tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75184782698234194582024-03-13T11:31:10.442-05:00Project Interfaith BlogVisit www.projectinterfaith.org for more information.Project Interfaith Board of Directorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05716683071004515964noreply@blogger.comBlogger158125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-46313315083185274512015-02-05T09:11:00.000-06:002015-02-05T09:11:04.729-06:00Letter To Everyone<table align="center" bgcolor="#00929f" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" style="border-width: 0px; width: 500px;"><tbody>
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<tr><td><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Dear Friend of Project Interfaith,<br /><br /> We hope this letter finds you well. Here at Project Interfaith, we are facing a time of transition. In late January, Project Interfaith’s Board of Directors and staff made the difficult decision to dissolve Project Interfaith as a non-profit organization. They did not come to this decision lightly. Over the past few years there has been a steady decline in interfaith funding provided by granting entities. Project Interfaith has not been immune to this decline. The Board of Directors and staff felt that now was the appropriate time to conclude Project Interfaith’s work and still be able to honor our commitments to the employees and partners whose hard work and dedication has helped to make our work possible.<br /><br /> We cannot express enough our gratitude to you for your steadfast support of our efforts. None of our work over the past nine years would have been possible without you. Because of you we were able to provide more than 100 interfaith programs to more than 28,000 community members. Because of you we were able to provide free, online resources to help community members replace religious ignorance and discrimination with interfaith education and respect. Because of you we were able to grow the critical thinking and conversation skills of our community members; enabling them to pick apart religious misconceptions and stereotypes instead of simply taking them at face value.<br /><br /> At this time we are hopeful that Project Interfaith’s educational resources and products will continue on. We are currently communicating with other non-profit entities whom we feel will be interested in adopting pieces of Project Interfaith’s work. It is our desire to find a home for RavelUnravel.com, our RavelUnravel Curriculum, our RavelUnravel Resources, and our Conversation Kits so that community members can continue to make use of these important resources.<br /><br /> We wish to thank you again for everything you have done over the last nine years to make Project Interfaith available to your community. We hope you will join us in celebrating all that we were able to achieve together in growing understanding, respect, and relationships among people of all faiths, beliefs, and cultures.<br /><br /> In Deepest Gratitude, <br /> <br /> Thomas R. Laird Sean V. Rose<br /> Interim Co-Executive Director Interim Co-Executive Director<br /> Director of Development Director of Training and Outreach</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> and Communications<br /><br /> John Levy John Vyhlidal Omer Sagheer Tina Cherica<br /> Board President Board Vice President Board Treasurer Board Secretary</span></span><br /> <hr />
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Thank you so much for your dedicated partnership & support throughout these past nine years,</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/page/staff" target="_blank"><span style="color: teal;">The Project Interfaith Team</span></a></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Project Interfaith grows understanding, respect and relationships among people of all faiths, beliefs and cultures. We offer innovative, community-building programs that educate and engage audiences on issues of faith, religion, identity and interfaith relations. For more information:<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">1-402-933-4647</span> <a href="http://www.projectinterfaith.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">www.projectinterfaith.org </span></a></strong></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ProjectInterfaith" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;" target="_blank"><img align="none" alt="Facebook Icon" border="0" height="89" hspace="0" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/fe706bba43/Facebook%20Icon.jpg" style="height: 89px; width: 89px;" title="Facebook Icon" vspace="0" width="89" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/ProjectIntrf8th" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;" target="_blank"><img align="none" alt="Twitter Icon" border="0" height="89" hspace="0" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/fe706bba43/Twitter%20Icon.jpg" style="height: 89px; width: 89px;" title="Twitter Icon" vspace="0" width="89" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"> <a href="http://plus.google.com/u/0/b/112629670725533097134/112629670725533097134" target="_blank"><img align="none" alt="Google Plus Button" border="0" height="89" hspace="0" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/57637c4d80/Google%20Plus%20Button.jpg" style="height: 89px; width: 89px;" title="Google Plus Button" vspace="0" width="89" /></a> </span><a href="http://pinterest.com/projectintrf8th/" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic;" target="_blank"><img align="none" alt="Pinterest" border="0" height="89" hspace="0" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/fe706bba43/Pinterest.jpg" style="height: 89px; width: 89px;" title="Pinterest" vspace="0" width="89" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/project-interfaith" target="_blank"><img align="none" alt="Linked In Logo" border="0" height="91" hspace="0" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/ebab5f7f0f/Linked%20In%20Logo.JPG" style="height: 91px; width: 89px;" title="Linked In Logo" vspace="0" width="89" /></a></span></span><br /> </h4>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-61100376224105193142015-02-03T11:13:00.000-06:002015-02-03T11:13:17.248-06:00Resurrection: Baha'i and Christianity - Written by Guest Blogger Donald SchellbergI watched a you-tube video of a debate between some fellow Baha'is and representatives of the triforce ministries. Although, the Baha'is handled themselves well, it was like watching the Iranian national soccer team challenge the Dallas Cowboys to an American football game hosted in Dallas. The debate was solely focused on Christian orthodoxy, the physical resurrection of Jesus and his physical second coming. As the Baha'is explained their view that Baha'ullah was the second coming of the Christ Spirit, the pastor countered with the passage from John:<br />
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"The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you."<br />
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and from Acts:<br />
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"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."<br />
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The pastor had a point, Baha'ullah did not come with the wounds of Christ nor did he come in a cloud. Like all other religious figures in the history of mankind, He came from a physical place (Iran). I went back to my Bible to find other quotes regarding the second coming and I found the following:<br />
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<b>1.</b> It shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people... and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. (Isaiah)<br />
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<b>2.</b> For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.<br />
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<b>3.</b> A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. (Mathew)<br />
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<b>4.</b> And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. (Revelation)<br />
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<b>5. </b>Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. (Revelation)<br />
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So even though the Pastor was correct in the passages of John he seemed to be incorrect in the other passages. The Jews have already returned to Israel, which makes sense to Baha'is because Baha'ullah was sent there by the Ottoman Empire in 1868, well before the Zionist movement. The quotes from Mathew seem to indicate that some kind of discernment is needed to discern the true Prophet from the false Prophet. If it were as simple as just waiting for Jesus to descend upon a cloud, no discernment is really necessary. The lightning coming from the west(this is actually the reverse of the weather patterns, in Israel storms follow the jet stream) also seems to contradict the part of descending from above. This, however, is fulfilled by Baha'ullah who was born in Iran, the west, and was exiled by Persia and the Ottoman empire to Palestine, the east. The quotes from Revelation also support Baha'ullah's claim, He came with a new name and he was like unto the Son of God, or in my view, He was Christ like.<br />
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So, all in all, both sides were somewhat correct but neither were they perfect because there are contradictions that have to resolved through some sort of interpretation and analysis. As a Baha'i, I come back to Acts and Jesus descending from the cloud. This clearly shuts the door on any future Prophets of God, Mohammad or Baha'ullah, unless there is some other explanation of this pretty straight-forward verse. I really don't have any, other than the author was trying to convey a spiritual reality in the form of a parable. In this case the clouds represent the obstacles of recognizing the divinity of Christ, the fact that he came from a known, inconsequential place, that he did not fulfill Jewish expectations of a political Messiah, that he died, in their eyes, a shameful death reserved for criminals. At the time of Jesus' crucifixion he really didn't seem Godlike. For the first one hundred years after his crucifixion, his followers barely numbered in the thousands, and yet such a small and inconsequential Jewish sect became the largest religion on the face of the earth whose followers number in the billions. Perhaps the idea of the supreme spiritual power of Christ masked in a cloak of physicality is not so far-fetched after all.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4OCCdjoDrfc/VNEBCYMqPiI/AAAAAAAAABw/8tK4F3s4x7k/s1600/me.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4OCCdjoDrfc/VNEBCYMqPiI/AAAAAAAAABw/8tK4F3s4x7k/s1600/me.png" height="200" width="124" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">Donald Schellberg Bio:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">I was born in 1951. When I was 3 I was one of the last people in the US to contract polio. I was hospitalized for 1 year, for intense physical therapy because I was paralyzed until age 4. I grew up in an affluent neighborhood of Long Island, my father was not a church going man, but my mother was a fairly religious Irish Catholic. I became a member of the Baha'i Faith when I was 20 because of my belief of the essential oneness of all faiths. When I was 25 years old I went to Panama to work on several Baha'i projects, the most notable of which was Radio Baha'i in Chiriqui which was the first organization to broadcast radio programs in the Guaymie language. I returned to the United States in 1994 where I have worked as a software engineer until the present time. In 2012 I had open heart surgery to fix a leaky mitral valve (a condition caused by a disease I caught in Panama) but I have made a complete recovery. I have three college age children, Melanie, Christopher, and Stephanie. I tend to be a non literalist when studying religious faiths and am attracted to the mystical side. I believe the physical world is a dim reflection of the spiritual.</span></span></i><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-36498526883787342592015-01-29T09:12:00.003-06:002015-01-29T09:12:42.530-06:00Written By Guest Blogger, Katie Gordon - Conversation and transformation<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>“Listen not for the sake of information, but of transformation.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><i>Written by guest blogger, Katie Gordon</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">These
words were spoken by </span><a href="http://miheekimkort.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Rev. Mihee Kim-Kort</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, ordained Presbyterian pastor
and keynote speaker at the Midwest Regional Gathering for NEXT Church last fall.
</span><a href="http://nextchurch.net/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">NEXT
Church</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">, a
Presbyterian network of leaders who are working toward a future that is more
relational, diverse, collaborative, hopeful and agile, met under the theme
Embodied Faith, asking what Presbyterian values look like in daily actions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I was
honored to get to present a workshop on “entering faith… into interfaith” where
we discussed how to integrate interfaith engagement into individuals’ values
and institutions’ missions, but further than that, we <i>modeled</i> interfaith engagement by having a dialogue ourselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">With a
group of 30 Presbyterians – including seminarians, pastors, and community activists
– I guided a “Speed Dialogue” – like speed dating, but for new friends instead
of romance. </span><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Project Interfaith</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> put together this </span><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/page/conversation-kits-speed-dialogue"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">comprehensive facilitation guide
for interfaith organizers to use</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">.
Similar to the Interfaith Youth Core<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> equivalent of “Talk
Better Together” – the premise is simple – using conversation as a way of
promoting open, respectful discourse about religion, belief, stereotypes, and
identity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">While
usually done within more diverse contexts, the opportunity to do this activity
within a group of seemingly uniform people allowed for new interfaith lessons
to sprout. We saw that interfaith dialogue is a model not only for
cross-faith/non-faith conversations, but a way to appreciate the nuances and
complexities within one tradition. It was even a perfect gateway into creating
intentionally diverse settings in the future, with many church members
interested in bringing the model back to their community and getting to know
their neighbors through a Speed Faithing Night. Here are just a few lessons
from that day:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Commonality
between strangers, yet a diversity of pathways<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Participants
had never crossed paths before, likely will never again, and came to value the
commonality they found between their stories. But even in this context within
same tradition, there was a varied range of pathways of where people were
coming from and where they were going. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Value
of one-on-one conversations <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Most
attendees had participated in large group dialogues – where a delicate balance
had to be struck to include all voices equally. With this opportunity for one-on-one
conversation, they were able to ask questions, dig deeper, and be more focused
with the discussion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Allows
<i>all</i> people to speak and share
perspectives.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The
conversation is designed to be a give-and-take, with no dominate voice or
facilitator, which places value in the voices of all participants – including
those often overshadowed or overlooked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Embraces
<i>all </i>aspects of identity.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Faith
and beliefs are inseparable from other aspects of identity, like race, sexuality,
and gender; Speed-Dialogue allows for an appreciation and respect of the
complexity and intersectionality of identity.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Participants
walked away with new friendships, insights, and a program they could implement
right away – one that would allow them to fully live out their faiths while
engaging with the diversity within their tradition and within the wider
community. I walked away with renewed hope in religious life – seeing faith
leaders become interfaith leaders. As Kim-Kort said, this brave and courageous
engagement creates an expanded vision and experience of God that pushes beyond
the walls of the church. By letting differences permeate our experiences, we
become more compassionate, pluralist, and ultimately, more human. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Katie Gordon is the Program Manager of the </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kaufman-Interfaith-Institute/141405269248304?ref=bookmarks" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Kaufman Interfaith Institute at Grand Valley State University</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and works both in the local community and on the university’s campus to promote interfaith dialogue and cooperation. Katie is a graduate of Alma College, where she studied Religious Studies & Political Science, and is currently pursuing a Masters of Arts in Interfaith Action at Claremont Lincoln University. She is also on </span><a href="http://ifyc.org/content/about-network" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">the Interfaith Youth Core Alumni Speaker’s Bureau</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, where she speaks about promoting interfaith in higher education, social justice & service, and engaging non-religious communities in interfaith work.</span></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-49075152692523290842015-01-22T08:49:00.004-06:002015-01-22T08:49:47.629-06:00Meet New Staff Member, Sean Rose; Learn About Our Goals for 2015; and Read the top 5 posts from last week<br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">New Staff...</span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Project Interfaith is pleased to introduce our newest staff member.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><img align="left" alt="Sean Rose Pic" border="0" height="174" hspace="10" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/ebab5f7f0f/Sean%20Rose%20Pic.jpg" style="height: 174px; width: 174px;" title="Sean Rose Pic" vspace="10" width="174" /><br />Seán Rose is Project Interfaith's new Training and Outreach Director. An experienced and award-winning interfaith educator, facilitator, <br />and trainer, Seán has worked on cross-cultural programs in the United Kingdom, <br />Europe, and North America.<br /><br />Seán has engaged hundreds of young adults through service projects and workshops, and<br />has facilitated United Nations award-winning education workshops in high schools, reaching 5,000+ students.<br /><br />Seán has experience facilitating e-learning dialogues and university programs engaging students from different countries, cultures, and ideologies in dialogue <br />and shared action. He has worked with high schools, educators, colleges, universities, and community groups, and is passionate about education, building religious and cultural literacy, and social justice.<br /><br />Seán holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Geography and International Development from the University of East Anglia. Sean lives in California where <br />he heads up Project Interfaith's west coast office.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">New Goals...</span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Along with new staff come new interfaith initiatives in 2015</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><img align="left" alt="Unraveled - Traveling Art Exhibit - VR Image - smaller" border="0" height="157" hspace="10" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/ebab5f7f0f/Unraveled%20-%20Traveling%20Art%20Exhibit%20-%20VR%20Image%20-%20smaller.jpg" style="height: 157px; width: 124px;" title="Unraveled - Traveling Art Exhibit - VR Image - smaller" vspace="0" width="124" />UNRAVELED: </strong>Our<strong> <a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/page/unraveled-traveling-art-exhibit" target="_blank">Unraveled</a></strong> Traveling Art Exhibit </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">will continue its journey across the country in 2015. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">We have a limited number of hosting opportunities still available for 2015, so <strong><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/sites/default/files/pageFiles/14-1110,%20Unraveled%20Host%20Site%20Application%20and%20MOU.pdf" target="_blank">get in touch</a></strong> if you're interested </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">in having your college, university, high school, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">community group, or organization host the exhibit!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><img align="left" alt="Google Hangout RavelUnravel Campaign 2" border="0" height="92" hspace="10" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/ebab5f7f0f/Google%20Hangout%20RavelUnravel%20Campaign%202.jpg" style="height: 92px; width: 123px;" title="Google Hangout RavelUnravel Campaign 2" vspace="60" width="123" />TRAININGS / PRESENTATIONS / CONSULTATION:</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">In 2015 we will be offering face-to-face and online </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">learning opportunities for community members and educators. Our next live, online training in the spring </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">will explore using our popular <a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/page/conversation-kits"><strong>Conversation Kits</strong></a><strong> </strong>to </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">guide interfaith encounter and dialogue in your own setting. We're also building out trainings and webinars </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">to support educators using our <strong><a href="http://ravelunravel.com/curriculum" target="_blank">RavelUnravel Curriculum</a></strong>. At the end of the month, we will be presenting at the<strong><a href="https://www.oxy.edu/office-religious-and-spiritual-life/events/multifaith-conference"> 4th Annual Student Multifaith Leadership Conference</a></strong>, hosted at Occidental College, CA, and in February we'll be at <strong><a href="http://www.shouldertoshouldercampaign.org/event/divinity-diversity-conference-february-19-21-2015/">Divinity and Diversity</a></strong>, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">a regional interfaith conference in Columbus, OH.<br /><br /><br /><strong><img align="left" alt="RavelUnravel - Curriculum Image" border="0" height="92" hspace="10" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/ebab5f7f0f/RavelUnravel%20-%20Curriculum%20Image.jpg" style="height: 92px; width: 126px;" title="RavelUnravel - Curriculum Image" vspace="0" width="126" />RAVELUNRAVEL CURRICULUM: </strong>Speaking of Curriculum, keep your eyes peeled for upcoming </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">versions of our RavelUnravel Curriculum designed </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">for new audiences in 2015.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><img align="left" alt="Smartphone App Image 2" border="0" height="66" hspace="10" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/ebab5f7f0f/Smartphone%20App%20Image%202.jpg" style="height: 66px; width: 125px;" title="Smartphone App Image 2" vspace="0" width="125" />SMARTPHONE APP:</strong> Our Religious and Cultural Etiquette Smartphone App is currently in </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">development - stay tuned!</span></span></div>
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<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img align="left" alt="Speed Dialogue - Web Page Header 2 2" border="0" height="57" hspace="10" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/ebab5f7f0f/Speed%20Dialogue%20-%20Web%20Page%20Header%202%202.jpg" style="height: 57px; width: 121px;" title="Speed Dialogue - Web Page Header 2 2" vspace="25" width="121" />NATIONAL INTERFAITH DIALOGUE NIGHT: </b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Later in the year, we'll be hosting our first </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">National Night of Speed Dialogue</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> and we'd </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">love you to join us. We're in conversation with local and regional partners and supporters to help in organizing this national event. We'll be sharing more details in our newsletters and on social media in the coming months.</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><img align="left" alt="Project Interfaith website 2" border="0" height="83" hspace="10" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/ebab5f7f0f/Project%20Interfaith%20website%202.jpg" style="height: 83px; width: 124px;" title="Project Interfaith website 2" vspace="15" width="124" /></strong></span></span></div>
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<strong style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">WEBSITE: </strong><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Technology moves pretty quickly. It's been said that website years are like dog years. To increase the interactivity of our website for our users and to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">make our website more easily accessible on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, we will be </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">updating ProjectInterfaith.org in 2015. We'll keep you posted!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />Later in the year, we'll be hosting our first <strong>National Night of Speed Dialogue</strong> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">and we'd love you to join us. We're in conversation with local and regional </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">partners and supporters to help in organizing this national event. We'll be </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">sharing more details in our newsletters and on social media in the coming </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">months.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Same Drive...</span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">People and initiatives may shift, but our mission is unchanged.</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">While Project Interfaith may have new staff members and new goals for 2015, <br />our drive remains the same. As ever, we will continue to dedicate our efforts to combating religious ignorance and discrimination with interfaith education and relationship-building. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>We invite you to join us as we continue to grow and evolve throughout 2015.</strong></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Top 5 Articles from Last Week</span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Every day Project Interfaith scours the internet looking for informative articles <br />from credible outlets that relate to our mission of growing interfaith <br />understanding, respect, and relationship. We like to keep you up to date<br />and in the know by sharing these articles on social media.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Below are the five articles that received the most likes, comments, and shares from the past week.</span></strong></span></span></span><br />
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<img align="left" alt="Guardian Logo" border="0" height="100" hspace="10" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/ebab5f7f0f/Guardian%20Logo.jpg" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" title="Guardian Logo" vspace="0" width="100" /><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: teal;"><strong>The Guardian</strong></span><br />"Cologne Cathedral to Switch Off Lights in Protest at <br />Anti-Muslim March"<br /><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/02/cologne-cathedral-switch-off-lights-protest-march-pegida">Click here</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img align="left" alt="Pew Logo" border="0" height="100" hspace="10" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/ebab5f7f0f/Pew%20Logo.jpg" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" title="Pew Logo" vspace="0" width="100" /><span style="color: teal;"><strong>Pew Research</strong></span><br />"Faith on the Hill: The Religious Composition of the <br />114th Congress"<br /><a href="http://www.pewforum.org/2015/01/05/faith-on-the-hill/">Click here</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img align="left" alt="Daily Beaset Logo" border="0" height="100" hspace="10" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/ebab5f7f0f/Daily%20Beaset%20Logo.jpg" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" title="Daily Beaset Logo" vspace="0" width="100" /><span style="color: teal;"><strong>The Daily Beast</strong></span><br />"ISIS’s Gruesome Muslim Death Toll"<br /><a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/07/isis-s-gruesome-muslim-death-toll.html">Click here</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img align="left" alt="Public Religion Research Institute" border="0" height="100" hspace="10" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/ebab5f7f0f/Public%20Religion%20Research%20Institute.jpg" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" title="Public Religion Research Institute" vspace="0" width="100" /><span style="color: teal;"><strong>Public Religion Research Institute</strong></span><br />"Charlie Hebdo and Americans’ Opinions on <br />Religious Violence"<br /><a href="http://publicreligion.org/2015/01/charlie-hebdo-and-americans-opinions-of-religious-violence/">Click here</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img align="left" alt="Huffington Post" border="0" height="100" hspace="10" src="https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com/ebab5f7f0f/Huffington%20Post.jpg" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" title="Huffington Post" vspace="0" width="100" /><span style="color: teal;"><strong>Huffington Post</strong></span><br />"The Why and How of Religious Diversity Training"<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-j-levine/the-why-how-of-religious-_b_6381842.html?utm_hp_ref=interfaith">Click here</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Please consider </span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/ProjectInterfaithUSA/DonationPage.html"><span style="color: teal;">making a donation</span></a></span><span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> to Project Interfaith. </span></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Not only is it 100% tax-deductible, but you’ll feel great knowing you are supporting Project Interfaith’s mission of growing understanding, respect, </span></span></span><span style="color: teal; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">& relationships among people of all faiths, beliefs, & cultures! </span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Thank you so much for your continued partnership & support,</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/page/staff"><span style="color: teal;">The Project Interfaith Team</span></a></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Project Interfaith grows understanding, respect and relationships among people of all faiths, beliefs and cultures. We offer innovative, community-building programs that educate and engage audiences on issues of faith, religion, identity and interfaith relations. For more information:<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">1-402-933-4647</span> <a href="http://www.projectinterfaith.org/"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">www.projectinterfaith.org</span></a></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span></span></h4>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-50598126943434196592015-01-20T20:33:00.002-06:002015-01-20T20:33:50.356-06:00Lebanon Valley College of Annville, PA takes advantage of Martin Luther King Jr. Day<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Lebanon Valley College of Annville, PA takes advantage of Martin Luther King Jr. Day</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK Day), an American
national holiday, is to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. He was a man that fought
for non-violence, specifically protesting racial discrimination, during the
civil rights movement in the United States. Martin Luther King Jr. was so
influential that soon after his assassination, a few men got together and
created a campaign to have a new holiday for the socially confident man. It
took many years, but in 1983 President Ronald Reagan signed a law for the holiday. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated on the 3<sup>rd</sup> Monday of
every January. At first some states in the United States did not want to celebrate
this day due to it being aimed at an individual rather than the movement as a
whole. The year 2000 was the first year that all states finally agreed to
celebrating the holiday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/img/college-photo_8069._445x280-zmm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/img/college-photo_8069._445x280-zmm.jpg" height="125" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">MLK Day provides an opportunity to go out and learn
something new about those surrounding you and help someone or volunteer
somewhere. There are many schools and organizations that do not operate on MLK
Day. People are encouraged to go out and help someone else. Lebanon Valley
College is a small Liberal Arts College in Annville, PA. A few years ago,
Lebanon Valley College teamed up with local organizations and offered to have
some students volunteer to go and help out for a day. If a student is not able
to go out and help locally, the student is encouraged to go to an educational
session held on campus. These sessions are on different topics, which help
students gain an understanding of a cultural group other than their own. The
sessions are usually discussion and activity based in structure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/10933825_10155194887090160_3145670779337235868_n.jpg?oh=aaaaee0715e58b3cec2d754209da8187&oe=552BED85" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/10933825_10155194887090160_3145670779337235868_n.jpg?oh=aaaaee0715e58b3cec2d754209da8187&oe=552BED85" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I got the opportunity to sit in on a session titled “Intercultural
Sensitivity and International Students”. Throughout the session we discussed
different things. We discussed things that we observe about other cultures and
even observed our own culture here in the United States. We also learned about
characteristics of low and high context cultures. The difference of context cultures depends on a
culture’s communication style. A high-context culture would be a country such
as Nepal (a country in Asia). They react differently to interactions with
friends and strangers. They tend to use more hand signals and sometimes have a
special language indigenous to the area. People from Nepal interpret the word “no”
as a rude phrase. Usually when trying to say no (or the idea of no), they beat
around the bush and say something like “I will see how I am feeling, then
maybe I will go”. An example of a </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">low-context culture would be the United
States. Americans tend to be very outspoken and voice </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">our opinions explicitly.
We interact with everyone in our comfort circle the same way. We may interact
with strangers differently than those who are in our own comfort circle. In
this session,</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> we also talked about Geert Hofstede’s Dimensions. These
dimensions help one to understand other cultures.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As we were talking about these topics during the
session, I thought there had to be a way that this relates to religion. After some
thought, I realized there was an obvious connection between culture and religion.
Religion is imbedded into culture. All around the world you will find that
different countries have different ways of going about their daily routine or of
interacting with one another. For example, someone in the Islamic culture would
say, “<i>assalamu alikum</i>”, as a greeting.
This is used to bring Muslims together and makes the bonds between them
greater. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There is a lot to learn about religions that are not
the same as your own. There are many good sources to help you understand other
practices. Share what you learn about religions with others!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Links to learn more about:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Context Cultures: <a href="http://www.culture-at-work.com/highlow.html">http://www.culture-at-work.com/highlow.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cultural Dimensions: <a href="http://geert-hofstede.com/dimensions.html">http://geert-hofstede.com/dimensions.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Project Interfaith Conversation Kits to help you
talk about religion and other topics! </span><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/page/online-store-menu" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">http://projectinterfaith.org/page/online-store-menu</a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nhev3Q9wB4g/VL8JBAQ2azI/AAAAAAAAAAs/gZEK7xSbpC0/s1600/Elizabeth%2BZeiner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nhev3Q9wB4g/VL8JBAQ2azI/AAAAAAAAAAs/gZEK7xSbpC0/s1600/Elizabeth%2BZeiner.jpg" height="200" width="154" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Elizabeth Zeiner is a new member to the Project Interfaith
team. She is one of two Communications Interns.
She is currently attending Lebanon Valley College, located in Annville,
Pennsylvania, where she is a Religion Major with a Sociology Minor. She is a
senior and will be graduating in May 2015. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Elizabeth has been involved with communities aside of her
own and has traveled to various countries, such as Ecuador, Puerto Rico,
Jamaica, Switzerland, Hungary, France, and Italy. Traveling to all these places
and gathering information from Lebanon Valley’s religion classes have helped
her gain greater knowledge of the religious and cultural traditions throughout
the world. Elizabeth has also attained an Interfaith Certification through
Lebanon Valley College.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Elizabeth hopes that the experience of working with Project
Interfaith will help her learn more about the world of religions surrounding
her as well as gain more knowledge about non-profit organizations.</span></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-49022449008787032652014-12-29T10:11:00.002-06:002015-01-05T10:29:55.505-06:00Growing Up Muslim In America<div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kpCgM1GAUJc/VKF0-Cd6-_I/AAAAAAAAAK0/TVBgs_hKAxM/s1600/Blog%2BSubmission%2BSummers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kpCgM1GAUJc/VKF0-Cd6-_I/AAAAAAAAAK0/TVBgs_hKAxM/s1600/Blog%2BSubmission%2BSummers.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><i>written by guest blogger, Sheima Salam Sumer. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman, sans-serif;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%; padding: 0in;">Sheima Salam Sumer</span></b><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">possesses a Master’s degree in Counselor Education and is the author of
two books, “How to Be a Happy Muslim Insha’Allah: Rise Above Your Problems and
Choose Inner Peace and Joy with Ideas from the Quran, Sunnah, Counseling, and
Health Fields” and “The Basic Values of Islam: Alphabetically Listed with
Islamic References.” Her website is </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.howtobeahappymuslim.com/" style="font-stretch: inherit;" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #c66717; padding: 0in;">www.howtobeahappymuslim.com</span></a><span style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><wbr></wbr>.</span></span></span><span style="font-stretch: inherit;"></span> </i></div>
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My name is
Sheima Salam Sumer and I was born and raised in America, although my parents
are originally from Afghanistan and Lebanon. I have always been drawn to seek a
connection with God, and when I learned at the age of 9 that a Muslim should
pray five times a day, I would talk to Allah at night and promise Him that I
would start to pray 5 times a day on my 10<sup>th</sup> birthday.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, sans-serif;">Alhamdulillah
(praise be to God) I was able to keep this promise, although I wasn’t perfect;
but I certainly tried to keep up my prayers. I always loved how Islam taught me
to do good deeds and that God sees the good deeds we do and will reward us. I
loved how Islam taught us to help others, to seek knowledge, and to remember
the blessings of God. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, sans-serif;">I always had
non-Muslim friends and although I felt different, I also felt happy to live in
America and I enjoyed my childhood. My middle school years were the first time
I learned that Muslims are not always viewed favorably by others and that
political problems existed in Muslim countries. From those years I decided to
try to be a positive voice for Islam and to represent Islam as the kind, compassionate
and tolerant religion that I believe it is. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, sans-serif;">I earned a
Master’s degree in Counselor Education from the University of South Carolina in
2007 and chose to pursue this field largely due to Islam’s emphasis on helping
others. I have recently published a book titled, “How to be a Happy Muslim
Insha’Allah,” which combines the teachings of Islam with the teachings of
counseling.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, sans-serif;">I hope to benefit
my Muslim community with my counseling knowledge and I provide free e-mail
counseling via my website, <a href="http://www.howtobeahappymuslim.com/" target="_blank">www.howtobeahappymuslim.com</a>.
I also hope to continue to positively represent Islam and my beloved Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) as best I can.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, sans-serif;">I have
always appreciated the religious tolerance I felt in America and I appreciate
the humane work of Project Interfaith.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 13.85pt;">Books by </span><span style="color: black; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 13.85pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Sheima Salam<span style="font-size: small;"> Sumer, Ed.S., </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">Author/Trained Counselor</span><span style="color: black; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="color: #500050; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.29px;">
<i style="color: black; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 13.85pt;">How
to Be a Happy Muslim Insha'Allah: Rise Above Your Problems and Choose
Inner Peace and Joy with Ideas from the Qur'an, Sunnah, Counseling and
Health Fields | </i><span style="color: black; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 13.85pt;">Available on Amazon.com </span><span style="color: black; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 13.85pt;">(FB Publishing 2014)</span><span style="color: black; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 13.85pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 15.95pt;"><span style="color: black; line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 15.95pt;"><span style="color: black; line-height: normal;">The Basic Values of Islam: Alphabetically Listed with Islamic References | </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 15.95pt;">Available on Amazon.com and Islamicbookstore.com</span><span style="color: #0068cf; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 15.95pt;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 15.95pt;">(</span><span style="color: black; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 15.95pt;">AS Noordeen 2012)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 15.95pt;"><b>Available <a href="http://www.howtobeahappymuslim.com/" target="_blank">here </a></b></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AOHTytOg7ug/VJL6KN3wgnI/AAAAAAAAAKg/MjheyUglyQo/s1600/seasons%2Bgreetings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AOHTytOg7ug/VJL6KN3wgnI/AAAAAAAAAKg/MjheyUglyQo/s1600/seasons%2Bgreetings.jpg" height="236" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-family: Cubano; font-weight: bold; line-height: 112%;">from <span style="font-size: x-large;">P<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>r<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>o<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>j<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>e<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>c<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>t I<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>n<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>t<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>e<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>r<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>f<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>a<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>i<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>t<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>h</span></span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Support of <span class="il">Project</span> <span class="il">Interfaith</span>'s Fall Appeal Steadily Grows</b></span></span><br />
</span></span></span></b><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">By now we hope you have received our fall appeal seeking your financial support of our programs that build <span class="il">interfaith</span> understanding and respect in our communities. Thanks to the generosity of our donors we have already met 21% of our $10,000 <img align="right" alt="FY15 Fall Appeal - Update with Percentage 2" border="0" class="CToWUd a6T" height="260" hspace="0" src="https://ci5.googleusercontent.com/proxy/3_sSwowe1O_5FOWZfX32V3lWBDsLvi_8u8D-2L7dUH0a1yoWec32DzmmhoBti4eskw3Vnz1dEjcaGSiWFP-Vk_rGvmxmQS_yfzSjCoUaOTaQRNNZ55DTUusdWgP894myjxPuvfR0dh52mhtAyBJkFGsQcrO94yLcxGCHLte2okDvrk_0ZGp-6KusIuUkqteSIVRFVfq8_VRjSB4KVuoeZdCI56mSDDsiEy7JaUU=s0-d-e1-ft#http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/b/0/7/b070a2a05e//3779b0c10f/d5d18a410a/library/FY15%20Fall%20Appeal%20-%20Update%20with%20Percentage%202.jpg" style="min-height: 260px; width: 269px;" tabindex="0" title="FY15 Fall Appeal - Update with Percentage 2" vspace="0" width="269" />fundraising goal. We've made a strong start. We know that with your help, we can finish even stronger by year's end.<br />
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Please consider making a financial gift to <span class="il">Project</span> <span class="il">Interfaith</span>.
Your generosity will help us to confront religious discrimination,
marginalization, and conflict head on. Your donation will enable
community members of diverse religious, spiritual, and cultural
identities to more effectively live, work, and engage with one another.<br />
<br />
<b>To give you can securely donate online through the <span class="il">Project</span> <span class="il">Interfaith</span> website. <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ProjectInterfaith/3779b0c10f/0f48f67ccc/b37ca4cceb" target="_blank">Click here.</a><br />
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Or you can mail in your donation to:<br />
<span class="il">Project</span> <span class="il">Interfaith</span><br />
PO Box 6037<br />Omaha, NE 68106</b></span></span></span><b><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Feedback Tells <span class="il">Project</span> <span class="il">Interfaith</span> We are on the Right Track</span></span></b><br />
</span></span></span></b><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="il">Project</span> <span class="il">Interfaith</span>
has received positive feedback from those in our community who have
used our educational programs and products in their contexts. This
feedback tells us that the intended outcomes of our program offerings
are being met! We provided three testimonials in our fall appeal letter.
Now hear from two more.<br />
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<img align="right" alt="Ricardo and Monica quotes" border="0" class="CToWUd a6T" height="300" hspace="0" src="https://ci5.googleusercontent.com/proxy/86aVmnITRPDGo6j3L06WWJUBRGgqVpRFU1k3cDPR5myzLRKADT3U2PzorVhcJMAQ759hpKHcrO5L_rQXs8-UEkeKyJ7shtUEHKjLsj13IkMZtma6hsnZrD6cgDNu9RkSwHJmeivpuJn2kVjEm5l9R_b0Bjub0I_gMEZVH3RvewqBq1VMXvgIhLBrZScO9R8hiQ=s0-d-e1-ft#http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/b/0/7/b070a2a05e/3779b0c10f/d5d18a410a/library/Ricardo%20and%20Monica%20quotes.jpg" style="min-height: 300px; width: 229px;" tabindex="0" title="Ricardo and Monica quotes" vspace="0" width="229" /><i>"Through brave <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ProjectInterfaith/3779b0c10f/0f48f67ccc/fe3de8db99" target="_blank">conversations</a> <span class="il">Project</span> <span class="il">Interfaith</span>
shares knowledge that liberates us from both unintentional and
conscious bias. There is incredible potential for all of us to raise our
awareness, understand the other and bring a nurturing spirit to the
spaces where it is most needed." </i><br />
<b>Ricardo Ariza M.S.W., Office of Multicultural Affairs at Creighton<br />
University / Catholic Migrant Farmworker Network</b></span></span><b><br />
</b><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt;">"The
reaction of my students was much stronger than I thought. Stronger in a
positive way. They truly seemed hungry for this kind of dialogue ...
Without a doubt [the <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ProjectInterfaith/3779b0c10f/0f48f67ccc/21e85bc92c" target="_blank">RavelUnravel Curriculum</a>]
has been probably one of the richest aspects of my class, not only for
my students based on the feedback they’ve given me, but for me
professionally to see the change in thinking and willingness to ponder
... when provided the forum and the structure to have those
conversations ... It’s just been a rich and very enriching experience
for my students that I think they would have missed if we hadn’t have
included it.”</span></i></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Monica White - Assistant Professor of General Education, Clarkson College</span></span></b></span><b><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><b><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ProjectInterfaith/3779b0c10f/0f48f67ccc/e74740a969" target="_blank">Click here</a> to read more feedback about <span class="il">Project</span> <span class="il">Interfaith</span>'s program and product offerings.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="il">Project</span> <span class="il">Interfaith</span> Teases Its Newest Product Offering</span></b></span></span><br />
</span></b><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">After
all this talk of how effective our programs and products are, we
thought it might be a good idea to actually talk about our programs and
products. You are </span></span><img align="right" alt="Smartphone App Teaser Image" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="264" hspace="5" src="https://ci6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/BrDvuJVYuI9LUC05EosoRm-v1eDUv7Zhh4Thux1mRXznZ50hmHkpFqnzpZh_3giXMTfUl7hjD7qA-IYJZNVo-2Gj78_ptHcJF_jt14WPjcL83Kf52_aNo35P74YhjdVRZJ1QDWMyIVRPwTrJk_AA3EgxtV49Ml9v-w9THR91PICAPfExVPAw_kIdrtgFcnMW-SF8=s0-d-e1-ft#http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/b/0/7/b070a2a05e/3779b0c10f/d5d18a410a/library/Smartphone%20App%20Teaser%20Image.jpg" style="min-height: 264px; width: 119px;" title="Smartphone App Teaser Image" vspace="0" width="119" /><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">probably already aware of<a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ProjectInterfaith/3779b0c10f/0f48f67ccc/08b46b28dd" target="_blank"> RavelUnravel.com</a>, <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ProjectInterfaith/3779b0c10f/0f48f67ccc/d52c8901c2" target="_blank">RavelUnravel Curriculum</a>, <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ProjectInterfaith/3779b0c10f/0f48f67ccc/8b6ce696a8" target="_blank">RavelUnravel Campaigns</a>, and our <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ProjectInterfaith/3779b0c10f/0f48f67ccc/bebed36375" target="_blank">Conversation Kits</a>. So we thought we'd tease you with one of our upcoming offerings ...<br />
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What are we saying with the picture to the right? Are we going
into the mobile business? Are we going into the hand-modeling business?
The short answer to those two questions is "no." For now, all we will
say is this next offering is a natural progression for us based on our
existing products and programs.</span></span></span><b><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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Want to learn more? Only one way to find out. Stay tuned to the <span class="il">Project</span> <span class="il">Interfaith</span> e-newsletter for additional teasers and updates.<br />
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<br /> <b><span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></span></b></span></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Support <span class="il">Project</span> <span class="il">Interfaith</span> and Look Darn Good Doing It</span></span></b><br />
<img align="right" alt="Christmas Jumper" border="0" class="CToWUd a6T" height="231" hspace="0" src="https://ci6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/Hidkhi71q39rOiu1L91Iq2OpqkzPKhHLpFO2jEhraGBJIB8yQ-tevZd2ZNs3V_YBpfgzo0-BYhuV8B1ljB8TXeBo4LM40YnOCILphpGq6zTyquK9WAuBPIUhF4tjMm7Mc7vxm5820PVXCrTxGkUtuObmVcl6WzBR3rgFfbnzfilwtcSx=s0-d-e1-ft#http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/b/0/7/b070a2a05e/3779b0c10f/d5d18a410a/library/Christmas%20Jumper.jpg" style="min-height: 231px; width: 233px;" tabindex="0" title="Christmas Jumper" vspace="0" width="233" /></span></span></span></b><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">If you're looking for a festive sweater for your end-of-year parties, or something stylish to wear at your next <span class="il">interfaith</span>
conference, check out this new multicultural sweater! Our friends at
British Christmas Jumpers (that's British for 'sweaters') are pleased to
offer </span></span></span><b><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="il">Project</span> <span class="il">Interfaith</span> supporters a <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">2</span>0% discount on everything on their site when you use code PI10 - </span></span></span></b><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">and every purchase supports <span class="il">Project</span> <span class="il">Interfaith</span>, too!</span></span></span><b><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?ProjectInterfaith/3779b0c10f/0f48f67ccc/1e5739c66d" target="_blank">Click here</a> to learn more about this unique <span class="il">interfaith</span> item.</span></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>It is only through your belief in our efforts that <span class="il">Project</span> <span class="il">Interfaith</span>
is able to address religious ignorance, dispel religious stereotypes,
and eliminate fears. It is your support that enables us to provide
educational programs that promote open and respectful learning and
conversation about the world's religious and spiritual identities. WE
THANK YOU FOR YOUR BELIEF IN AND SUPPORT OF OUR WORK.</b></span></span> </span></b></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-31452536284633049372014-12-16T07:00:00.000-06:002014-12-16T08:54:50.860-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-64kJxLWqtZs/VI8UJG2CqtI/AAAAAAAAAJc/fCJWA1CAPcE/s1600/Guest%2BBlogger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-64kJxLWqtZs/VI8UJG2CqtI/AAAAAAAAAJc/fCJWA1CAPcE/s1600/Guest%2BBlogger.jpg" height="200" width="152" /></a></div>
<i>written by guest blogger, Kerri Dietz Pillen</i><br />
Everything I have ever witnessed or participated in that involved
Project Interfaith was done with an uncanny amount of thorough
professional care. I will never forget how we live interviewing
teams for the first phase of RaveUnravel submitted interest forms,
then had an information/training meeting, then had regular
talk-about-it meetings, then had a lunch meeting, a personal
response to the experience meeting...and I know there were other
ones that I am not recalling just now.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, every time <i>I </i>have written something for
Project Interfaith it has been to meet a quickly arriving deadline,
and done with more haste and less care than I would wish. This
letter is no exception.<br />
Last week I was quite surprised to learn that Beth Katz will no
longer be leading Project Interfaith. How we will miss her, and how
lucky we were to have her!<br />
<br />
Beth has accomplishments and relationships that are well known
around the world. What I have meant to say to Beth for years, and
am hurrying to say now, is that for me the <b><i>PROJECT</i></b> in
Project Interfaith has always been both a noun and also a verb, just
like Beth herself. Regarding this verb, to project, I know no one
who <b><i>projects</i></b> more hospitality, appreciation,
knowledge, the building of relationships or caring than our Beth.
And because of the noun, the interfaith project, which she so wisely
named Project Interfaith -- everyone and everything touched by
it/her has been enlightened and empowered to become another ripple <i><b>projecting</b></i>
hospitality, appreciation, knowledge, caring and the building of
relationships across the world... to become another spark of light <i><b>projecting</b></i>
into one heart at a time.<br />
<br />
I said once in something else that I wrote for PI that I have come
to weigh many of my personal involvements with people and entities
with standards that I first heard expressed so well by Project
Interfaith: being sure that everyone is included, protected, and
valued. It made me think of people or organizations in my life that
fulfilled one or two of these attributes but was missing at least
one. I KNOW that because we have been touched by Beth, we can all
personify all three of these concepts and --in our own smaller
personal ways -- we can do what Beth personifies: we also can <b><i>project</i></b>
an attitude that leads to a local community and eventually to a
world community where everyone is valued, included, and protected.
And wherever Beth may be, we will never stop.<br />
<br />
Au revoir, Beth. You, PI, and all of us who have been touched by PI
are forever bound (also both <i>an adjective</i> :-) and a verb)<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Kerri Dietz Pillen Bio: I am a cradle Catholic and one who questions institutions for as long as
I can remember. I was born in Omaha, raised from 4 years old in
Bellevue through St Marys Bellevue grammar school and Daniel Gross
Catholic high school. In undergraduate work at Iowa State I taught
children's classes, attended retreats and was an altar server. In
optometry school at Ohio State University I was in the artisans, was a
Eucharistic minister and lectored and attended retreats. I returned to
practice optometry with my father (since deceased) and rejoined my home
parish of St Marys Bellevue along with my husband and mother, where I
continue to lector and have been a CCD teacher, Eucharistic minister,
and member of the liturgy planning committee.<br />
I am a cradle Catholic and have been a person who questions social
behavior/attitudes and institutions for as long as I can remember, and I
like bridges between people more than divisions. While the name
Catholic means universal, I am better able to build relationships
outside my faith and to pursue universal respect and understanding of
non Catholics via Project Interfaith. I loved the concept of an
interfaith organization when I first heard of PI, and my participation
has included attending several interfaith architecture tours, submitting
photos that were used for the art works project showing how our local
worship experience religious nourishes us, attending lectures sponsored
by PI and others publicized by PI, volunteering to help at some PI
events, spreading the word of their existence, and I was an in person
interviewer for the RavelUnravel project. I have two children. They
are generous people who accept and support people of all types and
organization, they give service to their communities, and are not
religiously affiliated.</i></span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-78720340164655874402014-12-03T10:57:00.000-06:002014-12-03T10:57:16.637-06:00Letting Go of Truth and Justice<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1AzZ_MkO2kE/VG90KcOKemI/AAAAAAAAAGk/DT0cuvzFnPI/s1600/andrew_zurbrugg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1AzZ_MkO2kE/VG90KcOKemI/AAAAAAAAAGk/DT0cuvzFnPI/s1600/andrew_zurbrugg.jpg" height="162" width="200" /></a><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">written by guest blogger, Andrew Zurbrugg</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">I've always had an interest in knowledge, specifically knowing capital 'T' Truth(s). And I've always had a desire to understand the nature of all the injustices in the world. These two topics are often addressed directly by religion. Despite my agnosticism, I've always had a fascination with religion and spirituality. But it was generally through the lenses of these two topics, and mostly an abstract or academic interest. So a lot of what I read about religion, philosophy, and spirituality was concerned with trying to understand how different belief systems dealt with Truth and explained injustice.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">For example, being raised with Christian dualism, I was quite interested in </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodicy" style="color: #015782; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">theodicy</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">. Despite the paradox of a benevolent God, countless people throughout history have believed in the tenants of Christianity. And at least some of them had to be reasonable, rational people. So I learned about it.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">To skip over all the messy details,</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">there is no explanation for the suffering and injustice in the world that will satisfy the skeptics. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">There is no perfect defense of God, Christian or otherwise, hence the consistent and infuriating chorus of “God works in mysterious ways.” And even if you assume this to be true, it still doesn't answer or resolve anything.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><span style="background-color: white;">As I began to develop a deeper, more direct interest in spirituality, questions of injustice and Truth kept coming up. Why should I put faith in a God who is quite content to let me suffer? I’m perfectly capable of suffering all on my own without God in my life. And unless God would grant me Truth through divine revelation, welcoming God into my life will get me no closer to that goal either.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">After quite a while of struggling with these dilemmas, I decided to let go of my pursuit of Truth. And I decided to choose a spiritual path despite the injustice that may occur in my life and the lives of those around me. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Letting go of these pursuits opened the door to spirituality for me. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Once I did this, I was able to begin my journey. I started finding synchronicities and developing my chakras.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">I've experienced so much growth and learning over the past few months that would not have been possible if I had not let go of these questions. When I say I let them go, it doesn't mean I’m no longer interested or that I don’t still ask the questions. It means </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">I accept the reality that I’m not likely to get answers. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">With this acceptance, I've found it’s possible to travel a spiritual path while still being perfectly grounded and still maintaining a healthy sense of doubt and skepticism.</span><br />
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<i style="color: black; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Andrew Zurbrugg is a writer and seeker of wisdom from Fort Wayne, Indiana. In his blog, The <a href="http://spiritualjourneyofaskeptic.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Spiritual Journey of a Skeptic</a>, he describes his experiences trying to unify spiritual practice with rationality. He graduated from Purdue University with a B.A. in Communication and a B.S. in Information Systems. Andrew practices Theravada Buddhism and hopes to contribute positively to interfaith dialogue.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.4039993286133px;">Check out </span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.4039993286133px;"><a href="http://ravelunravel.com/" style="color: #00929f; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><b>RavelUnravel.com</b></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.4039993286133px;"> to learn more about Agnosticism, Buddhism, <br />and many other religious and spiritual identities.</span></span></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.4039993286133px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interested in blogging for us? Submit a guest blog any time!</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/page/guest-blog-guidelines" style="color: #00929f; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Click here</a></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span>to read our blogging guidelines...</span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-45284248583624457012014-11-25T07:00:00.001-06:002014-12-01T10:48:58.522-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: teal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It
is only through your generous contribution that <br />Project Interfaith is
able to combat the growing tension <br />between people of various spiritual
and cultural identities.</span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/ProjectInterfaithUSA/DonationPage.html" target="_blank">Click here to donate to our fall appeal for financial support.</a></span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><b><span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></b><br />
</span></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>The world</b> is
experiencing increased conflict among people of different faiths and
beliefs. Countries having a “high or very high level of social hostility
involving religion” has reached a six-year peak. Out of 198 countries
studied (accounting for 99.5% of the world’s population), 47% had
incidents of hostility or abuse targeting religious minorities (Pew
Research, 2012).<b> <br />The United States</b> is not immune to such conflict.
The third leading motivator for hate crimes committed in the United
States is religious bias (FBI, 2012).<b><br />The solution</b> to this problem is education,
understanding, and familiarity. “Knowing someone from a religious group
is linked with having relatively more positive views of that group,”
(Pew Research, 2014).<br />There is a clear need for a resource that promotes open,
respectful learning and conversation about the world’s spiritual and
religious identities. A resource that confronts religious
marginalization and conflict head on. A resource that addresses
religious ignorance, dispels religious stereotypes, and eliminates the
fears that can lead to discrimination and violence.<br /> <b>Project Interfaith is that resource.</b><br />Project Interfaith offers programs, products, and services that
build awareness, knowledge, and skills among the public; enabling
community members of diverse religious, spiritual, and cultural
identities to more effectively live, work, and engage with one another.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: teal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But
don’t just take our word for it. Hear from individuals who have used
Project Interfaith’s educational products and resources in their
communities . . . </span></b></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iW5nqBU7B00/VG-I9Yz3dRI/AAAAAAAAAIc/F7s2B4SEbns/s1600/FY15%2BFall%2BAppeal%2B-%2BQuotes%2BDesigned.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iW5nqBU7B00/VG-I9Yz3dRI/AAAAAAAAAIc/F7s2B4SEbns/s1600/FY15%2BFall%2BAppeal%2B-%2BQuotes%2BDesigned.jpg" height="400" width="361" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Project
Interfaith’s educational programs and products foster critical
thinking, conversation skills, and objective learning about religious
and cultural diversity. They enhance the inclusive atmosphere in the
communities in which they are used. However, we can only continue to
offer these tools with your help.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: teal;"><b>Your
support today will help to ensure that Project Interfaith’s programs
and products remain accessible to the public for years to come. </b></span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: teal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/ProjectInterfaithUSA/DonationPage.html" target="_blank">Click here.</a></span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: teal;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">There are many ways to give:</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">1) You can securely donate online</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
through the Project Interfaith</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
website:</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<b><a href="https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/ProjectInterfaithUSA/DonationPage.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: teal;">Click here</span></a></b><span style="color: teal;"><b>. </b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
2) You can donate via phone by</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
contacting our offices:</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="color: teal;"><b><a href="tel:%2B1-402-933-4647" target="_blank" value="+14029334647">+1-402-933-4647</a></b></span>.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
3) Or you can donate via mail to:</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">
<span style="color: teal;"><b>Project Interfaith</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: teal;"><b>
P.O. Box 6037</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: teal;"><b>
Omaha, NE 68106</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: teal;"><b>U.S.A</b></span></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-76781578759353103542014-11-20T11:55:00.004-06:002014-11-20T12:02:11.217-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9IQacSGOqfs/VG4g0ng6K3I/AAAAAAAAAF4/yDRK5LfWChk/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-11-20%2Bat%2B11.11.12%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9IQacSGOqfs/VG4g0ng6K3I/AAAAAAAAAF4/yDRK5LfWChk/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-11-20%2Bat%2B11.11.12%2BAM.png" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">
Read up! </span><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Founder, Beth Katz, </span><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">was featured in the November issue of </span><i style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Interfaith Observer</i><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">...</span></span></b></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RRyzdP3vBCQ/VG4iPB22PjI/AAAAAAAAAGM/mJLpLGF5oMM/s1600/SecondGenerationAmericans1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RRyzdP3vBCQ/VG4iPB22PjI/AAAAAAAAAGM/mJLpLGF5oMM/s1600/SecondGenerationAmericans1.jpg" height="279" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: xx-small;">Congregation Temple Israel was the first permanent Jewish house of worship <br />in Nebraska, built in 1884. - Photo: Jewish American Society for Historical Preservation</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><br /></strong></span></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: teal;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><strong style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">"Navigating Life as Second-Generation Americans" </strong></strong></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In this <a href="http://theinterfaithobserver.org/journal-articles/2014/11/15/navigating-life-as-second-generation-americans.html" target="_blank">recent article</a>, Beth Katz shares the struggles and realities faced by Second-Generation Americans in past and present. She shows the parallels between her parents' stories and and the stories of many other Second-Generation Americans (SGAs) as they assimilate into American society. SGAs experience ignorance and stereotypes based on their religious/ethnic identities. Read about how Millennial generation is confronting different types of discrimination and expressing their identity in new ways. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #493728; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 21.6000003814697px; text-align: start;">"My parents downplayed their identities as Jewish Americans in order to assimilate into the wider culture. Today’s SGAs (as well as their non-SGA peers) choose to assert their </span><span style="color: #493728; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 21.6000003814697px; text-align: start;">multiple</span><span style="color: #493728; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 21.6000003814697px; text-align: start;"> identities as Americans and as members of their respective religious/spiritual and ethnic communities"</span> (Katz, 2014).<br /></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://theinterfaithobserver.org/journal-articles/2014/11/15/navigating-life-as-second-generation-americans.html" target="_blank">Click here to read the full article!</a></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3uODdc0hi-4/VG4gHkcvYtI/AAAAAAAAAFg/Oyfe6tadqs4/s1600/bethPhoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3uODdc0hi-4/VG4gHkcvYtI/AAAAAAAAAFg/Oyfe6tadqs4/s1600/bethPhoto.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Beth Katz is Founder and Executive Director of Project Interfaith. Beth got bitten by the interfaith bug in college, where she first got involved in interfaith work as the co-founder of a student interfaith group. Her passion for creating a world where people of all faiths, beliefs, and cultures are valued and included led her to come back to her hometown of Omaha after graduate school to start Project Interfaith... <a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/page/staff" target="_blank">Full story here.</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-58874954304087563022014-11-18T09:18:00.002-06:002014-11-20T10:57:50.847-06:00<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Moses the Underrated Prophet of God</span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />by Donald Schellberg </span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">As
a member of the Baha'i Faith I accept the divine origin of all faiths.
They were revealed by very special people who had a very unique
relationship with the Creator, far above and beyond even the most pious
of believers. In recent days I have thought a lot about Moses and have
begun to appreciate Him a lot more. Sure, Christians, Baha'is and
Muslims accept the station of Moses, but always on the way to venerating
our own founders; sometimes, however, we lose sight of his incredible
accomplishments. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Ttv04vSLcU/VGy4daBhoYI/AAAAAAAAAE0/L-6VVeYWdU4/s1600/Don%2C%2BBlog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Ttv04vSLcU/VGy4daBhoYI/AAAAAAAAAE0/L-6VVeYWdU4/s1600/Don%2C%2BBlog.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mount Sinai, "Full Moon at Dusk"</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The context is very
compelling, a member of an oppressed minority, raised in the home of the
Pharaoh throwing it all away by committing manslaughter and becoming a
fugitive. In the state of Pennsylvania where I live, he would have been
looking at a prison sentence of 6 to 12 years, but He had a vision of
God, a vision so powerful that he returned to his native country in
spite of the inevitable consequences. His mission was to confront the
most powerful man of the most powerful kingdom on earth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Often,
we look at movies of Moses with all their special effects and it seems
to minimize his great accomplishments. Sure, I believe that the Spirit
of God was him, when a flash flood destroyed much of the Egyptian army
but that does not take away the tremendous effort that was involved in
liberating an entire people from the yoke of slavery, turning them away
from a culture death to one that celebrated life and, at that same
time, creating a civilization that has had a tremendous impact on much
of the world's cultures. That in my opinion is the true miracle of
Moses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Check out <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://ravelunravel.com/category/baha%E2%80%99i"><b>RavelUnravel.com</b></a></span> to learn more about the Baha'i Faith.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interested in blogging for us? Submit a guest blog any time!</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/page/guest-blog-guidelines" target="_blank">Click here</a></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span>to read our blogging guidelines...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gisgrmTWrDo/VG4dNpR-pjI/AAAAAAAAAFU/fxPcyRX3vT0/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-11-20%2Bat%2B10.55.45%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gisgrmTWrDo/VG4dNpR-pjI/AAAAAAAAAFU/fxPcyRX3vT0/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2014-11-20%2Bat%2B10.55.45%2BAM.png" height="200" width="124" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Donald Schellberg Bio:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I was born in 1951. When I was 3 I was one of the last people in the US to contract polio. I was hospitalized for 1 year, for intense physical therapy because I was paralyzed until age 4. I grew up in an affluent neighborhood of Long Island, my father was not a church going man, but my mother was a fairly religious Irish Catholic. I became a member of the Baha'i Faith when I was 20 because of my belief of the essential oneness of all faiths. When I was 25 years old I went to Panama to work on several Baha'i projects, the most notable of which was Radio Baha'i in Chiriqui which was the first organization to broadcast radio programs in the Guaymie language. I returned to the United States in 1994 where I have worked as a software engineer until the present time. In 2012 I had open heart surgery to fix a leaky mitral valve (a condition caused by a disease I caught in Panama) but I have made a complete recovery. I have three college age children, Melanie, Christopher, and Stephanie. I tend to be a non literalist when studying religious faiths and am attracted to the mystical side. I believe the physical world is a dim reflection of the spiritual.</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-3932003794142395612014-11-13T10:53:00.000-06:002014-11-17T12:05:32.806-06:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Project Interfaith's Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2014 is available for your review! In it, we have highlighted our most important accomplishments and successes from </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Fiscal Year 2014 (July 1st, 2013 - June 30th, 2014). </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><br />We would like to thank you again for your financial support, generosity, and continued partnership. </span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>None of our work in Fiscal Year 2014 </b></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><br />would have been possible without you!</b></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Your assistance was pivotal in building Project Interfaith's capacity and helping to expand our ability to grow understanding, respect, and relationships among people of all faiths, beliefs, and cultures. Please feel free to contact us with any questions, comments, or concerns you may have regarding the progress report. </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/sites/default/files/pageFiles/Annual%20Report%20FY2014%20-%20Infographic.pdf" target="_blank">Click here for the 2014 Annual Report!</a></b></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #7f672a; font-size: 40pt; line-height: 63px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Welcome to the special blog series to showcase the <b> </b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>Unraveled Traveling Art Exhibit</b>. </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">Unraveled </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">is a traveling art exhibit based on the themes </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">explored in Project Interfaith's <a href="http://ravelunravel.com/">RavelUnravel.com</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>RavelUnravel.com</b> is an interactive, multimedia website featuring </span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">more than 1,000 short video interviews of people discussing their </span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">religious or spiritual identity, stereotypes that they have encountered, </span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">and how welcoming they have found their communities to be.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">The fifth artist in our series is Neil Orians and his piece</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"> called <span style="color: #990000;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="color: #990000;"></span></span><b><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="color: #990000;">MY MOST IMPORTANT SELF PORTRAIT YET #1 (MY ANXIETY IS REAL MY GENDER IS CONSTRUCTED)</span>. </span></b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-family: Cubano; font-size: 15.0pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-US; line-height: 112%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: Cubano; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-default-font-family: Cubano; mso-greek-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-latin-font-family: Cubano; mso-latinext-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-ligatures: none;">My Most Important Self Portrait Yet #1 <br />
(my anxiety is real my gender is constructed)</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-US; line-height: 112%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-default-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-greek-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-latin-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-ligatures: none;">Neil Orians</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-US; line-height: 119%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-default-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-greek-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-latin-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-ligatures: none;">Digital print on kozo, stitching, <br />thread and needle on paper</span><span lang="en-US" style="language: en-US; mso-ligatures: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US"> </span><span lang="en-US"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Unraveled is currently moving to a new site</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"> </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Saint Paul United Methodist Church</span></span></span></span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">(1144 M Street, Lincoln, NE 68508)</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><br />November 3, 2014 to December 1, 2014</span></span></span></span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/page/unraveled-traveling-art-exhibit" target="_blank">Click here</a> </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">for more information on </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Unraveled Traveling Art Exhibit!</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b></b><b></b><br /></span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>HOST </b>Unraveled at your school or organization.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>VISIT </b><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/">ProjectInterfaith.org</a> to learn more.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>JOIN </b>the conversation on social media using: #UNRAVELED.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>SHARE </b>your story on <a href="http://ravelunravel.com/" target="_blank">RavelUnravel.com</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">Unraveled</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"> and </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">RavelUnravel.com </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">are programs of Project Interfaith.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">Project Interfaith</span></span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> is an educational non-profit organization that grows understanding, </span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">respect and relationships among people of all faiths, beliefs and cultures. For more information:</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-63884764912274649272014-11-06T10:50:00.000-06:002014-11-06T11:51:16.492-06:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">FIVE QUESTIONS ABOUT <br />JULIE'S SUMMER IN ISRAEL </span></b></span></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>How
was this past summer in <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israel</span> different
from your other summer experiences? </b>This summer adventure was similar to other summers as
I love to travel (Central America and Middle East) and volunteer with youth
(counseling summer camps, coaching ultimate, doing nonprofit work).<br />My
first visit to the Middle East was in 2012. My sister and I went on Taglit and
we extended our stay to explore the countryside together. We were able to
travel freely with our backpacks so we moved from place to place, hiked far
distances, and experienced the authentic <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israeli</span>
life and culture. It was different then as the country was not in the midst of
war.<br />Two
years ago, I did not have the same challenges I faced this summer. This summer I
had to be cautious of traveling to certain areas and the potential risks (demonstrations,
protests, missiles, etc.). I often traveled with a buddy and I always told
friends or neighbors where I was going and when I was to return. It gave me a
sense of security to have someone watching out for my safety. I also was acutely
aware of how I present myself to others. In the past, I felt more comfortable
to freely express my Jewish identity and this summer it was something that I
concealed when I traveled from place to place.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Two
summers ago, I was at the tail end of my study abroad program in Costa Rica. I
spent five months studying, volunteering, and traveling around the country. It
was pura vida. During the summer, I usually have the freedom to be who I am and
go where I want. I have learned that this kind of freedom is a privilege not to
be taken for granted.<b> <br /></b></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wKDPXE3_ozs/VFuzoiUWQFI/AAAAAAAAADs/-NI2SU1JcHk/s1600/1836965_10152111049650588_4125339753682569312_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wKDPXE3_ozs/VFuzoiUWQFI/AAAAAAAAADs/-NI2SU1JcHk/s1600/1836965_10152111049650588_4125339753682569312_o.jpg" height="183" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ultimate Peace Camp 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>What
made your summer in <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israel</span> special? </b>The Middle East is my home away from
home and always will have a special place in my heart. This summer was more
eventful in comparison to my first visit two years ago. My experiences staffing
a Taglit-<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israel</span> Outdoors trip, coaching for
Ultimate peace, and spending extended periods of time in the West Bank have made
this summer stand out from years past. I
had an incredible summer in the region even during this time of conflict. I
arrived to <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israel</span> with an amazing group of
Jewish adults as a staff member of Taglit. I am grateful I was able to share
their first experiences of <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israel</span> and travel
with them after our trip to unconventional places and events (i.e. Burning Man <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israel</span>).
</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Once
I finished the Taglit trip, I volunteered with an organization called <b>Ultimate Peace</b>. <b>Ultimate Peace</b> is a nonprofit that brings separated groups by
conflict together to create peace and friendship using the unique sport,
ultimate Frisbee. Arab <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israeli</span>, <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israeli</span>, and Palestinian youth work all year round
in their own communities learning and practicing the sport, and then these
groups come together on multicultural teams at Camp Ultimate Peace. It has been
groundbreaking in promoting acceptance between people and renewing dialogue to
many families and communities in the region. My commitment to the organization is
fundraising before camp, coaching in communities in <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israel</span>
and the West Bank, and helping with camp preparation. I have been a volunteer
coach of Ultimate Peace since 2012.<span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OGDghVJXDwE/VFuyJgTuV9I/AAAAAAAAADg/tZvtb9OEQ60/s1600/10295931_10100279036500544_8547934087832041873_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OGDghVJXDwE/VFuyJgTuV9I/AAAAAAAAADg/tZvtb9OEQ60/s1600/10295931_10100279036500544_8547934087832041873_o.jpg" height="189" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">In summers
past, I had the opportunity to coach communities in the West Bank: Bethlehem,
Beit Sachur, and Jericho. The ultimate practices in these communities were a
few hours long and in the past we only stayed for the practice and dinner. This
summer there was a mentor coach living in Beit Sachur and working with these
communities. This provided a unique opportunity for me to spend quality time in
the West Bank learning and understanding the Palestinian people and
culture.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
summer has been very special by the strong relationships and lifelong
friendships I made throughout my journey. I especially feel very grateful to
have many friends in <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israel</span> and the West
Bank whom welcomed me openheartedly into their homes as a member of the family.
These things have made my summer special. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>How
did you see life in <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israel</span> with the events
happening in Gaza this summer? </b> This is a tricky question. Everyone was experiencing the
conflict differently. In general, I would describe life in <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israel</span> as tense. I had neighbors who would not go too
far from home because they fear missiles raining down and they would not be
near a shelter. I have friends who have strong relationships with Arab-<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israelis</span> and Palestinians and could not share in
the celebration of breaking fast during Ramadan. There were and continue to be
many <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israelis</span> who were separated from their
families and called from reserve duty to serve in the war. These experiences
are the reality for a few local <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israelis</span> and
Arab-<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israelis</span>. However, most of the people
are going about their lives and praying for peace. They want an end to the
war<b>.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><br />What
have you learned or experienced that you never thought you would? </b> I spent three months in <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israel this summer</span>. During this time, four innocents
boys were kidnapped and murdered, three Jewish and one Muslim. The whole region
had heard too many sirens and witnessed hundreds of rockets on both sides. The
IDF lost over many young men fighting to protect <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israel</span>'s
right to defend itself. Thousands of Palestinians have died in Gaza in <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israel</span>'s effort to end Hamas. Everyone is paying
the deathly cost of this cycle of hate and violence. As a promoter of peace in
the Middle East, this war has been a rude awakening to the large capacity of
hate and violence in the world.<br />I
believe this war has caused irreparable damage socially, politically, and
economically for the State of <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israel</span> and the
future state of Palestine. I believe renewed dialogue between the people is
necessary to make peace. All groups separated by conflict have the right to
live in peace. <span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><o:p></o:p></span><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>What
will you miss the most about <span style="color: #1a1a1a;">Israel</span> when you
return to Omaha? </b>I
already miss it knowing that I will not return for some time. It will be after
my Peace Corps service until I can reunite with my friends and family in the
Middle East. This summer has been eye opening and life changing for me. The
light memories of falafel every day and Frisbee every night will be missed
dearly. The darker times of missiles overhead and news of death and destruction;
I wish it had never happened. Praying for peace in the Middle East.</span></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GPkYy3sGcGc/VFpbo0VAeDI/AAAAAAAAACQ/F2ZJPEqURRM/s1600/Julie%2BHeadshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GPkYy3sGcGc/VFpbo0VAeDI/AAAAAAAAACQ/F2ZJPEqURRM/s1600/Julie%2BHeadshot.jpg" height="200" width="127" /></a><i>Julie Sadofsky is the Communications Intern and the newest addition to the Project Interfaith leadership team. She graduated May of 2014 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies and Global Studies, with regional specializations in Latin America and the Middle East.</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Her research of identity, religion and non-religion, and intercultural and intergroup communication is foundational to her experience with Project Interfaith, not to mention her longstanding commitment to non-profit work.</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Once Julie returned to Omaha after volunteering abroad, her passion for learning and understanding people of different religions, beliefs and cultures encouraged her involvement in the organization. She is excited to be working with Project Interfaith until her Peace Corps service in the Dominican Republic come March, 2015.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-36291252799930833312014-10-30T11:51:00.001-05:002014-11-04T11:49:48.102-06:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #7f672a; font-size: 40pt; line-height: 63px;">U<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>N<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>R<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>A<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>V<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>E<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>L<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>E<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>D</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Welcome to the special blog series to showcase the <b> </b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>Unraveled Traveling Art Exhibit</b>. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">Unraveled </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">is a traveling art exhibit based on the themes </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">explored in Project Interfaith's <a href="http://ravelunravel.com/">RavelUnravel.com</a>. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>RavelUnravel.com </b>is an interactive, multimedia website featuring </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">more than 1,000 short video interviews of people discussing their </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">religious or spiritual identity, stereotypes that they have encountered, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">and how welcoming they have found their communities to be.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><br /></span></span></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">The fourth artist in our series is Paula Wallace and her piece<br /> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">called <span style="color: #990000;">FROM GOD'S HANDS</span>. </span></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px;">From God's Hands</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px;">Paula Wallace</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px;">Oil on panel</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #43282d; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;">For people of faith there is an understanding that in the beginning was the Word; through the Word form was given to the void. The artist gives form to the Word, and through all of the arts. The artist records astonishment, records geographies of earth and spirit and, in doing so, inspires and challenges notions of being fully human and fully present.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Unraveled is currently moving to a new site</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"> </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"> </span></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Saint Paul United Methodist Church</span></span></span></span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">(1144 M Street, Lincoln, NE 68508)</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">November 3, 2014 to December 1, 2014</span></span></span></span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/page/unraveled-traveling-art-exhibit" target="_blank">Click here</a> </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">for more information on </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Unraveled Traveling Art Exhibit!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><strong></strong><strong></strong><br /></span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>HOST </b>Unraveled at your school or organization.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>VISIT </b><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/">ProjectInterfaith.org</a> to learn more.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>JOIN </b>the conversation on social media using: #UNRAVELED.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>SHARE </b>your story on <a href="http://ravelunravel.com/" target="_blank">RavelUnravel.com</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-feFo35kw8x8/VDQNlqHMK3I/AAAAAAAAAAs/xA-dtubty4M/s1600/Blogger-%2BRU%2BLogo%2B%28Sm%29.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-feFo35kw8x8/VDQNlqHMK3I/AAAAAAAAAAs/xA-dtubty4M/s1600/Blogger-%2BRU%2BLogo%2B(Sm).jpg" height="77" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">Unraveled</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"> and </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">RavelUnravel.com </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">are programs of Project Interfaith.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">Project Interfaith</span></span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> is an educational non-profit organization that grows understanding, </span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">respect and relationships among people of all faiths, beliefs and cultures. For more information:</span></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: grey; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="tel:1-402-933-4647" style="color: #00929f; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" value="+14029334647">1-402-933-4647</a></span> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.projectinterfaith.org/" style="color: #00929f; text-decoration: none;">www.projectinterfaith.org</a></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ProjectInterfaith" target="_blank"><img align="none" alt="Facebook Icon" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="89" hspace="0" src="https://ci6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/fBRcG1yCvJXmzRC43oh09hgBocENb4OOZ8ffsJfF9Kjghunp4dCqcGc-WpzZ4R4zphRaQDcocmIJva7fbOZYUM_qpVAT2VnYEnkXoSZJXuIzQMejHNBitY3PPscVYaLI7S_tUTxBscUu6AumjXCfnjtYjxonFSN6afJZgg=s0-d-e1-ft#http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/b/0/7/b070a2a05e/fe706bba43/Facebook%20Icon.jpg?__nocache__=1" style="min-height: 89px; width: 89px;" title="Facebook Icon" vspace="0" width="89" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/ProjectIntrf8th" target="_blank"><img align="none" alt="Twitter Icon" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="89" hspace="0" src="https://ci6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/lLtCsnV4_0gRJ-DCT1FOcgKpmGjBqlrQXoXgpwlKTx71lG7csoVac_resxkqu-GqpwQJLYXTfKVmHr_vDSWPevgVVUVopTaZ_GgttxfDxcNhssY5KxPSmZPiRlClQUThhZZbVRiRQIFvCzGFyPAa_arsCmKWOXRNHTI4=s0-d-e1-ft#http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/b/0/7/b070a2a05e/fe706bba43/Twitter%20Icon.jpg?__nocache__=1" style="min-height: 89px; width: 89px;" title="Twitter Icon" vspace="0" width="89" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"> <a href="https://plus.google.com/116826947159954300823/about" target="_blank"><img align="none" alt="Google Plus Button" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="89" hspace="0" src="https://ci5.googleusercontent.com/proxy/ctj7BYaT2rz4MfktCATTIl03xJx12wF73p1-8MBh3AcdcA10tHwRSqGkLsO6M0hCq7tTdAXVN5i7sgX5-l04pqFbWuMT36ZDRN-juZTwI-ma8LP9_QL3lien3vQUxvMjGtlWpIPqHq_EWvyI4_TQPmVRAeux6arqYaoUBgVqWd56k3I=s0-d-e1-ft#http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/b/0/7/b070a2a05e/57637c4d80/Google%20Plus%20Button.jpg?__nocache__=1" style="min-height: 89px; width: 89px;" title="Google Plus Button" vspace="0" width="89" /></a> </span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/projectintrf8th/" target="_blank"><img align="none" alt="Pinterest" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="89" hspace="0" src="https://ci5.googleusercontent.com/proxy/OnokXIi_VLqaDMooDduYfYp4r0vYm0qpwZmPD8Gd8XpY-VgNIOIDl2-Ks1GKA6-HmPMtkJ--1NCzKxNIls7ueOi4Dpasg6nlCn47292JRbJosJFNYbGJp6r3ddUzARURMVfSqxTeEIGEWzRuhizX6Yv4RPc_YA=s0-d-e1-ft#http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/b/0/7/b070a2a05e/fe706bba43/Pinterest.jpg?__nocache__=1" style="min-height: 89px; width: 89px;" title="Pinterest" vspace="0" width="89" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/project-interfaith" target="_blank"><img align="none" alt="Linked In Logo" border="0" class="CToWUd" height="91" hspace="0" src="https://ci4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/RaF7ETaOb2tCQcENbd_pHYEsIpeCznSlFUnUOYPJtpM_ER_b594rOrQM1rvNxSoOfMoCIQbh4aqkADWDOx8W2JmSpOEM8xZz9B4s1ZsHWyUJ4QoSrKmAqfya-DkRpD11flZHF-Ra-E-PpiNCeQVKz5NS=s0-d-e1-ft#https://b070a2a05e-custmedia.vresp.com//fe706bba43/Linked%20In%20Logo.JPG?0.7556669866096444" style="min-height: 91px; width: 91px;" title="Linked In Logo" vspace="0" width="91" /></a></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-45763861263741627272014-10-23T12:03:00.002-05:002014-11-04T11:56:59.194-06:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #7f672a; font-size: 40pt; line-height: 63px;">RavelUnravel: Running a Campaign on Campus and in your Community</span></span></h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Check out our recording of the Google Hangout (10/21) that explored how <a href="http://ravelunravel.com/">RavelUnravel</a> is a resource for your campus, college and community. We heard from people who have used <a href="http://ravelunravel.com/campaigns">RavelUnravel campaigns</a>
in their own context to build understanding and relationships between
people of different faiths, beliefs, and cultures. Learn more on how you can use
RavelUnravel.com to collect and display stories for your group,
organization, or cause. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #7f672a; font-size: 40pt; line-height: 63px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUummqFrwtBNsi_T6VbQQS-Q&v=aGGrSvXn0Gs" target="_blank">Click here for the video! </a></span></span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #7f672a; font-size: 40pt; line-height: 63px;">- - - - - - - </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #7f672a; font-size: 40pt; line-height: 63px;">U<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>N<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>R<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>A<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>V<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>E<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>L<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>E<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>D</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> <span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #7f672a;">T</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #7f672a; line-height: 38px;">R</span><span style="color: #7f672a;">A</span><span style="color: #7f672a;">V</span><span style="color: #7f672a;">E</span><span style="color: #7f672a;">L</span><span style="color: #7f672a;">I</span><span style="color: #7f672a;">N</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #7f672a; line-height: 38px;">G A</span><span style="color: #7f672a;">R</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #7f672a; line-height: 38px;">T E</span><span style="color: #7f672a;">X</span><span style="color: #7f672a;">H</span><span style="color: #7f672a;">I</span><span style="color: #7f672a;">B</span><span style="color: #7f672a;">I</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #7f672a; line-height: 38px;">T </span></span></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Welcome back to the special blog series to showcase the <b> </b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>Unraveled Traveling Art Exhibit</b>. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">Unraveled </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">is a traveling art exhibit based on the themes </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">explored in Project Interfaith's <a href="http://ravelunravel.com/">RavelUnravel.com</a>. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>RavelUnravel.com </b>is an interactive, multimedia website featuring </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">more than 1,000 short video interviews of people discussing their </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">religious or spiritual identity, stereotypes that they have encountered, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">and how welcoming they have found their communities to be.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">The third artist in the UNRAVELED series is Burned Basket and her piece<br /> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">called <span style="color: #990000;">Burned Basket</span>. </span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #43282d; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px;">Burned Basket</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px;">Evelyn Render Katz</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px;">Mixed media</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">from October 1st until October 31st. </span></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/page/unraveled-traveling-art-exhibit" target="_blank">Click here</a> </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">for more information on </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Unraveled Traveling Art Exhibit!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>HOST </b>Unraveled at your school or organization.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>VISIT </b><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/">ProjectInterfaith.org</a> to learn more.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>JOIN </b>the conversation on social media using: #UNRAVELED.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>SHARE </b>your story on <a href="http://ravelunravel.com/" target="_blank">RavelUnravel.com</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">are programs of Project Interfaith.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">Project Interfaith</span></span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> is an educational non-profit organization that grows understanding, </span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">respect and relationships among people of all faiths, beliefs and cultures. For more information:</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-14048897309164495072014-10-16T10:20:00.002-05:002014-10-16T10:22:01.215-05:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Welcome back to the special blog series to showcase the <b> </b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>Unraveled Traveling Art Exhibit</b>. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">Unraveled </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">is a traveling art exhibit based on the themes </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">explored in Project Interfaith's <a href="http://ravelunravel.com/">RavelUnravel.com</a>. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>RavelUnravel.com </b>is an interactive, multimedia website featuring </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">more than 1,000 short video interviews of people discussing their </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">religious or spiritual identity, stereotypes that they have encountered, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">and how welcoming they have found their communities to be.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">The second artist in our series is Monica Yother and her piece <br />called <span style="color: #990000;">At The Heart of It All</span>. </span></span></span></h3>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-US; line-height: 112%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-default-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-greek-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-latin-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-ligatures: none;">Monica Yother</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-US; line-height: 112%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-default-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-greek-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-latin-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-ligatures: none;">Mixed media</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Unraveled is currently on display at </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">Martin Methodist College</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">from October 1st until October 31st. </span></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/page/unraveled-traveling-art-exhibit" target="_blank">Click here</a> </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">for more information on </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Unraveled Traveling Art Exhibit!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>HOST </b>Unraveled at your school or organization.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>VISIT </b><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/">ProjectInterfaith.org</a> to learn more.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>JOIN </b>the conversation on social media using: #UNRAVELED.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>SHARE </b>your story on <a href="http://ravelunravel.com/" target="_blank">RavelUnravel.com</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">Unraveled</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"> and </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">RavelUnravel.com </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">are programs of Project Interfaith.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">Project Interfaith</span></span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> is an educational non-profit organization that grows understanding, respect and relationships among people of all faiths, beliefs and cultures. For more information:</span></span></div>
<div style="color: grey; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><b><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="tel:1-402-933-4647" target="_blank" value="+14029334647">1-402-933-4647</a></span> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.projectinterfaith.org/">www.projectinterfaith.org</a></span></b></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-72998217020744691922014-10-09T08:39:00.001-05:002014-11-04T12:08:25.612-06:00Series Premiere of Unraveled Art Exhibit<!--[if !mso]>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">differing size and medium created by a variety of artists. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Each of the following pieces are inspired by </span><b><span style="color: purple;"><a href="http://ravelunravel.com/" target="_blank"><span lang="en-US">RavelUnravel.com</span></a></span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">.</span></b></span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: small;">of the tapestry of religious and spiritual identities </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: small;">that make up our communities and world. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Project
Interfaith invited artists to submit art pieces that were inspired </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">by
RavelUnravel.com. We received an overwhelming response </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">by<b> fifty-two artists</b>. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">The first artist in our series is Richard Harrison and his piece </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">called <b>From Imagination to Image</b>. </span></span></span><br />
<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 112%;">FROM IMAGINATION TO IMAGE</span></b></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 14.0pt; language: en-US; line-height: 112%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-default-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-greek-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-latin-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-ligatures: none;">Here, Harrison expresses that there are many who cross their own wildernesses to come to a place of finding God's inspiration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They come from suffering of different kinds, historical and individual struggles. Their encounter leads to covenants with God and with each other. Out of that encounter with God springs a life of creativity, and love. </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-family: "Century Gothic"; font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: bold; language: en-US; line-height: 112%; mso-ansi-language: en-US; mso-armenian-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-cyrillic-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-default-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-greek-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-latin-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-latinext-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-ligatures: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Unraveled is currently on display at </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">Martin Methodist College</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">from October 1st until October 31st. </span></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/page/unraveled-traveling-art-exhibit" target="_blank">Click here</a> </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">for more information on </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">Unraveled Traveling Art Exhibit!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>HOST </b>Unraveled at your school or organization.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>VISIT </b><a href="http://projectinterfaith.org/">ProjectInterfaith.org</a> to learn more.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>JOIN </b>the conversation on social media using: #UNRAVELED.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><b>SHARE </b>your story on <a href="http://ravelunravel.com/" target="_blank">RavelUnravel.com</a>. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">Unraveled</span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"> and </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">RavelUnravel.com </span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;">are programs of Project Interfaith.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d; font-weight: bold;">Project Interfaith</span></span><span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> is an educational non-profit organization that grows understanding, </span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="color: #43282d;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">respect and relationships among people of all faiths, beliefs and cultures. For more information:</span></span></div>
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<![endif]-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-6096807938095184452014-08-13T08:34:00.001-05:002014-08-13T08:35:35.473-05:00When Friends Touch the Sacred<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t20U9SPUGjQ/U-toyyNMxcI/AAAAAAAAACU/BgB0-bNJtr8/s1600/Lynnea%2BStuart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t20U9SPUGjQ/U-toyyNMxcI/AAAAAAAAACU/BgB0-bNJtr8/s1600/Lynnea%2BStuart.jpg" height="320" width="316" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>written by guest blogger, Lynnea Stuart</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Some people think I’m Jewish. I’m not. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Not only am I a goya (Gentile female), I’m a transsexual Gnostic goya who happens to study Hebrew. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">But
my best female friend is Jewish… and single. Sometimes we get together
to commiserate about men. I told her one day, “Why don’t you get
serious about your tradition? Go to Shabbat services. Light some
candles.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Then I moved away from my boyfriend. She asked me to
stay with her. For the first week or so I never saw her doing anything
more for Shabbat than macrobiotic cooking which isn’t quite the same
thing as kosher cooking even if it’s consistent with kosher rules. So I
decided to prompt something to happen.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I went out and bought
some candles designed to burn down in a couple of hours. When it comes
to Sabbath lights, one does not extinguish them once lit. They are
simply allowed to burn themselves out.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">So we looked around for
some candlesticks. What we found that fit were some silver candlesticks
so neglected they were heavily bearded in red wax. I said, “Those
should work.” She was shaken.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">As I learned later, these were her grandmother’s candlesticks she had used for Shabbat.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I
continued my preparations: shower, cooking, cleaning. Then as sunset
approached I prompted her to the Sabbath lights. She lit them and
melted them into their sockets. She covered her eyes and said, “Will
you recite the barakhah (blessing)?”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">“Me?” </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I demurred
because, after all, I’m not Jewish. I was just trying to get her to
exercise her own tradition. But she assured me with, “Yes.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I
waved my hands over the candles in a circular pattern, crossed them to
cover my eyes and recited, “Barukh Atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melekh
Ha’olam, Asher kiddeshanu b’mitvotaiv vitzivanu l’hadliyk ner shel
Shabbat.” (Blessed are You, Lord Our God, King of the Universe, Who
sanctified us in His commands and commanded us to kindle a light of
Sabbath)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">My Jewish friend followed along with me in one of the
few barakhot I actually know. But no sooner than we recited it
something remarkable happened.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Picture an explosion of a
skyrocket like on the 4th of July. At that moment Light burst from
between those candles with energy we both felt, a Lumina that filled the
dwelling in a vibrant hush.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">My friend’s eyes widened. “Wow! This is a holy meal!”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">I
then understood something from what I had read in various Rabbinic
articles. What my Magian friends had called, “Light” must have been
what the Rabbis called, “Chai” (Life). It felt the same as I had felt
many times in many traditions: tingly, living, and wonderful. It’s an
energy one encounters when touching the sacred. It alone has kept not a
few from returning to the rites of their respective traditions again
and again.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">And that Shabbat I had the privilege of sharing it with a Jewish friend.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Did
she light Sabbath lights on her own after that? I never saw it
happen. But she did clean up those candlesticks and set them in an
honored place on her table… with decorative Shabbat candles for another
heralding of Shabbat as a sanctuary in time. And I offered a prayer
that the man she may find would lead her to light those candles again.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">For
even in something simple as lighting candles, there’s a profound Light
ready to answer, regardless of whether a girl is of a given faith or
not… and regardless of whether religionists accept her a woman.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Lynnea
Urania Stuart was first published in Shabbat Shalom magazine (Review
and Herald Publishers) as a contributing writer in 1990 and later wrote
the San Francisco Scene column for TV Epic in 2000. Her religious
background is varied, though she today speaks of herself as “Melissite
Gnostic” and may be found in most any religious group, whether
Abrahamic, Dharmic, Shamanic, or Telestatic. She does so openly as a
post-operative transsexual woman while at the same time promoting
spirituality within the transgender demographic within the wide
diversity that transgender people hold spirituality.</i></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-54237086101826179982014-07-17T11:10:00.000-05:002014-07-17T11:10:10.769-05:00My Journey with Project Interfaith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zI526vauLC8/U8fy6FE-4aI/AAAAAAAAABc/WXp286TmVFo/s1600/Kerri+photo+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zI526vauLC8/U8fy6FE-4aI/AAAAAAAAABc/WXp286TmVFo/s1600/Kerri+photo+%25282%2529.jpg" height="320" width="235" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>written by guest blogger, Kerri Dietz-Pillen</i><br /><br />Like me, have you imagined living in a world where people of all faiths, beliefs and cultures are valued, included and protected? <br />Like me could you get excited about it? <br /><br />Would you like to believe that in your immediate community and eventually around the world everyone can be in a classroom where their faith or their culture is celebrated, every health care provider who sees a patient understands how that person’s specific belief system will affect their ability to receive and respond to care, and every business helps their employees of every creed feel understood and comfortable? <br /><br />Working along with Project Interfaith to develop a world like this is exciting to me! <br /><br />It excites me that Project Interfaith is right here in Omaha. I have been excited to watch this genesis, one person at a time, one business place and classroom at a time, one city at a time. I have been excited to see specific programs like the Education Trunk and RavelUnravel build interaction between people who likely not otherwise routinely interact with each other: people from different geographic positions, from different positions of affluence and power, from different positions of belief and culture, from different developmental positions in life. <br /><br />Project Interfaith engages me. It engages all of us, using a variety of ways that people can interact with each other, all to produce this community of respect and relationships that has grown literally across the country and across the world.<br /><br />It excites me to work with Project Interfaith because when I asked if I could help in any way they said, “Yes!” And every time Project Interfaith engages me in volunteer work they give me fantastic education and appropriate tools to do my job well, often including sessions after the event where we share our experiences with the staff and other volunteers.<br /><br />Becoming a certified Project Interfaith speaker caused me to re-examine and rediscover the amazing structure and philosophy that led to PI being recognized internationally for their effectiveness in changing the world one heart at a time. In my studies to become a speaker for them, I revisited the Project Interfaith “Vision” which “strives to create a community and world where people of all faiths, beliefs, and cultures are valued, included and protected.” It inspired me to reassess everything in my life in those terms – Valued, Included, Protected. <br /><br />My most exciting experience at PI has been that of being part of the RavelUnravel during pilot phase. Our teams went out to people in this area and personally asked and filmed the answers to four questions about their beliefs and the personal community experiences that have sprung from these identities. Now, after gaining the personal experience, I completely understand that if I were to visit the places of worship and fellowship of a wide variety of people I have never met, I would be very welcome and feel very comfortable. Despite this newfound knowledge, I cannot imagine another scenario that would have put me into meetings in people’s homes who are Baha’i or Sikh – or into a Pentecostal church or a synagogue… In these places I was able to learn what has inspired the person across from me to follow the spiritual path they have chosen, and these people were willing to share how others in this community have affected them in their journey.<br /><br />This has been one of the most sacred experiences of my life.<br /><br />Come join Project Interfaith in our journey! For you, too, it could be the first step in a journey of a thousand miles. </span></span><i><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kerri Dietz-Pillen is currently the owner of Bellevue Vision Clinic. A graduate from Ohio State University, Kerri has played a large role in volunteering for Project Interfaith throughout the years. </span></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-81383264263603838532014-07-07T09:09:00.001-05:002014-07-18T15:09:07.738-05:00Mr. Farhad Panthaki Brings Light to Traditions and Beliefs of Zoroastrianism (Part 3)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hBlR9bPZyz8/UtWeiU7_KOI/AAAAAAAAAVg/UVJfin3V4G8/s1600/mwphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hBlR9bPZyz8/UtWeiU7_KOI/AAAAAAAAAVg/UVJfin3V4G8/s1600/mwphoto.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>written by Program Intern, Michaela Wolf. </i><br />
<br />
<i>I think when I first heard of your religion, I made an assumption that reincarnation might be included, due to other mentions of rebirth and cycling. Can you explain why this is not so and what your belief regarding death and the after- life is?</i><br />
<br />
In the Zarathushti faith, the soul is considered to be immortal, and death is viewed as a transformation for the soul from the physical to the spiritual realm. It is believed that on the fourth morning after death, the soul is self-judged at an allegorical bridge to the spiritual world and is drawn into Heaven or Hell depending on if the soul generated more good thoughts, words & deeds. It is believed that through the collective good acts of humanity, at the end of time, all evil will be eradicated and all souls from heaven and hell will have to pass through an allegorical river of molten metal to be cleansed of any imperfections and then will be reunited with their resurrected original bodies in a perfect state. These beliefs are not consonant with reincarnation. Also, there are annual prayers performed for remembrance of the departed soul, which would be pointless if the soul was reincarnated. <br />
<br />
<i>Do children learn Avesta today? What role does it have in your contemporary practice?</i><br />
<br />
No. Children today do not learn Avesta. It has not been a spoken language for a really long time. We do pray our prayers in the original Avesta language, on an individual level for the daily kushti prayer and on a community level at communal thanksgiving Jashan prayers. However, we typically use books that have English translations of the Avesta prayers.<br />
<br />
<i>Honesty appears as a pillar in your practice. Can you explain how this shapes your life and the role it carries socially? Can you describe a time when this came up in your life and what you did?</i><br />
<br />
As mentioned earlier, Truth & Righteousness is considered to be of paramount importance as highlighted in the Ashem Vohu prayer. We try to live by these ideals to be an example to our children at every opportunity possible. One evening as I was pulling towards the curb to park to pick up my kids after school, my vehicle clipped the corner of a parked vehicle and the corner light broke and was hanging by the wires. With dread and visions of increased insurance premiums, I quickly looked around and no one was there. So, on instinct, I ran in and picked up my kids. As I was sitting back in the car, I saw thorough the rear view mirror the driver of the other car with his child looking at the broken light, but I just sat there, frozen. Later, that whole evening, I felt really terrible until I resolved to call the other car owner. I looked up the last name from the directory (I asked the kids who else left at the same time they did), called the owner and apologetically explained everything, and gave him my insurance information. I suddenly felt extremely relieved, like a huge burden was lifted. It really drove home the old adage “The truth will set you free.”<br />
<br />
<i>How do you consider biomedical technologies aimed at extending the lifespan of humans?</i><br />
<br />
I personally believe that quality of natural life is way more important than the lifespan.<br />
<br />
<i>Can you speak about the role of dualism in Zoroastrianism?</i><br />
<br />
The dualism that is described is the continuing conflict between Good (Spenta Mainyu) & Evil (Anghra Mainyu) at a cosmic and individual level. Humans are enjoined to always actively promote good to collectively assist in achieving the ultimate triumph of Good over Evil. So, personally, at an individual level, it represents an ethical choice. <br />
<br />
<i>How does this impact your life and perspective?</i><br />
<br />
It reminds me to always weigh the consequences of my words and actions, and attempt to always strive to make the right choice.<br />
<br />
<i>Is there anything else you would like to share about your religion or beliefs?</i><br />
<br />
I wanted to thank you for your interest in the Zarathushti faith, and want to emphasize that I am also a student of the religion. Therefore, in order to provide the best information, I have relied heavily on the following two sources: a book titled “The Zarathushti Religion – A Basic Text” and a pamphlet titled “ Zoroastrians (Zarathushtis) Followers of an Ancient Faith in a Modern World”, both published by FEZANA (Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America).<br />
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<i>Michaela Wolf is the program intern at Project Interfaith. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies with a focus in Biology and a minor in Sociology from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. She currently attends Clarkson College, pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. Her interests include reading, writing, running, the outdoors and art.</i>Tom Lairdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00757818200024772987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-90618310763536077832014-06-30T12:03:00.000-05:002014-07-07T09:10:35.690-05:00Mr. Farhad Panthaki Brings Light to Traditions and Beliefs of Zoroastrianism (Part 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>written by Programming Intern, Michaela Wolf<br /><br />Can you describe to me the relationship of fire, sunlight and light to Ahura Mazda in Zoroastrianism?</i><br /><br />Asho (righteous) Zarathushtra called God by the name Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord or Lord of Wisdom). A consecrated Fire is considered the physical manifestation of Ahura Mazda and the focal point of worship for Zarathushtis. It should be noted that Zarathushtis do not worship fire in and of itself; rather, fire is revered as a physical symbol of the Enlightened Mind and Truth. Since ancient times, fire has provided sustenance for humans in the form of providing warmth and comfort as well as light (synonymous with knowledge & wisdom) by dispelling darkness (synonymous with ignorance). In the absence of a consecrated fire, Zarathushtis pray facing towards the direction of grandest light of Ahura Mazda’s creation, the sun. <br /><i><br />Many of your angels are also related to agriculture. Is there a prevailing land ethic in Zoroastrianism, and if so, can you explain it?</i><br /><br />I am not sure what you mean by angels related to agriculture. The prevailing occupation of the time when the religion originated was farming and agriculture. Therefore, allegorical descriptions and metaphors in the teachings often utilize references from nature and the agricultural society of that time. The teaching for reverence of the land is no more or less than that for the other creations on Earth, and Zarathushtis are enjoined to value and take care of all the creations.<br /><br /><i>Can you speak about the six gahambars (or gahambars) and how you celebrate them? </i><br /><br />The Zarathushtis traditionally celebrated six gahambars or seasonal feasts spread throughout the year in honor of the Skies, Waters, Earth, Plants, Animals & Humans. They were traditionally celebrated over a period of five days each with prayers followed by a communal feast during the different seasons. Over time, the practice of celebrating each gahambar has reduced substantially. Locally, we celebrate the Ayathrem Gahambar in October of each year with a thanksgiving Jashan prayer ceremony followed by a communal dinner. <br /><i><br />Is there one gahambar or an aspect of the gahambars that you enjoy most?</i><br /><br />The aspect of the Gahambars that I enjoy the most is the feeling of togetherness and community that is generated by the participation of the community members in numerous ways. Everyone tries to help in any way they can, by cooking, or bringing items for the prayer ceremony, or helping with the setting, serving and cleaning up after the dinner. Another aspect of the Gahambars that I enjoy on a personal level is during the Hamaspathmaedhem Gahambar, the last Gahambar preceding the Zarathushti New Year. During this time, it is customary to chant the Gathas and also offer our prayers and remembrance to the souls of our dear departed loved ones. The Gathas are divinely inspired hymns composed by Prophet Zarathushtra. When I chant the Gathas and read the English translations, it gives me a strong sense of peace and oneness with Asho Zarathushtra and my faith because it reminds me that I am chanting the very words chanted by Asho Zarathushtra himself thousands of years ago followed by Zarathushtis throughout the ages. <br /><br /><i>Has there been a time in your life when you felt the presence of this belief in a personal experience in your life, like an a-ha moment, or an unique experience of yours when you really felt a strong connection to your identity as a Zoroastrian?</i><br /><br />My full time profession is engineering. However, I have been fortunate enough to have been ordained in India as a Zarathushti priest. This gives me the opportunity to provide services part-time as needed by our local Zarathushti community. These service experiences give me a true sense of peace and satisfaction and a strong connection to my identity as a Zarathushti. In addition, my role as one of the teachers in our monthly Sunday School program gives me the chance to interface with young minds to help them understand and internalize the teachings, values and traditions of our faith so that they can think about and apply them on a daily basis in everything they do. For me the connection is truly made when students or their parents tell me how something they learnt at Sunday School has helped them through difficulties or provided them with an important perspective. <br /><br /><i>What are successes and challenges you experience as a Zoroastrian in the USA?</i><br /><br />Growing up in India, we took our religion, practices and customs for granted and did not necessarily make an effort to learn about them, since most people around us were already familiar with Parsees. The biggest challenge as a Zoroastrian in the US is being able to clearly explain our faith to a person usually unfamiliar with it, in a manner that is relevant to the everyday person. For me, ironically, the biggest success I have experienced has been borne out of the biggest challenge, that is the on-going process of discovery that has unfolded as I have learned and continue to learn more about the history, customs and practices of my faith. <br /><br /><i>How do practice these beliefs? What are some challenges you experience practicing in an urban US city? Do you see unique opportunities to being a Zoroastrian in a US city?</i><br /><br />We practice these beliefs at many levels. On an individual and family level, we perform our daily kushti prayer along with other prayers. The kushti is a sacred cord woven from 72 strands of lamb’s wool which is tied with three loops around the waist to always remind a Zarathushti about the threefold Zarathushti ethic of Humata, Hukhta & Huvareshta (Good thoughts, good words and good deeds). The 72 strands symbolize the 72 chapters recited during the Yasna ceremony performed in the inner precincts of a Zarathushti Fire Temple. The core teachings of the faith, the 17 chapters of the Gathas, form the spiritual core of the Yasna. The kushti is worn over a sacred vest, the sudreh, a specially stitched cotton vest, white in color to represent purity and cleanliness of mind and body. The kushti and sudreh are first worn by a child at their Navjote (initiation ceremony). At a community level, we (ZAGBA) celebrate important days by gathering together as a community to celebrate days such as the New Year, Gahambars etc. with prayer and feasting. <br /><br /><i>Do you think social attitudes and policies are moving nearer to or further from the elements of respect for environment your faith holds? Do you feel especially invested in some public policy issues because of your faith or do you view them as unrelated?</i><br /><br />Generally, I think that at a grassroots level, the awareness of respect for the environment may be increasing, with the recycling programs in many communities being a prime example. However, I am not so sure about the corporate/industry level, where profits usually drive the decision making process. I do not necessarily view public policy issues as related to my faith. <br /><br /><i>Can you please describe the role of cheerfulness and joyfulness in your religion?</i><br />The basic Ashem Vohu prayer in its essence describes the path to happiness as “Righteousness & Truth is good, it is the best, it is happiness; Happiness to the one who practices Righteousness & Truth for its own sake.” Therefore, true happiness is linked to making the right ethical and moral choices just because that is the right thing to do.<br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />Look for the third of this four part series next week!<br /><br /><i>Michaela Wolf is the program intern at Project Interfaith. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies with a focus in Biology and a minor in Sociology from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. She currently attends Clarkson College, pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. Her interests include reading, writing, running, the outdoors and art.</i></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-86547785807579244322014-06-24T10:01:00.001-05:002014-06-24T10:05:29.387-05:00Mr. Farhad Panthaki Desribes His Roots in the Deeply Rooted Religion Zoroastrianism<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aQvEoS4qwQg/U6mRbUNnkVI/AAAAAAAAAAw/UaCMmSTCYCE/s1600/Michaela+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aQvEoS4qwQg/U6mRbUNnkVI/AAAAAAAAAAw/UaCMmSTCYCE/s1600/Michaela+photo.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>written by Programming Intern, Michaela Wolf</i><br /><br />Please take a moment to read an interview with Mr. Farhad Panthaki of Boston. He is the President of the Zoroastrian Association of the Greater Boston Area (ZAGBA) and has generously taken the time to share a little bit about his faith and beliefs with me. Zoroastrianism is an ancient religious tradition with a history of over 3,500 years and roots in India and Iran. Currently there are about 200,000 of Zoroastrians or Zarathushtis globally and 17,000 in the US and Canada. Zoroastrianism is said to have a large influence over the development of the Abrahamic faiths, and is credited with establishing concepts like good and evil, heaven and hell, monotheism, and free will into religion. I initially became interested in Zoroastrianism because of the reverence the tradition holds for natural environments and processes as well as light and darkness and am so grateful Mr. Panthaki gave me a unique opportunity to learn more. I hope you enjoy his responses as much as I did!<br /><br />* Due to the length of this interview, it will be a four part series. <br /><br />Brief Statement:<br /><br />I was born and grew up in Mumbai, India and came to the US about 25 years ago for graduate school. I currently work as an Engineer and live with my wife and two children in Norwood, MA. Our family has been fortunate to be a part of the ZAGBA family for about two decades.<br /><br />Interview Questions:<br /><br /><i>First, I was wondering if you could give a little background on your religion and also about how it became your faith.</i><br /><br /> The Zoroastrian (Zarathushti) religion originated over 3500 years ago in ancient Persia (present day Iran), as a revealed monotheistic religion through prophet Zarathushtra (called Zoroaster by the Greeks). It was the dominant religion during three mighty Persian empires spanning over a thousand years from about 550B.C.E. to 650 C.E. In the early part of the 10th century, there was an exodus of Zarathushtis from Iran to India to escape religious persecution and for preservation of their faith. The Zarathushtis that were given refuge in India came to be known as the Parsees. It became my faith through my parents who are Parsee Zarathushtis.<br /><br /><i>Where do you practice?</i><br /><br />We practice our faith with our family at our home in Norwood, MA and also with our Zarathushti friends and community members in Massachusetts. Our local community comes together under the auspices of ZAGBA (Zoroastrian Association of the Greater Boston Area). Since we are a small community, we do not have our own community center. We have our community events in rented halls, usually of community centers or local churches.<br /><br /><i>How large is your community?</i><br /><br />Our local community in MA (ZAGBA) consists of about 250 individuals. There are numerous Zarathushti communities in the US & Canada with an estimated total of about 17,000. The worldwide population of Zarathushtis is estimated at about 200,000, with the largest concentrations in the “homelands” of Iran and India.<br /><i><br />What is the most important part to being a Zoroastrian for you personally? How do you connect and find meaning in your faith?</i><br /><br />The most important part of being a Zarathushti for me personally is to be able to cherish being a part of this ancient yet relevant tradition, learn and understand more about the core teachings of our faith, learn how to live by them on a daily basis and be able to pass that religious and cultural heritage to our children.<br /><br /><i>What is a religious or spiritual stereotype that impacts you?</i><br /><br />I cannot think of any stereotype that impacts me.<br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />Look for the second of this four part series next week!<br /><br /><i>Michaela Wolf is the program intern at Project Interfaith. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies with a focus in Biology and a minor in Sociology from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. She currently attends Clarkson College, pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. Her interests include reading, writing, running, the outdoors and art.</i><br /><b><br />For more information about Zoroastrianism and ZAGBA, please visit…</b><br />The ZAGBA website: http://zagba.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=4<br /><br />Khojeste P Mistree. The Zarathushi Religion: A Basic Text. Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America, 1998.<br /><br />Rivetna, Rohinton M. Zoroastrians (Zarathushtis) Followers of an Ancient Faith in a Modern World. Ed. Committee FEZANA Publications. Hillesdale: FEZANA, 2005. Print.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-69136145328468434492014-06-17T09:15:00.000-05:002014-06-17T09:15:14.988-05:00My Human Experience <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>written by guest blogger, Ozioma Aloziem</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />This summer has been rather unusual for me. As a multi-tasking busy body that thrives in chaos and to-do lists, I’ve found myself coming to quite an unexpected stop in motion. Classes have ended for the semester and aside from a brief evening job, I am not expected to be anywhere or do anything. I’m living on my own for the summer and I’ll admit I was terrified about what this summer of stillness and solitude would do to me. Thankfully, I’ve found that it has been breathtakingly refreshing. I’ve been able to take a step back and really examine all the different nuances of the world around me. We get so caught up in our busy work schedules and bills and so wrapped up in our personal dramas that we completely overlook our connectedness to each other and the world around us. As a psychology and anthropology double major with a passion for cross-cultural research, I constantly seek connections in this strange thing we call the human experience. If I’ve learned anything in my two decades of living, it is that aside from all of our various differences and beliefs remain some very similar central truths. What is faith but the belief in something bigger than our tiny selves? What is culture but what ties us to the roots of our past and the branches of our future? What does it mean to be a human being and how does that differ cross-culturally? It is the latter question that guides me in all that I do. I’ve lived in Omaha my entire life and I have come across people from every background imaginable. Despite our different backgrounds and upbringings I have still been able to form meaningful relationships and I’ve been able to grow as a person. That is the beauty of intercultural experiences- the way in which it allows you to grow into a person your younger self would be proud to be. <br /><br />Although I’ve been able to explore and learn more about the respective cultures of others, my own culture often feels alien to me. My parents were both born in Nigeria but moved to the United States in search of better opportunities for their future children. They then had to watch their children get so comfortable in a country they never planned on permanently settling down in and watch silently and sadly as we refused to learn about the deep lineage and unforgiving earth from which our family history stems from. As a first generation immigrant, it has been very difficult trying to navigate between two cultures. Although you might not consciously make the decision, you often find yourself choosing between the two. From the abbreviated version of my name I choose to go by to the way I am unable to speak to my parents in their first tongue, I’ve often felt myself constantly choosing one over the other. Despite being a Nigerian in America, I feel so disconnected from my Nigerian heritage. When my grandmother recently passed away in Nigeria, I felt guilty. I felt guilty for not understanding my mother’s grief, for not being able to share in it. Her loss was an island I didn’t know how to reach and my grandmother was just the name of someone in a different country. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve been more determined to blend the two. I originally planned on spending the summer in Nigeria doing cross-cultural research and getting to better know my Nigerian heritage but those plans unfortunately fell through due to the current situation in the country. While I was deeply devastated I had to remind myself that despite your very best efforts, sometimes your best laid plans just don’t work out and that isn’t necessarily a reflection of you. However, what you choose to do and where you go from there speaks volumes.<br /><br />One of the first lessons I’ve learned in being a researcher is that you have to learn flexibility and patience. You have to learn to take things in stride otherwise this field could crush you (or cause you to have a mental breakdown). That being said, I decided to relocate my research project. In a little over a month I will be traveling by myself to the Dominican Republic. I know very little about the people and even less of the language and am absolutely terrified about setting foot in a land where I have never been before. However, being outside of my comfort zone is something that is not foreign to me. I have practice in being in settings where people are unlike me so hopefully I can transition somewhat smoothly. During these past few weeks, I’ve consciously made an effort to be aware of my surroundings, the ease in which I navigate this city, and the comfort that I find here. I’m reminding myself that I won’t have this in a little over a month, that I will be somewhere shockingly new. I’m also reminding myself that home is less about location and more about the feelings you take with you everywhere. I hope to learn as much as I can about the culture in the Dominican Republic during my five week stay there and I hope to find a little piece of home to take with me when I go.<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /><i>Ozioma Aloziem is currently a Senior at Creighton University. She is a Psychology and Anthropology double major and a Women's and Gender Studies minor. Her reach in the community is quite extensive and includes coaching for the Marian Speech Team, tutoring high school students for Upward Bound, working in the Creighton University Office of Multicultural Affairs, and serving as a Peer Education Intern and former Women's History Month Coordinator for the Lieben Center for Women. She is very involved on Creighton's campus as a Markoe Scholar in the Markoe Leadership Program, an executive officer for the Minority Association for Pre-Health Students and is currently serving a second term as the Multicultural Advisory Council President. Her passions include an intense love for cross-cultural research and cultural competency training. In her free time, Ozy enjoys poetry, wine and laughing. </i></span></span><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></i>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7518478269823419458.post-7121910184195786172014-06-10T12:23:00.000-05:002014-06-10T12:23:48.348-05:00Does She Still Eat Bacon?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S3_QdylnurU/U5c9doS1r-I/AAAAAAAAAAM/VzM0Gttf3Lo/s1600/Sahra+Kaboli+Nejad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S3_QdylnurU/U5c9doS1r-I/AAAAAAAAAAM/VzM0Gttf3Lo/s1600/Sahra+Kaboli+Nejad.jpg" height="200" width="145" /></a></div>
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>written by our Communications Intern, Sahra Kaboli-Nejad<br /> </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Don’t bring a bomb to school and blow us all up!” Those
words have rung in my ears for almost ten years now. I had a notion, growing
up, that bringing Persian food for lunch and speaking Farsi at home was different
than what my friends did. I was in middle school when I realized, however, that
my ethnicity and perceived religion were going to affect people’s perceptions
of me in the post-9/11 world. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Let’s clear something up here. I am a first generation Persian-American.
Neither of my parents were raised in religious households, but if a choice had
to be made, my mother was technically Muslim and my father, Zoroastrian. I went
to a Catholic high school and currently attend a Jesuit University while
working part time at a daycare under the Jewish Federation. Long story short, religious
diversity isn’t something new to me. I don’t identify with a particular faith,
as my exposure to so many has led me to see the beauty and truth in all. I am
21 years young and I firmly believe that religion is an integral part of one’s self;
therefore I am taking as much time as I need to form and understand my beliefs.
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One dilemma I have faced when attempting to define my faith is
the unfortunate negativity and misunderstanding that is associated with the
word “Muslim” in today’s world. Throughout my life I have gravitated somewhat
toward Islam. I cannot count the number of times I have told someone that I’m
Persian and questions follow like “Why aren’t you covering your hair?”, “Do you
pray five times a day?”, or my favorite, “So do you still eat bacon?” While I
don’t have concrete reasons for some of these questions I can firmly say, yes I
still eat bacon. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The question then arises in me: Is there a reason that Islam
is viewed as a strict religion with no liberal sectors? Not all Jews are Kosher
and not all Christians attend Church weekly, however it seems as though their
faith and belief are rarely questioned. In high school, I started habitually stating
“I don’t practice my religion,” prior to any questions being asked due to the
stereotypical and sometimes, negative comments that would follow.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In college, I had a history professor who once said, “The
beauty of Islam is that Muslims can make what they want of it.” It was this
statement that sparked my interest in the Muslim faith and I began to
critically evaluate my beliefs and faith again. Religion of any sort is not
something that should be blindly followed. One is not a believer just because
they follow general guidelines that, let’s face it, were created long before
our time. The way I see it is that you must truly believe in the basic morals and
values of the faith. Once you identify with those it is your choice<span style="color: red;"> </span>whether to call yourself a “Muslim”, “Christian”,
“Buddhist”, “Jew”, etc. Your religious identity is yours, not something that is
cast to a vote by the rest of society on whether it is practiced correctly. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As of today, I haven’t gotten to the point of specifying my
faith in a particular religion.<span style="color: red;"> </span>However, because
of my involvement with organizations such as Project Interfaith, the Muslim
Student Association, the Jewish Community Center, and Creighton University, I
am a step closer. I strongly believe that their messages and programs help many
people, like me, on their quest to find an essential part of themselves as well
as educate the community. Through these learning experiences, I have become an
advocate; encouraging my peers to find where their identities lie. I hope that my
hard work, along with the dedication of others, will play a role into creating
a world where nobody has to hear the ‘joke’, “Please don’t bring a bomb to
school!” again. <br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Sahra Kaboli-Nejad is the Communications Intern at Project Interfaith.
She currently attends Creighton University where she is pursuing her
degree in Psychology, with a focus on Cross Cultural
Industrial/Organizational Psychology as well as a minor in History. Her interest in interfaith
and cross cultural interactions comes from her various experiences
around the world – including visits to Italy, Switzerland, Tanzania,
Zanzibar, and Iran. In her spare time, Sahra is currently working on
improving her fluency in Farsi and Arabic. </i></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0