Greetings!
The ISB has had a very fruitful summer! Our newsletter is full of interesting features highlighting our commitment to interfaith understanding on every level. Atlanta Muslims will soon be marking the first of Ramadan, anticipated to start Wednesday, August 11. Ramadan is a very special time of year for American Muslims, as well as Muslims across the globe, as they partake in fasting and reflection during the day and prayer during the night. During this month, Muslims increase in charitable donations as a way of honoring the month's spirit of compassion, forgiveness, and mercy. Please consider the ISB when you make your charitable gifts. Our work depends on the support of community members -- women and men like you, who value the importance of building bridges of understanding. Many of the ISB's efforts, such as the summer lunch program, would not be possible without the generous support of our donors. Please take this time to join the effort and contribute to the ISB. You can make a secure online donation through our website, or mail a check to ISB Atlanta, P.O. Box 2608, Peachtree City, GA 30269. All donations are tax deductible.
Thank you,
Soumaya Khalifa
Executive Director
ISB Atlanta
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Youth Leaders from the Southeast Participate in YTI
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Atlanta Muslim youth partnered with their counterparts from various faith communities for a day of service on Monday, July 26. The Youth Theological Initiative (YTI), an annual program of Emory's Candler School of Theology, brings rising high school juniors and seniors together for a "three-week experience in Christian theological education."*
(*From YTI's website)
In preparation for the day of service, the ISB's Soumaya Khalifa presented an overview of American Muslims and their faith to YTI scholars. The program also featured a visit to the Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam to observe the Friday prayer service as well as a visit to a synagogue for Shabbat.
A day prior to the interfaith event, Emad Hamid and Soumaya Khalifa conducted an orientation for Muslim youth participants at the Roswell Community Mosque.
This year, the ISB's Justin Pascale, a speaker-in-training, joined the youth contingent and contributed the following reflection:
"This past weekend I had the privilege of attending the YTI's Day of Interfaith Service, which was far more rewarding than I could have imagined. I expected that it would take a while for most of the people attending to warm up to each other, but within ten minutes of my arrival, there were several groups already trying to learn as much as they could from one another. Each individual had their own perception of what their faith meant to them, which created an environment that allowed everyone to gain a new understanding of just how diverse religion can be. As we moved throughout the day, everyone began to bond through various conversations and working together on a service project, which consisted of sorting and packing books for the Books for Africa organization. The whole day was extremely eye opening and left a much larger impact than I could have imagined prior to experiencing it."
The ISB has sent youth volunteers to the YTI since 2004, prompting organizers to comment, "The ISB group is always well-prepared, outgoing, and welcoming of conversation and exchange. We are so grateful for their ongoing commitment. The conversations that come out of this experience last far beyond this one day."
The ISB thanks Beth Corrie and Shelley Donaldson for their outreach to the Atlanta Muslim community; Justin Pascale, Omar Hamid, Omar Ibreak, Mohamed Machhour, Mohamed Zakaria, Zouheir Osman, Yamin Mousseli, Ruwa Romman, and Kinza Tariq for representing Atlanta Muslim youth with grace and enthusiasm; and Emad Hamid for his mentorship.
Please enjoy our YTI photo gallery below. |
| YTI 2010 Photo Gallery |
Shelley Donaldson (center), YTI youth & Soumaya Khalifa at Roswell Community Mosque
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Emad Hamid with YTI participants
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ISB member Justin Pascale on his way to the Day of Interfaith Youth Service
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Youth scholars dialoguing at Emory University
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Ruwa Romman representing Atlanta Muslim youth |
Packing up books for Africa
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| Fulbright Delegation Visits Al-Farooq Masjid | 
In collaboration with Dr. Kathryn McClymond, Department Chair of Religious Studies at Georgia State University, the ISB hosted a group of Fulbright scholars at Atlanta's Al-Farooq Masjid last week. Of particular interest to the scholars was the American Muslim experience. Soumaya Khalifa led the group on a tour of the mosque, provided them with an overview of American Muslims & Islam, and facilitated a lively discussion.
In addition to the mosque, the scholars also visited other houses of worship, including Ebenezer Baptist Church and a Hindu temple in Lilburn.
Nations represented by the scholars included Nigeria, Taiwan, India, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
Participants expressed delight at the beautiful mosque architecture and some of them indicated that this was their very first mosque visit.
The majority of the scholars were from political science, religious studies, and social work backgrounds.
At the end of the session, there was a drawing for two Kareem Salama CDs, Dr. Ingrid Mattson's Story of the Qur'an, and a Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet DVD. |
| Methodist Churches Welcome Atlanta Muslims |
In June, Salma Stoman, Asif Saberi, and Bassem Fakhoury visited Peachtree Road United Methodist Church to deliver the ISB's most sought-after presentation, Getting to Know American Muslims & Islam. Participants were very engaged and expressed interest in inviting the organization back to continue the dialogue.
In July, Huma Faruqi and Asif Saberi were invited to Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church where they presented to an audience of young adults during summer camp. Discussion was inspired, in part, by Eboo Patel's Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation. At the end of the presentation, audience members expressed interest in working to reduce the misunderstandings between religions, particularly for youth.
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Dr. Sayyed Hossein Nasr to Keynote Building Bridges Awards Dinner
| Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr
George Washington University
 | | Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr will headline the ISB's Building Bridges Awards Dinner on Saturday, October 16. Dr. Nasr, an internationally-renowned author, lecturer, and philosopher, is University Professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University.
Since 2002, the ISB's Building Bridges Award has identified members of the metro Atlanta community who have made significant efforts in furthering interfaith and cross-cultural understanding. This year's recipients will be honored at a dinner at the Hilton Atlanta Airport. To purchase tickets, please visit our website.
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Meet an ISB Speaker
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Asif Saberi, MD FCCP
Diplomate, American Board of Internal Medicine-Internal Medicine, Pulmonary & Critical Care
Diplomate, American Board of Sleep Medicine
 | | We are pleased to introduce Dr. Asif Saberi, one of our new speakers. Dr. Saberi was born in Hyderabad, India and grew up in Bombay. He has trained in institutions as diverse as the University of Bombay, SUNY-Buffalo, UNC-Chapel Hill, and the University of Utah. Dr. Saberi is a pulmonologist by training, with sub-specializations in critical care and sleep medicine. He has been at Piedmont Hospital since relocating to Atlanta six years ago.
Dr. Saberi and his wife, Zuriath, have two daughters and a son. In his free time, he enjoys hiking and whitewater rafting.
Zaynab Ansari recently spoke with Dr. Saberi who shared his insights into balancing a demanding career with community outreach.
ZA: Dr. Saberi, I appreciate your making the time for this conversation. How did you learn about the ISB?
DS: I was a medical fellow in Utah when 911 happened. My associates and I formed the Muslim Forum of Utah, where we conducted ecumenical programs and community education to inform Muslims about their rights. When I moved to Atlanta, one of my Utah friends urged me to look up the ISB. This thought lingered in the back of my mind until I met Bassem [Fakhoury], who introduced me to the organization and encouraged me to get certified as a presenter.
ZA: As a health care professional and a critical-care specialist, you perform extremely valuable work. How does your sense of responsibility translate into what you do as an ISB speaker?
DS: It is our responsibility as Muslims to share information with people of other faiths in order to correct misconceptions and build bridges of understanding. Furthermore, I believe it is a duty of every American citizen to create an environment that nurtures pluralism and religious freedom.
ZA: What is your advice to other professionals who want to do this type of outreach?
DS: One must view his or her role as an educator passionately and must find the time to pursue this passion. If one can't find the time, there are other ways one can support this work, such as through charitable donations and spreading information to people who might avail themselves of these programs.
ZA: With Ramadan around the corner, do you have any medical advice for people who are worried about fasting in the summer?
DS: The fact that close to a billion people fast, despite the harsh summer months, is a testimony it can be done safely. Islamic ritual law has plenty of safeguards for adherents, such as the principle that if one is unwell, he or she is not compelled to fast. I don't think it is unsafe to fast as long as one takes the necessary precautions to safeguard his or her health.
ZA: Dr. Saberi, it was a pleasure to speak with you.
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| Kids4Peace: Another Great Atlanta Tradition | |
As has been the tradition in summers past, the ISB partnered with Kids4Peace to facilitate orientation for a two-week summer camp for Muslim, Christian, and Jewish children from the Holy Land and their American peers. Ehab Jaleel worked with twelve middle school students from the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta who were chosen to participate in the camp with children from Jerusalem. Soumaya Khalifa had the opportunity to visit the camp this year and see the children prepare for the Abraham Tent. This year's theme for the tent was environmental stewardship. To learn more about Kids4Peace, please visit our Links section.
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Meaningful Conversations Across Atlanta & Beyond
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Amin Tomeh at Masjid Omar bin Abdul Aziz
 | | The ISB conducted three Meaningful Conversations workshops this summer as part of its outreach to the Muslim community.
Amin Tomeh, Ehab Jaleel, and Bassem Fakhoury visited the East Cobb Islamic Center during the first week of June, while Amin Tomeh and Jelena Naim presented at Lilburn's Masjid Omar Bin Abdul Aziz during the middle of the month. Just this past Sunday, Bassem Fakhoury and Soumaya Khalifa traveled to Macon, GA to speak to a congregation at the Islamic Center of Macon.
Altogether, the ISB workshops benefited over two hundred people. Audience members were diverse in terms of age, ethnicity, and occupation. Interactive by nature, the workshops featured role play, break-out sessions, and Q & A. Participants responded very positively to post-workshop evaluations by donating to the work of the ISB and wishing the organization continued success.
The Meaningful Conversations model is an approach that the ISB pioneered two years ago to give Muslims the tools to promote interfaith dialogue.
The ISB looks forward to partnering with mosques and organizations in the metro area and beyond for more meaningful conversations.
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Muslim Community Delivers Summer Lunches
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Amani Elghoroury & Summer Lunch Volunteers
 | | An ongoing example of the ISB's commitment to building partnerships with other faith communities is the ever-growing Fayette County summer lunch program. For the past five years, the ISB, in partnership with the Islamic Community Center of Atlanta (ICCA), has joined other faith-based organizations in Fayette County to prepare and deliver healthy lunches to families whose children typically receive free school lunches during the academic year.
The program has experienced considerable growth, with the number of children being fed increasing from 66 to 235. Lunches are delivered Monday through Friday thanks to the efforts of volunteers at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church (Mondays), Fayetteville First United Methodist Church (Tuesdays), Peachtree City First Baptist Church (Wednesdays), Peachtree City First Presbyterian Church (Thursdays), and the ISB/Islamic Community Center of Atlanta (Fridays).
The ISB thanks all volunteers for their dedication to this project.
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Appreciating Our Supporters
|  | The ISB Board hosted a Supporters' Breakfast early this summer for the core group of men and women who have supported the ISB's work through generous financial donations. Over a delicious spread at Sultan's in Sandy Springs, ISB supporters were presented with an overview of the organization's accomplishments over the last nine years. Most importantly, the event featured break-out sessions where supporters were asked to provide their advice and input on what direction the ISB should take as it looks to the future.
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Sally Quillian Yates Sworn In As North Georgia's Chief Federal Prosecutor
| | Soumaya Khalifa attended the investiture ceremony of Sally Quillian Yates, north Georgia's new chief U.S. Attorney. Attorney General Eric Holder delivered remarks, along with former U.S. Attorneys for the district. Among those in attendance were Congressman John Lewis and the Reverend & Mrs. Joseph E. Lowery. The majority of invitees were from the judicial community, along with a few representatives from civic groups.
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| The ISB | 
The Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta is a 501(c)3 non-profit, apolitical educational organization that provides certified Muslim speakers to promote awareness about Islam and Muslims. The ISB is a local affiliate of the Islamic Networks Group (ING). Donations to the ISB are tax deductible and may be mailed to ISB Atlanta, P.O. Box 2608, Peachtree City, GA 30269. Alternatively, supporters may send their contributions through our secure website. |
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