 |  | Packing "Welcome Home" baskets for asylum seekers, with ICLA fellows (from left to right): Rev. Joyce Dugger, Rev. Shokuchi Deirdre Carrigan, Dr. Sheriden Booker, Rev. Lauren Ahava Jacobs, Imam Gareth Bryant, and Rev. E. Tyrone Pittman, and ICNY staff Dr. Henry Goldschmidt (center) | | Dear Friend, ICNY is looking forward to celebrating this year's James Parks Morton Interfaith Awards and Annual Dinner on Monday evening, June 26th, at the Tribeca Rooftop when we will proudly honor two of New York City's essential faith leaders, and the director and creative team of an important documentary film that deals with prejudice and faith. Book your tickets now to join us in celebration of our honorees and New York City's religious diversity on a beautiful rooftop overlooking the Hudson. There's still time to sponsor the event, submit a tribute to the journal, and buy individual tickets here. (If you prefer to mail in a reply form, you can access a printable version here, but please be sure to send us an email first so we know to save your spot.) In the meantime, we invite you to click here to learn more about Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah; Dr. Uma Mysorekar, F.A.C.O.G., President of the Hindu Temple Society of North America; and Joshua Seftel, director of the and the creative team behind the Academy Award nominee documentary short Stranger at the Gate, including how to watch the full film in advance of the event for free. We are also looking forward to honoring our fourth cohort of Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy fellows at their graduation ceremony at St. Paul's Chapel in lower Manhattan on June 6 at 6:00 PM. Keynote remarks will be offered by Council Member Shekar Krishnan, the first Indian-American member of City Council. All are welcome, but seating is limited, so please be sure to follow the RSVP link in the announcement below. Thanks to the generous support of Trinity Church Wall Street, ICNY continues to support diverse houses of worship that are sheltering asylum seekers, and our partnerships with Brooklyn's Muslim Community Center and Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd were recently featured in City Limits "City's Houses of Worship Gear Up to Shelter Asylum Seekers," and on CNN's "Keeping the Faith: New Housing Options for NYC Migrants." We are proud to share that these faith-based shelter efforts in the coming months will be expanded through an innovative partnership between New York Disaster Interfaith Services and the City of New York. Please sign up with the form below if your congregation would like to participate. As a partner on this project, ICNY will be hiring a Shelter Outreach Worker beginning mid-June. To learn more and view the job description, click here. Finally, we share the sad news that Rev. Dominique Atchison's last day at the Interfaith Center of New York will be on June 5th. In her time at ICNY, Rev. Atchison has held anti-gun violence trainings for religious leaders, worked with multifaith coalitions to advocate for closing Rikers Island, nurtured ICNY's own Racial Justice Coalition, and shared regular Racial Justice Coalition Updates. All of us at ICNY look forward to following her work and to future opportunities to collaborate. Sincerely, | |  | The Rev. Dr. Chloe Breyer
ICNY Executive Director P.S. In honor of Pride Month & Juneteenth, ICNY is partnering with Interfaith America on a 6/20 webinar "Interfaith and Pride: LGBTQ + BIPOC Inclusion in Faith Spaces" with Lama Rod Owens, Rev. Don Abram, Rev. Nicole M. Garcia, Tahil Sharma, and Tanisha Jarvis. Register Here. | | | | | |  | ICNY Gala 2023 Sponsorships and Tickets now available June 26th, 2023 6:30 PM Cocktails, 7:30 PM Dinner Tribeca Rooftop, Manhattan Announcing the 2023 James Parks Morton Interfaith Award Honorees: - Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah
- Dr. Uma Mysorekar, F.A.C.O.G., President of The Hindu Temple Society of North America
- Joshua Seftel and the Creative Team behind the documentary short film Stranger at the Gate
Please click the link below to learn more about our esteemed honoree and to watch the Oscar nominated documentary short Stranger at the Gate in advance of ICNY's own awards ceremony on June 26th. We look forward to celebrating with you all in June. Thank you to our early sponsors to date. Table and ticket sponsorships are still available at the link below. | | | |  | Celebrate Pride and Juneteenth Interfaith and Pride: LGBTQ+ & BIPOC Inclusion in Faith Spaces June 20th, 11:30 AM ET. Virtual, Free, and Open to All In celebration of Pride Month and Juneteenth, join ICNY and Interfaith America for a panel discussion uplifting faith leaders who create LGBTQ+ affirming places of religious and spiritual expression. For LGBTQ+ folks, especially for those who identify as Black or people of color, religious institutions have not always been inclusive spaces. Hear from leaders who are educating people of faith and communities on how to better create places of belonging. Speakers will Include: - Lama Rod Owens, Buddhist minister and activist
- Rev. Don Abram, Founder of Pride in the Pews
- Rev. Nicole M. Garcia, Faith Director at the National LGBTQ+ Task Force
- Tahil Sharma, Regional Coordinator for North America at the United Religions Initiative
- Tanisha Jarvis, Social Science Specialist in the VA Suicide Prevention office and a Diversity Consultant with CAMS-Care
| | | |  | NYC Needs Your House of Worship Support the Newest New Yorkers by Sheltering Asylees Since last summer, over 44,000 asylum seekers have arrived on their own or been transported to New York City without regard for their wellbeing. Hundreds continue to arrive each week. The NYC shelter system, hotels and alternative housing sites have been overwhelmed as asylum seekers try to find safe shelter while awaiting immigration court proceedings. While most are single men, single women and families with children are also arriving. Many of these fellow global citizens in crisis have fled unimaginable conditions in their country of origin and then experienced an arduous journey on their way to New York City. The city has been providing hotels, homeless shelters, and other mass care spaces as housing on a temporary basis. We are proposing to fund congregations, of any faith tradition, to provide temporary small group shelter housing to single adult male and female asylees. The program would provide shelter for the next 12-24 months while all of us continue to call on the state and Federal government to help address this need for more permanent housing. We are seeking houses of worship in all faith traditions that can meet the practical requirements outlined in the flyer above. In exchange for your hospitality, congregations will be paid a monthly fee -- to cover all required operating expenses related to meeting each asylees' basic human needs and to offset space use costs. Click here or the button below if your house of worship can help. | | | | | | INTERFAITH CIVIC LEADERSHIP ACADEMY | |  | Graduation Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy Graduation Tuesday, June 6th, 6:00-8:00 PM St. Pauls Chapel 209 Broadway New York, NY 10007 Please join us in celebrating the work of our 2022 - 2023 Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy fellows!
We'll gather on Tuesday, June 6th, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm, for a reception with refreshments, multifaith prayer, and reflection, including a keynote address from Council Member Shekar Krishnan, the first Indian-American elected to the New York City Council. All four cohorts of the Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy are invited, along with other religious and civic leaders. Family, friends, and community members are welcome to join the celebration! It's a great opportunity to build relationships across faith lines. Click below for directions, details and RSVP. *Limited Seats Available* | | | |  | ICLA Fellow Project Inclusive Faith: Bridging the Gap for Accessibility in NYC Houses of Worship Thursday, June 8th. 11:00 AM Virtual Event Dr. Bonner will highlight some of the most common physical, attitudinal, and technological barriers facing disabled New Yorkers in their quest for belonging within their faith communities. Log in on Thursday, June 8th, at 11a.m. | | | |  | Volunteer Sanghas Support Refugees Apply As the number of displaced peoples around the world continues to rise, we are continuously called to respond. Join our grassroots team of dedicated volunteers in and around New York City. Show up and do your bit with us. However small it may seem, each and every effort counts. Since we started last year, we've supported an individual settle in NYC from Latin America. We found them home, employment, and access to services. Soon we will be supporting another person, this time coming from the Middle East. And we need your help. No prior experience necessary. All that's required is an open heart-mind and some elbow grease. For more info and to apply, email the link below. | | | | | | OTHER EVENTS & ANNOUNCMENTS | |  | Wear Orange Faith Communities and the "Wear Orange Weekend" to Raise Awareness of the Movement to End Gun Violence June 2nd - 4th People of faith across America will be observing Wear Orange Weekend (June 2-4, 2023) to demand action to end gun violence. Is your faith-based organization, house of worship, or religious community interested in participating? Use this Social Media Toolkit to help you learn more about #WearOrange and how you can show support. | | | | | |  | Equality & Justice in America Thurgood Marshall Law Day 2023 June 4th, 10:00 AM St. Philip's Episcopal Church 204 West 134th Street Join us at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church on Sunday, June 4th at our 10:00am service welcoming speaker, District Attorney, Alvin Bragg. No RSVP required. | |  | Congressmember Adriano Espaillat Interfaith Forum Thursday, June 8th, 4:45 - 6:15 pm 729 W. 181st Street New York, NY 10033 You are invited to the Interfaith Forum 2023 Hosted by Representative Adriano Espaillat On Thursday June 8th at 4:45p.m. at the Washington Collegiate Church. Send an email here to RSVP or call (212) 497-5959. | |  | The Rainbow Initiative Historic Black Episcopal Church Host LGBTQ+ Asylum Event Sunday, June 11th, 10:00 AM St. Philip's Episcopal Church 204 West 134th Street Integrity Harlem will present LGBTQIA Asylum Seekers Sunday taking place at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church on Sunday, June 11th, 2023 at 10 a.m. Speakers will be Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, an Ugandan LGBTQ+ rights activist, and Al Green, a gay asylum seeker from Jamaica. A reception will follow at noon which will feature the testimonies and experiences from other gay refugees. St. Philip’s Episcopal Church is the first African-American Episcopal Church in New York City. Its initial location was on Centre Street in Lower Manhattan in where free African-Americans and enslaved Blacks came together to worship in a wooden building. After a fire destroyed its original structure, St. Philip’s would move to two more locations as a consequence of racialized violence from white residents and because of Civil War military operations. Eventually, St. Philip’s moved to its current location in 1911 and designed by the African American architect, Vertner Tandy. Integrity Harlem is a continuation of LGTBQ+ ministries that began at St. Philip’s 15 years ago. The organization is a partner with Episcopal Migrant Ministries and provides resources for LGBTQIA persons and their families, including legal, medical, mental health and spiritual advice and counsel. No RSVP required. | | | |  | Borderless Meet 'Borderless' - the Growing Global Movement Tuesday, June 13th 6:30 - 8:30 PM Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Chapel of St. James Join us for an inspiring evening to support the growing global movement and media platform uniting the generation making a better world for a cultural revolution. Borderless works on the ground across the planet in communities to build hubs that bring youth, artists, and civil society, education, business, and media partners together to discover, produce, and distribute cultural expressions that elevate our humanity, bridge divides, and accelerate change. Space is limited, please RSVP at the Paperless Post link below. | | | |  | Psychotherapy Certificate Summer Certificate Program in Spiritually-Informed Psychotherapies Wednesdays, June 14th - 26th, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET Virtual The Psychotherapy and Spirituality Institute’s summertime continuing clinical education certificate program in Spiritually-Informed Psychotherapies gives qualified professionals providing mental health or pastoral care services an opportunity to holistically inform their practices through the study of the key intersections between spiritual wisdom and psychological insight. In a virtual seminar setting, students will consider a wide array of topics – including intimacy, family life, LGBTQIA+ issues, cultural diversity, addictions, conflict, grief, and trauma – incorporating spiritual perspectives into each area. A brief final integrative reflection paper will allow students to apply what they have learned to their own work. This program is meant to enrich professionals’ clinical practice and deepen their understanding of how spiritual dynamics figure in holistic care. 18-CECs are available to NYSED certified LMSWs, LCSWs, LMFTs, LCATs, and LMHCs. Graduates of the summer certificate program will become PSI alumni and program affiliates. | | | |  | The Advocacy Institute Advocacy Leadership Accelerator Program Applications Due: June 16th Program Duration: September 2023 - June 2024 The Advocacy Institute is accepting applications for the next Advocacy Leadership Accelerator (ALA) now through June 16th. ALA is designed for organizations like yours, to support organizers and advocates with some budget and legislative experience working on active state-level campaigns. Over the course of 10 months from September 2023 through June 2024, participants can expect to: -
Increase organizational capacity to run effective advocacy campaigns -
Strengthen individual advocacy leadership and knowledge, and develop stronger peer networks with advocates across the state -
Strengthen strategies and tactics to build leadership and ensure those directly impacted by injustice increase their influence on state policy-making -
Strengthen relationship-building skills for working with elected officials and coalition partners -
Learn practices and support for sustainability -
Learn additional advocacy strategies and tactics on topics such as: Honing your ask, developing leadership and decision making structures, conducting a campaign power analysis, planning for implementation, and other advanced campaign strategies. Find more information and apply below. | | | | | |  | Interfaith Sainthood Nomination The Saint David Amess Peace Initiative A New York Muslim, who has been residing in the UK has founded The Saint David Amess Peace Initiative, the world's first known interfaith sainthood nomination. The initiative, which has been well received by the Catholic Church, and also has some prominent Jewish support, seeks to recognize murdered UK politician Sir David Amess, with the highest honors in his faith, Sainthood. In support of this nomination is the global £1 Million drive to fund Sir David's Sainthood investigation, his multiple charities and Southend, a United Arab Emirates government fatwa approved by 6 Muftis and a petition to award Sir David with an American Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously. The initiative hopes to be a powerful gesture of unity and tolerance that helps combat extremist ideologies and prevents future violence. | | | |  | Ruth's Refuge For Shavuot, Welcome Asylum Seekers and Refugees! Amazon and Target Wish List At Ruth's Refuge, we strive every day to be a source of welcome to all those fleeing their homelands and coming to our city. We strive to embrace them so that they too will make this their new home and become a treasured part of our community. This month alone, we furnished 9 homes for folks from Peru, Venezuela, Ukraine, Guinea, Honduras, Afghanistan, and Syria. The households ranged from single folk to families of 5 with young babies. We have a great deal packed and ready to go out to 7 more homes, but our supplies are very depleted and we need more items for the following asylum seekers and refugees: - Family of 5 from Afghanistan with 3 very young children
- Trans woman from Guyana
- Multigenerational family of 5 from Honduras
- 2 sisters and their families with young children from Guatemala
- A couple from Congo
- Family of 3 from Burkina Faso
Please purchase form these families' wishlists, and share within your networks. | | | | | |  | Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute Graymoor Peace, Reconciliation, and Ecumenicity Program The Graymoor Peace, Reconciliation, and Ecumenicity Program (GPREP) is a retreat-based course of study and discernment offered by the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement at Graymoor in Garrison, NY. Its goal is to help prepare Christian leaders and those being trained for leadership as “ambassadors of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:16-20) and “artisans of peace” (Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti). The Program takes place over five separate overnight retreats (Monday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon), spread throughout the academic year, at the Holy Mountain Franciscan Retreat Center at Graymoor. There will be time for academic instruction and dialogical training by ecumenical and interfaith experts, shared prayer, meals together, and open-ended conversation. Click the links below for more information and to apply. | | | | | |  | Internships Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute Internship Application Deadline: July 15th, 2023 Duration: September 15th, 2023 - July 15th, 2023 Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute (GEII), a ministry of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, invites applications from graduate students and seminarians for 9-month research & program internships, on site at the Interchurch Center in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of New York City. Priority will be given to individuals working on research projects relating to ecumenical, interreligious, or broader cultural reconciliation and peacebuilding. Click the link below for more information/application. | | | | | | The Interfaith Center of New York (ICNY) works to overcome prejudice, violence, and misunderstanding by activating the power of the city's grassroots religious and civic leaders and their communities. | | | | | |
