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OUR REGULAR PROGRAM:
LIVING ROOM gatherings are every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month from 5:00-6:30 pm in Intersections located at 274 Fifth Ave (btw. 29th and 30th Street).
At least once a month we SERVE TOGETHER in the area of fighting poverty, working for social or environmental justice, sustainability, and community service. We also have a FAITH HOUSE TOUR BUS program, as we step out of our comfort zones and into a hospitable space of others to visit, participate, and learn from their services, lectures, rituals, concerts, and other events.
(all programs are free of charge - donations are welcome)
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UPCOMING LIVING ROOM GATHERINGS
(location: Intersections, 274 Fifth Ave, between 29th and 30th)
May 23, Sat 5 pm
The Garden of Union: Ancient Sufi Ceremony of Dhikrullah
In this living room gathering we will delve into the central prayer of the Sufis (mystics of Islam) the dhikrullah or divine remembrance. In this ceremony which is often called the "garden of union"--the rose of the human heart blooms in the experience of God's love.
First, we will examine the symbols and physical actions of the dhikrullah, as well as the spiritual meaning underlying these actions. Flowing from the experience of knowledge to direct experience, we will taste the wine of dhikrullah (witnessing Love directly through the vessels, the names of God) and inshallah become the mirrors upon which God's light can shine.
Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak, the 19th Grand Sheikh of the Halveti-Jerrahi Sufi Order describes dhikrullah:
Lasting between one and three hours, the ceremony of remembrance formulates a microscopic mirror of the reality of existence. The motion of the dhikrullah reflects the revolving of the spheres. In the spiritual dimension the process of centering in Allah and finding Union with Him is described. The ceremony reiterates the stages of Ascent towards being lost in Allah (Arabic: fanafillah) and the stages of Descent to the plane of manifestation, where one remains subsistent in Allah (Arabic: baqabillah). Thus the Path to perfection that the Sufis have vowed to follow is shown in concentrated form in the ceremony of dhikrullah.
This ceremony will be faciliated by Juliet rabia Gentile who is currently a representative of the Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi order (www.nurashkijerrahi.org), a branch of the ancient Halveti-Jerrahi Sufi order of Turkey, located at the Dergah al-Farah in New York City, studying under her teacher, Shaykha Fariha al-Jerrahi. Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak, the nineteenth sheikh of this conservative Islamic Sufi lineage made the groundbreaking decision to open the door to westerners and women by granting them the permission to act as ritual leaders.
Many members of the Nur Ashki Jerrahi community regularly attend Faith House and we look forward to welcoming everyone for this "instructed" dhikrullah, where we can all share in understanding and experiencing this ancient ceremony together. June 13, Sat 5 pm
The Song of Songs:
A Ritualized Reading of the Sexiest Book in the Bible
 (image: Marc Chagall - Song of Songs IV)The Song of Songs, often attributed to King Solomon (while others
claim it was written by a woman), is one of the most beautiful texts
in the Hebrew Bible. It has been read allegorically for
centuries as representing the relationship between God and Israel or
Christ and his Church. For this Living Room, we will read it ritually,
with selections read out loud, accompanied by stimulation of all five
senses. For a brief introduction, HERE is a column written by Bowie Snodgrass in
2006 for the Washington Window. OUR RELIGION TOUR BUS TRIP
Destination: "Prayer of Remembrance" at Dergah al-FarahOur experience in Living Room on May 23, ("instructed" dhikrullah) will prepare us
for participating in the ceremony with the whole Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Community (www.nurashkijerrahi.org) on Thursday,
May 28th with Shaykha Fariha al-Jerrahi. The evening proceeds in segments until about midnight, with a break around
9:30, when people can come or go. Location: Dergah al-Farah, 245 West Broadway Ave, between Beach and White Streets.
FAITH HOUSE INVITES YOU TO LEARN ABOUT AND
FROM RABBIS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
June 8th, Mon 7:00 pm Jewish Values, Human Rights, and the War in Gaza
Rabbi Arik Ascherman, Executive Director of Rabbis For Human Rights in Israel RABBI ARIK ASCHERMAN: Rabbi Arik Ascherman is the executive director of
Rabbis for Human Rights in Israel, the only rabbinic organization in
the country dedicated to human rights. Arik is a courageous and
visionary rabbi who has devoted his life to building a Jewish state
that embodies the Jewish values of justice, compassion and equality for
all. Rabbi Ascherman is receiving the Keter Shem Tov award from
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in June, 2009
RABBIS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: Founded in 1988, Rabbis For Human Rights (RHR)
is the only organization of rabbis in Israel from all the streams of
Judaism that gives voice to the Jewish traditions of human rights and
develops educational resources on Judaism and human rights and teaches
them in Israeli schools and pre-army programs; lobbies for economic
justice in Israel; provides support for Palestinian families facing
home demolition, and protects Palestinian farmers' access to their
agricultural land. RHR received the Knesset's Award for Quality Of
Life and the 2006 Niwano Peace Prize. The work of RHR has been endorsed
by the North American Rabbinic Associations of the Conservative,
Reform, and Reconstructionist movements.
WHERE: Community Church NYC Assembly Hall 40 East 35th st. @ Park Ave.
ADMISSION: Free, Donations solicited for Rabbis For Human Rights
Light refreshments will be served. | |
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Help us learn where you live and what your
needs are by filling out a short questionnaire. Many thanks to those of you who have already responded!_________________________________________________________________ |
TO SUPPORT FAITH HOUSE Manhattan YOU CAN:
DONATE
Make a tax-deductible contribution online (through AMM website) or by sending a check to P.O. Box 552, New York, NY 10028.
THANK YOU! |
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