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The Gifts of Islam
SEPTEMBER 16, 2009
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Dear Friends & Supporters,
As Salaam Alaikum, Ramadan Karim!
Summer is
drawing to a close, the last days of Ramadan are passing too quickly! Fall is a
time of reflection and rumination, a time to take stock and count our harvest
from the year's intentions. This fall, Faith House Manhattan is beginning the
journey of our second year together and the story of Islam is a significant part
of that journey.
The winds are changing in America for Islam, after years of
distrust and paranoia. In New York
City, Faith House is working to open the minds and hearts of Americans and
faithful people from all walks of life to the gifts of Islam.
At Faith House, we have built a community based on trust.
Non-judgment is our practice. Truth is our creed. Love and friendship are the
stuff that holds us together. We provide a safe space where non-Muslims can
experience Islam, as well as a place where progressive-minded Muslims can voice
their opinions, interpret and re-interpret their texts and traditions, and meaningfully
engage with people of other faiths. Faith House exists so that we can discover
ways of knowing each other more deeply and serving the world in synergy
instead of competition.
Where We Have Been
Year One meant laying down the foundation for our "house,"
exploring who we are and how to serve. We strive to make the idea of a
multi-faith, interdependent community a reality. My primary focus over the last
year has been planning and implementing Islamic themed Living Room gatherings,
as well as encouraging Muslims to attend and contribute to Non-Muslim themed events.
For our launch on 9/9/09,
"Banquet of Love: A
Ramadan Feast" we were blessed to have 55
people attend our Ramadan Iftar, including members of the Nur Ashki Jerrahi
Sufi Community, other Muslims, and many non-Muslims. It was a night of
amazing energy and prayerfulness, including five rows of people performing
Salat, followed by Indian food.
Our grand launch in 2008 was a collaboration between myself
and our Jewish Co-Leader Jill Minkoff entitled, "Renewals of Life: Ramadan and
Rosh Hashanah." The highest attendance of last year was for a Living Room
entitled, "Holy Journey: Hajj and Eid al-Adha" on Dec 6, 2008, an exciting event
featuring many guests including a talk on Abraham hosted by the Progressive
Muslim Meet-up, spoken word by poet-ess TAMIR, a musical performance by Persian
Sufi-rocker Haale, and a Sufi dhikr service led by Shaykha Fariha al-Jerrahi.
Another event entitled "Mother, Prophet, Mystic: Mary In New Testament, Holy
Quran, and Beyond" was a rich experiential journey into the Marian tradition in
Islam and mystic Catholicism. Finally, "The Garden of Union: Ancient Sufi
Ceremony of Dhikrullah" was an in-depth look at the central sacrament of Islam:
la ilahe illallah.
In addition to these living rooms the Faith House community
made field trips to visit the Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi dergah, as well as a
discussion at the Progressive Muslim Meetup. We also served together at Habitat
for Humanity, as well as attending various events devoted to Islamic topics
throughout the city.
Where We Are Going
For our second year, Faith House has made the decision to
add an additional element to our Mission Vision Principles: "Islamic
Involvement: At this historical moment, we place a special emphasis on the
value of leadership and participation of diverse local Muslims in all aspects
of the life of Faith House."
As part of this focus I will be building stronger bridges
with the Muslim communities of New York City and beyond by organizing
leadership meetings, planning field trips to visit other communities, and
continuing the innovative Living Room gatherings. Among our upcoming events is an
invitation to lead Peace Prayers at the Storahtelling Yom Kippur Services this
month and an upcoming discussion on Israel/Palestine with Marcia Kannry of the
Dialogue Project and Sammer Aboelela of Progressive Muslim Meetup.
Support the Gifts of lslam at Faith House
What better time to join this effort, through your support,
monetarily or energetically, to Faith House? Our goal is to raise $5,000
by September 25, the Friday after the end of Ramadan, as a foundation for the $20,000
in this year's budget dedicated to Islamic Involvement.
Your contribution of $50 supports our online communication and print materials, $100 provides an honorarium for a visiting
artist or musician, $300 covers the expenses for one of our
twice-monthly Living Room Gatherings, and $500 or more contributes to
the Islamic Co-Leader stipend. Any and all amounts are welcome! Please
spread the word to friends and family members
who might be interested.
Thank you in advance for your commitment and ongoing support
to help New Yorkers experience their Muslim neighbor's faith through Faith
House Manhattan. Please send your tax-exempt contribution today to:
Faith House Manhattan
P.O. Box 552
New York, NY 10028
For more information on Faith House Manhattan's Mission,
Vision, Principles and Programs, visit our website www.faithhousemanhattan.org
or email rabia@faithhousemanhattan.org.
May you taste the brilliance of the Blessed Night of Power. May your every Prayer be answered!
Heart in Heart,
Juliet Rabia Gentile
Islamic Co-Leader, Faith House Manhattan
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GIVING ACROSS BOUNDARIES
A Note From Faith
House Founder Samir Selmanovic
 Religion at its best crosses one's own boundaries with acts
of love, service and blessing for "the other." Faith House
Manhattan exists as a safe space where we can begin to practice some
counter-intuitive ways of living out our faith. After twenty years of my work
in Christian religious circles, I have rarely if ever seen Christians blessing people
on other paths. I always see Christians collecting money for Christians,
Muslims collecting money for Muslims, and Jews collecting money for Jews, or
all of them collecting money for a general need, and so on. But the promise of
our religions is not a mere promise to our adherents but to the world.
That is why I think that giving money across religious
boundaries is one of the most potent way to sabotage the efforts of fundamentalists
of all stripes. For Christians, Jews, and Humanists, this Ramadan is an opportunity not to be missed! So,
this is my appeal to all non-Muslims: Let's
help Rabia and Islamic Involvement at Faith House get a strong footing and
thrive. Let's reach across the boundaries that differentiate our precious
stories and support our Muslim friends in the hard and creative work of making
this city and this country a better place for all of us. Perhaps, helping those
who are not part of our religion is, in the eyes of heavens, the greatest test
of loyalty to God.
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THE GIFTS OF ISLAM: GOALS & MAILING ADDRESS
What better time to join this effort, through your support,
monetarily or energetically, to Faith House? Our goal is to raise $5,000
by September 25, the Friday after the end of Ramadan, as a foundation for the $20,000
in this year's budget dedicated to Islamic Involvement.
Your contribution of $50 supports our online communication and print materials, $100 provides an honorarium for a visiting
artist or musician, $300 covers the expenses for one of our
twice-monthly Living Room Gatherings, and $500 or more contributes to
the Islamic Co-Leader stipend. Any and all amounts are welcome! Please
spread the word to friends and family members
who might be interested.
Thank you in advance for your commitment and ongoing support
to help New Yorkers experience their Muslim neighbor's faith through Faith
House Manhattan. Please send your tax-exempt contribution today to:
Faith House Manhattan
P.O. Box 552
New York, NY 10028
In Faith,
Bowie Snodgrass, Director
Juliet rabia Gentile, Islamic Co-Leader
Samir Selmanovic, Founder and Christian Co-Leader
Bara Levitt, Social Justice Intern
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Featured Article from
faithhousemanhattan.org
Ramadan Mubarak! Ramadan Karim!
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A Ramadan Greeting from Faith House Islamic Co-Leader, Rabia Gentile
O blessed month of Ramadan, welcome...
CLICK to read the rest |
Featured Article from
faithhousemanhattan.org
Welcome Bara Levitt, Social Justice Intern!
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Bara Slafkes Levitt is a Senior at List College,
the Joint Program between Columbia University and the Jewish
Theological Seminary, where she is majoring in Sociology and Jewish
Women's Studies. Bara is looking forward to coordinating Social Justice
opportunities with the Faith House community this academic year.
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Featured Article from
faithhousemanhattan.org
Australian Catholic
Finds Path to Coexist and "Encounter Point"
in NYC
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By Penny Elsley
Two years ago, as part of my role as Coordinator of World Youth Day for
the Broken Bay Diocese in Sydney, Australia, I discovered that we were to be the host of a
large 13 foot high wooden cross that has been traveling the world for 20 years.
I have to confess that my initial reaction to this news was "oh no!!!"
CLICK to read the rest |
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NEW Sabbath Poems
Posted this Summer on
faithhousemanhattan.org
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Print Resources
Online Resources
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Prayer is an Egg
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Don't do daily prayers
like a bird pecking, moving its head
up and down.
Prayer is an egg.
Hatch out the total helplessness inside.
~ by Jalaludin Rumi
Trans. by Coleman Barks
From Sabbath Poems collection at faithhousemanhattan.org
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