| Greetings!
September is not only a month of remembrance, it is also a month of engaging in charitable giving. In honor of September 11 National Day of Service, the ISB team joined others in their communities to help those in need (see "ISB Leads 9/11 Community Service Project," and "ISB Volunteers Participate in Atlanta Day of Dignity").
I was honored this month to have been invited to an interfaith meeting hosted by the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt His Excellency Mohamed Morsi (see "ISB's Executive Director Attends Interfaith Meeting Hosted By Egypt President").
September also marked the Jewish High Holy Days, a 10-day period of repentance that began with Rosh Hashana on September 16 and ended with Yom Kippur on September 26. The ISB sends its friends in the Jewish community best wishes for a good year!
Once again, I would like to remind everyone about our upcoming 2012 Building Bridges Awards Dinner on November 10 featuring a keynote address by Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, South Africa's Ambassador to the United States. Ambassador Rasool has a long track record of promoting interfaith understanding (see "2012 Building Bridges Awards Dinner" below).
Please remember, ISB's efforts are only possible through the generous support and contributions of its friends and supporters. You can make a secure online donation through our website or mail a chick 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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2012 Building Bridges Awards Dinner
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The ISB is proud to announce its upcoming "2012 Building Bridges Awards Dinner" on November 10, 2012 at the Cobb Galleria Centre at 6:30 p.m.
Join some of Atlanta's most prominent leaders from the government, media, interfaith, education, and business communities as they gather to honor recipients of the "2012 Building Bridges Award."
 The keynote address will be delivered by Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, South Africa's Ambassador to the United States. With a long history of involvement in anti-apartheid struggle, Ambassador Rasool is also deeply involved in the interfaith movement. He has been active in mobilizing Muslims and the broader faith communities for a deeper understanding of Islam and faith under conditions of oppression (under apartheid) and currently under conditions of globalization. The 2012 gala will also feature a networking reception, a dinner, and an awards ceremony.
For the past 10 years, the ISB has honored individuals and organizations in the metro Atlanta area who have made significant contributions toward interfaith and multicultural understanding.
This year the Honorary Chair is Doug Shipman who is the Chief 
Executive Officer of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights (NCCHR). Shipman serves on the Boards of the Emory Alumni Association and the Harvard Alumni Association. He was named one of Atlanta Business Chronicle's "40 Under 40" in 2008, one of Georgia Trend's "40 Under 40" in 2009 and received the New Leaders Council 40 Under 40 award in 2010.
For more information on the 2012 Building Bridges Awards Dinner visit the ISB website, or click here. For ticket information, please click here. For sponsorship information, please click here. For questions, please email director@isbatlanta.org.
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ISB's Executive Director Attends Interfaith Meeting Hosted by President of Egypt
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 On September 24, ISB Executive Director Soumaya Khalifa attended an interfaith meeting chaired by President of the Arab Republic of Egypt His Excellency Mohamed Morsi. The meting was held at the Egyptian Mission to the United Nations.
Various leaders from national faith based organizations and communities were invited
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Soumaya Khalifa with President Morsi (right)
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to discuss recent online film deemed offensive to Islam which led to abruption of violence in the Middle East (see ISB statements here and here). The meeting, which began with opening remarks by President Morsi, was moderated by Dr. John Esposito, a
professor of International Affairs and Islamic Studies as well as
According to Khalifa, President Morsi emphasized the importance of interfaith work and the necessity to engage all faith communities in the United States to stop production of similar films in the future.
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"Meet Your Muslim Neighbor"
Television Program To Air Soon
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ISB Executive Director Soumaya Khalifa will debut as a television program host starting in November.
 The Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters (AIB), an interfaith and educational television and internet network, has teamed up with the ISB to produce a sixteen part series on Islam. A wide range of topics have been selected to be addressed during "Meet Your Muslim Neighbor" television series.
The first taping of the show took place in August during the Muslim month of Ramadan during which AIB board members and ISB members gathered for iftar, the meal at sundown when Muslims break their fast. The show will also showcase an episode about the Atlanta Muslim community. Topics will also be discussed during a studio taping with ISB guest speakers addressing studio audiences who are given the opportunity to ask questions.
"The show has elements of informing, engaging, and entertaining," said Khalifa.
ISB show guests include Zaynab Ansari, Dr. Mansa Bilal Mark King, Bassem Fakhoury, Dr. Rashid Naim, and Amin Tomeh.
"Meet Your Muslim Neighbor" will air in November and will later be on the AIB website.
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COEXIST Oglethorpe Holds
Second Annual Interfaith Panel
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 | From right to left: Ashish Thakur (moderator), Fr. David Musso (Priest and Chaplain at Marist School), Pastor Marthame Sanders (Pastor at Oglethorpe Presbyterian Church), Mr. Sher Singh Tucker (an active member of the Sikh Community in Atlanta), Soumaya Khalifa (ISB Executive Director), and Ruwa Romman (COEXIST Committee Member and ISB speaker).
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The Oglethorpe University COEXIST chapter, working to promote understanding of Jews, Christians and Muslims through education, dialogue and research, held its second annual interfaith event on September 9.
The "Second Annual Interfaith Panel and Dialogue," consisted of a panel discussion by community leaders from various faith traditions on the topic of "Acceptance Vs. Tolerance: Continuing Towards a World of Coexistence." The panel's focus is to "explain why acceptance is different and more important than just tolerance," said COEXIST Committee Member and Muslim Students Association President Ruwa Romman.
The panel discussion, which included questions from the audience, was followed by round table discussions at which conversation facilitators were placed at each table allowing attendees to reflect and discuss the topic in depth. For more on the interfaith event, please click here. |
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ISB Leads 9/11 Community Service Project
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ISB volunteers prepare care packages
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ISB volunteers led a Day of Service Project in honor of 9/11.
ISB volunteers came together at the Islamic Community Center of Atlanta on the "National Day of Service and Remembrance" and put together care packages of personal hygiene items to be donated to local shelters and the homeless.
According to Amani Elghoroury, who spearheaded the effort on behalf of the ISB, 40 care packages were donated to Promise Place, an organization dedicated to the prevention of domestic violence. An additional 60 similar care packages were donated to Fayette Samaritans, a Christian ministry serving those in need in Fayette County.
For more on "National Day of Service and Remembrance" efforts, click here. |
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ISB Volunteers Participate In
Atlanta Day of Dignity
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ISB volunteer Aicha Stoman holding small throw blankets
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On September 23, ISB volunteers participated in the annual Atlanta Day of Dignity.
Atlanta Day of Dignity is annual effort led by the Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA), a non-profit charity organization involved in international humanitarian relief efforts, and sponsored by Share Atlanta, a local Atlanta charity organization.
ISB volunteers, including Amjad Taufiq, Amani Elghoroury, Aicha Stoman and daughter Sarah Stoman, and Zaheer Faruqi, participated in an effort led by Project Hope Atlanta, a charity organizations that provides support and care for refugees in Clarkston, GA. The volunteers met at an apartment building in Clarkson that houses refugees from war torn countries and set up several stations that provided health screening, free gently worn clothes, towels and sheets, bags of dry food, hygiene care packages and small throw blankets. A station was also set up for face painting and balloons for the children. The ISB sponsored and provided 150 care packages and more than 160 small throw blankets.
"We were able to serve families from a various religious and ethnic backgrounds," reported Elghoroury.
Each year, IRUSA joins forces with local community organizations to bring volunteers from around the country together to distribute food, clothing, blankets, medical care and other services.
For more information on the Day of Dignity, please click here.
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ISB Continues Tradition
Delivering Appreciation Baskets
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Karim Elghoroury (middle), son of Amani Elghoroury,
with Peachtree City Fire Department.
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In following a new annual ISB tradition, gift baskets were delivered to police and fire stations on September 19.
On behalf of the ISB, Amani Elghoroury delivered the baskets to police and fire departments in Peachtree City as an expression of appreciation from the Muslim community for their continued service and dedication.
This annual tradition began August 2011, click here to view article from last year's event.
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2012 Building Bridges Awards Dinner
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2012 ISB Annual Building Bridges Awards Dinner
Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool
(Keynote Speaker)
November 10 at Cobb
Galleria Center
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Presentations
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Amin Tomeh and Fairyal Halim co-presented "Overview of American Muslims and Their Faith" to a group of 15 students in a class of History of World Religions at Life University on September 5. Halim reported that the students had studied about Judaism and Christianity and were scheduled to begin studying about Islam after the ISB presentation. A question and answer session followed the presentation.
Soumaya Khalifa conducted a presentation at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite regarding "working with Muslim patients and their families" on September 10. The ISB is invited regularly by Children's Hospital to provide information on this topic.
Zaynab Ansari and Alan Howard conducted the "Diversity Seminar for Educators" on September 15 to 30 students enrolled in the Global TESOL (teachers of English to speakers of other languages) certification program at the University of Georgia's Lawrenceville campus. The presentation prepares educators who may have Muslim students in their classrooms. Dr. Sarah Ann Shope, who regularly invites ISB speakers to her classes, requested that the presentation also address religious and cultural issues for those educators interested in teaching abroad in Muslim-majority countries.
Zaynab Ansari and Noor Abbady conducted the "Diversity Seminar for Educators" to another Global TESOL class of Dr. Sarah Ann Shope, this time at Georgia Perimeter College in Dunwoody, on September 16.
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from left to right: Jared Sarkisian (Teacher Assistant), Sally Ramadan (ISB speaker in training), Noor Abbady, Dr. Sarah Ann Shope, and Zaynab Ansari
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The twelve student class were interested in learning about issues that may impact Muslim students. Sally Ramadan observed the presentation.
Salma Stoman, Abdul K. Amer, and Fairyal Halim presented "Overview of American Muslims and Their Faith" to a total of 80 students at Emory Continuing Education, Osher Lifelong Learning Center on September 18 and September 25. The host, Sabah Mohamed, requested ISB speakers to present to her classes in a six-part series.
ISB speakers returned to Emory Continuing Education, Osher Lifelong Learning Center on September 25 for another "Overview of American Muslims and Their Faith" presentation. Salma Stoman and Fairyal Halim presented to a class of 40 continuing education students and provided them the opportunity to ask many questions.
On September 27, Dr. Rashid Naim presented to 40 students taking a course on human behavior taught by Adjunct Instructor Laura Overstreet in the Department of Social Work and Human Services at Kennesaw State University. According to Overstreet, the course features a spirituality component. Dr. Naim was asked to discuss spiritual traditions of Muslims as well as help students understand the commonalities of different faiths as well as the unique experience and contributions of Muslims.
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