREATED:20170301T012706Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170301T012840Z
UID:13788-1494547200-1500595199@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Brazil Fellowship Trip
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/brazil/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/brazil.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20170503T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20170503T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T231354
CREATED:20170228T225244Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170404T181254Z
UID:13766-1493836200-1493841600@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Women of Faith's Contribution to Society: Role Models from History
DESCRIPTION:Join the Rumi Forum on Wednesday\, May 3rd\, 2017 at Temple B’nai Shalom for a presentation on women of faith and their contribution to society\, with various examples throughout history. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and concludes at 8 p.m. \nSpeakers to include: Rabbi Laura Rappaport\, The Reverend Meg Peery McLaughlin\, and Riham Osman \nREGISTER HERE \n 
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/women-of-faiths-contribution/
LOCATION:Temple B’nai Shalom\, 7612 Old Ox Road \, Fairfax Station\, VA\, 22039\, United States
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20170503
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20170504
DTSTAMP:20260404T231354
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:20170423
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20170501
DTSTAMP:20260404T231354
CREATED:20170301T012133Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170301T013236Z
UID:13786-1492905600-1493596799@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan Fellowship Trip
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/kazakhstan-and-kyrgyzstan/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Kyrgyzstan.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20170411T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20170411T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T231354
CREATED:20170208T023603Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170405T153836Z
UID:13717-1491935400-1491940800@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:“Refugee and Immigration Policy” with Alex Nowrasteh
DESCRIPTION:Mr. Nowrasteh will be presenting on current refugee and immigration policy on Tuesday\, April 11th. \nAlex Nowrasteh is an immigration policy analyst at the Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity. His popular publications have appeared in the Wall Street Journal\, USA Today\, the Washington Post\, the Houston Chronicle\, the Los Angeles Times\, the New York Post\, and elsewhere. His academic publications have appeared in the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization\, the Fletcher Security Review\, and Public Choice. Alex has appeared on Fox News\, Bloomberg\, and numerous television and radio stations across the United States. He is the coauthor\, with Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies\, of the booklet Open Immigration: Yea and Nay (Encounter Broadsides\, 2014). \nHe is a native of Southern California and received a BA in economics from George Mason University and a Master of Science in economic history from the London School of Economics.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/refugee-and-immigration/
LOCATION:ATFA\, 14120 Newbrook Dr.\, Chantilly\, VA\, 20151\, United States
CATEGORIES:Evening Programs
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20170410
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20170411
DTSTAMP:20260404T231354
CREATED:20170410T135627Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210604T135916Z
UID:17654-1491782400-1491868799@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Fairfax Interfaith Friendship Walk
DESCRIPTION:The Fairfax Interfaith Friendship Walk was held on May 21st\, 2017 with the mission of bringing faith communities together to appreciate each other and feel part of the same whole despite our differences. \nThroughout the approximately 3 miles walk the group visited 8 different house of worship in the Fairfax community where they had the chance to engage members of the community of different backgrounds in constructive dialogue in an effort to get to know and appreciate each other. It is important in today’s world to reach out to our neighbours who may be strangers in order to unify as a community that is all part of the same whole. \nThe walk took place on May 21st between 2 PM and 5 PM. The group started at the Fairfax United Methodist Church and continued by visiting St Leo the Great Catholic Church\, Daniels Run Peace Church\, Ezher Mosque\, Truro Anglican Church\, Fairfax Presbyterian Church\, Fairfax Baptist Church\, and end with the Christ Lutheran Church. At each stop\, the group spent 5 minutes learning about that faith tradition. Please note that since there was no Jewish temple or a non-Abrahamic place of worship within the walking distance of this route\, those faith traditions were invited to have a space in some of the churches along this route.
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/fairfax-interfaith-friendship-walk-2/
CATEGORIES:Community Events,Interfaith Engagement
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Fairfax-Interfaith-Walk-Main.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20170406T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20170406T193000
DTSTAMP:20260404T231354
CREATED:20170323T123542Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170323T123542Z
UID:13939-1491501600-1491507000@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Communities Together for Civil Rights and Liberties
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/communities-together-event/
LOCATION:Busboys and Poets\, 450 K Street NW\, Washington\, DC\, 20001\, United States
CATEGORIES:Evening Programs
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20170406
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20170407
DTSTAMP:20260404T231354
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
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Civil-Rights-and-Liberties-Panel-Main-.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20170325
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20170401
DTSTAMP:20260404T231354
CREATED:20170301T011824Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170301T013128Z
UID:13783-1490400000-1491004799@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Morocco Fellowship Trip
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/morocco/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/morocco.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20170321T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20170321T210000
DTSTAMP:20260404T231354
CREATED:20170308T234749Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170308T234749Z
UID:13830-1490121000-1490130000@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:Faith Over Fear: Welcoming the Stranger
DESCRIPTION:The Washington National Cathedral\, in partnership with Rumi Forum and several local organization to host a night of interfaith dialogue\, March 21st\, 2017
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/faith-over-fear/
LOCATION:Washington National Cathedral\, 3101 Wisconsin Ave NW\, Washington\, D.C.\, DC\, 20016\, United States
CATEGORIES:Evening Programs
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20170321
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20170322
DTSTAMP:20260404T231354
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
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://rumiforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Faith-Over-Fear-Main.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20170307T183000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20170307T200000
DTSTAMP:20260404T231354
CREATED:20170123T180844Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170208T025335Z
UID:13626-1488911400-1488916800@rumiforum.org
SUMMARY:"Spirituality: Key to Future Inter-religious Relations"
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a presentation with Dr. Leo D. Lefebure on Tuesday\, March 7th 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. \n 
URL:https://rumiforum.org/event/spirituality-inter-religious/
LOCATION:ATFA\, 14120 Newbrook Dr.\, Chantilly\, VA\, 20151\, United States
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR