November Newsletter and Five Year Anniversary
We had an amazing first two events with our 2024-2025 Fellows! Thank you to everyone who came and made them feel so welcome. We have another batch of exciting programming to share with you for November and a special five year anniversary message!
“It has been five years since Abrahamic House was first founded. We created Abrahamic House in order to write our own narrative, a narrative of interfaith collaboration, harmony, and peace, instead of letting those with hearts full of hate and ignorance push their narratives on us. At Abrahamic House, we practice gathering not othering. We care deeply about bringing people from different faiths, or no faith, together to celebrate and collaborate. We have worked hard to build a space and community where you can exist without fear or judgment. It doesn’t matter what your background is, whether you are Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Baháʼí, from a faith outside the Abrahamic tradition, or not religious at all. At Abrahamic House, you are safe, and you are welcome. We are so lucky to be here in the United States, where interfaith efforts like these are possible. We are grateful to have such amazing staff and supporters. Abrahamic House was a brave experiment, and we are so thankful every day for all the success we have had. There is no other organization building interfaith communities the way we are, through informal human connection and intentional residency programs. As the world around us becomes more and more fractured and many interfaith dialogue efforts are increasingly abandoned, our community has grown in both size and conviction. Our bonds have only been deepened through hardship, and we can’t wait to see how much we will continue to grow and develop in the years to come as an organization, a movement, and a family.”
Mohammed Al Samawi
Founder and CEO
Abrahamic House
“Abrahamic House is a wonderful place where people of different faiths can come together to learn more about each other and develop appreciation for each other’s cultures and beliefs. Interfaith efforts like Abrahamic House are vital to moving forward towards the ultimate goal of world peace and recognizing humanity as a single human family.”
Steve Sarowitz
Abrahamic House Supporter
Abrahamic House Board Member
Abrahamic House Board Member
Día de Muertos
Friday, November 1st, 7-9 PM EDT
REGISTER
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Candid Conversations Dinner Club:
Hope and Resilience
Saturday, November 16th, 6:30-9:30 PM EST
You are cordially invited to our Candid Conversations Dinner Club!
Candid Conversations is our newest series at Abrahamic House, created with the intention of providing a space for meaningful discussions on topics that impact our communities. This series is designed to allow us to slow down, share a meal together, and engage in conversations with the goal of learning from one another. These dinners will be small and intimate, with only 10 guests per event. We’ll be selecting participants intentionally to ensure a diverse representation of racial, religious, ethnic, and other backgrounds.
This month we will be talking about hope and resilience. The past year has been filled with rising fascism, economic decline and polarization. We want to hear about how you’re cultivating hope, taking care of yourself & your communities, and how we can practice resilience together. If faith is a part of that discussion for you, we’d love to hear about it, but also hope comes to us in many ways, and you’re welcome to talk about whatever feels most relevant to your experience.
You’ll hear from us at least a week before the event to let you know if you’ve been selected. Once you’re picked, please confirm your spot within 24 hours so we can invite someone from the waitlist if needed. If you don’t make the guest list this time, don’t worry! We’ll have more dinners in the future, and we’d love to have you join us then.
We look forward to sharing this experience with you on Saturday, November 16th, from 6:30-9:00!
Parking and space is limited, so please plan accordingly. Location and email confirmation will be provided closer to the event date.
Please note: Alcohol is welcome at this event, and we will provide a few options, but please also feel welcome to bring your own!.
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Friendsgiving Potluck
Saturday, November 23rd, 5:00-8:00 PM EST
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We can’t believe we’ve been #GatheringNotOthering for five years now! Thank you so much for being a part of our intrepid interfaith family. With a community like ours, we can’t help being excited and hopeful for the future.
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Happy Diwali from our family at IFC to yours!
Common Greetings: Shubh Diwali [Shoobah Dih-vah-lee]!
Wishing you a bright and Happy Diwali.
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What is IFC up to?
IFC is partnering with Miami University’s Interfaith Center on a series of Religious and Cultural Literacy workshops. The last one is on Sunday, November 10th, at 2pm. The topic is Breaking Down Faith-Based Stereotypes and Misconceptions. All are open to the public!
Click here for more information.
In November, IFC is continuing its collaboration with Temple Micah’s teen group as well as offering two Religious and Cultural Literacy programs for The George Washington University community as part of their annual Interfaith Week.
Would you like to bring a Religious and Cultural Literacy workshop to your congregation, workplace, or school? If so, email Symi Rom-Rymer, symirr@ifcmw.org, for more details.
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DMV Interfaith Resources
New Deadline: Montgomery County FY25 Nonprofit Security Grant Program
The Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS) is soliciting grant applications for the County’s FY 2025 Nonprofit Security Grant Program from qualified nonprofit or faith-based organizations located in Montgomery County. The County Council’s FY25 Approved Budget provides $1,200,000 to nonprofit and faith-based organizations at a high risk of experiencing hate crimes.
Key Program Resources:
• Online Grants Application Platform: https://mcmdgrants.
• Program Page: https://mcmdgrants.
For questions, technical support, or alternate ADA submission options please contact the Office of Grants Management using the contact information below: Ali Hoy, Program Manager II Office of Grants Management (240) 773-3384 grants@
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The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will distribute $210 million in Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) funds through the Federal Emergency Management Agency as the second tranche of additional funding that the Biden-Harris Administration secured to protect faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations against targeted attacks. This funding will be made available in a Notice of Funding Opportunity to be published in late October.
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Upcoming Religious Holidays
October 2024
29th (ends November 3rd)t Diwali (Hindu): Festival of Lights symbolizing the human urge to move toward the light. One of four seasonal celebrations in India.
Greetings: Happy Diwali!
November 2024
October 31st or November 1st Shree Mahavir/Nirvan Day/Diwali (Jain): Known also as the festival of lights. In Jainism it commemorates the enlightenment and liberation of Mahavira, the most recent of the Jain Tirthankaras, from the cycle of life and death. The lighting of the lamps celebrates the light of Mahavira’s holy knowledge.
Greetings: “Happy Diwali” can be used.
1st Bandi Chhor Divas (Sikh): Prisoner liberation day, when the 6th Guru, Guru Hargobind, was freed from Gwalior Fort and brought along 52 others.
Greetings: Happy Bandi Chhor Divas!
1st Jain New Year (Jain): Begins the day after Diwali, and marks the beginning of a New Year for Jains.
Greetings: No specific greeting
October 20th and November 12th Twin Births of the Bab and Baha’u’llah (Baha’i): celebrating the births of both the Bab and Baha’u’llah, the two prophets associated with Baha’i, in succession. This due to their births following each other on the Muslim calendar of which they were born into, however they were not born on the same year.
Greetings: Happy birthday of the Bab!
3rd Gurgaddi Diwas (Sikh): Marks the event when the 10th Guru passed on guru-ship to Guru Granth Sahib, where he established the Holy book that would be the further guiding force.
Greetings: No specific greeting
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Upcoming Interfaith Events in the DMV
November 2024
Meditate the Vote: Strengthening the Spirit of Peace at the Polls
9525 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Click Here to Register!
Inviting Peace: Art, Yoga, Meditation & Sound
11109 Sunset Hills Rd Reston, VA 20190 703-860-9642
Dates Saturday 11/02/2024 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm Pricing $0.00 Inviting Peace: Art, Yoga, Mediation & Sound Led by Maryam Ovissi, Reggie Hubbard, Susan Knoblauch & Heather Hagaman Join us for an evening to invite peace through the layers individually and collectively. We will begin with co-creating an art piece that brings to life the essence of community! Then roll out your mats, pull up a chair and bring out the bolsters and blankets for a restoring…
A Sacred Piece of Home Documentary
Diwali: A Celebration of Joy & Liberation
9601 Cedar Ln, Bethesda, MD 20814
Sunday, November 3, 2024 @ 4:00 PM with Hindus for Human Rights and Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Congregation Celebrating at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Congregation: 9601 Cedar Ln, Bethesda, MD 20814 Join Hindus for Human Rights and Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Congregation as we gather in the DMV for a joyful and liberatory Diwali celebration featuring food, performers, storytelling, and more! Click Here to Register!
Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway
Bowie Community Center at 3209 Stonybrook Drive
The Interfaith Coalition of Bowie is partnering again with Prince George’s County Councilmember Ingrid Watson to host a Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway on Sunday, 24 Nov. from 2-4 p.m. at the Bowie Community Center at 3209 Stonybrook Drive. We will be providing groceries and turkeys for 100 local families. This will be on a first come first serve basis, or you can reserve your Thanksgiving groceries via this link. Following the giveaway you are also invited to join us for…
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Reflection on Ecumenism
By Anne Mulqueen, OFS
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Ecumenical / Interfaith Committee Network Summer 2018 Newsletter
(Click on Icon to go to the Ecumenical / Interfaith Newsletter)
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