Here are this year’s Days of Unity events! This page will be updated as new events are confirmed. All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. If you have any questions, please email us at: [email protected].
Youth Creating Change
Communities United Against Hate (CUAH)
Saturday, April 30th, 3 – 4:30 pm (Zoom)
Join CUAH’s Youth Creating Change (YCC) program for its annual Social Change Conference, which will include virtual student activist panels. This is a great opportunity to hear from incredible student leaders about the work they’ve been doing on climate change, educational equity, and uplifting communities. Student attendees will earn SSL hours too. Register here.
Feminism in Islam and Judaism
Jewish Islamic Dialogue Society (JIDS)
Sunday, May 1st, 4-6 pm
Zoom
The dialogue will explore such sub-topics as changes in the roles women are playing in traditional Judaism as well as the evolving feminist interpretations of the Qur’an. We have two wonderful speakers to lead us in our exploration. Rabbi Alana Suskin has been ordained by both the Conservative and Orthodox movements and has worked extensively on peace- and relationship-building between Jews and Muslims. Prof. Semiha Topal, a Visiting Professor at the College of William & Mary, has written extensively on how feminists have interpreted the Qur’an, including their push back at the more “standard” interpretations that they view as patriarchal. Please RSVP to Yasmeen Abed at [email protected].
Exploring our Traditions: An Interfaith Dialogue
May 4: Justice; May 11: Sabbatical; May 18: Forgiveness
7-8:30pm, Zoom
What happens when several ministers and a rabbi walk into a Zoom room? Join Rev. Amanda Poppei and Rev. Carol Thomas Cissel (Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington), Pastor Matt Riddle (Church of the Brethren), Rev. Laura Martin (Rock Spring UCC), and Rabbi Gilah Langner (Kol Ami) as we engage with three foundational theological concepts in our various traditions. RSVP here.
National Day of Prayer
Co-sponsored by the Rumi Forum
Sunday, May 5th 3:30pm
Join us in this multifaith prayer event around shared notions of humility and solidarity. You can view the full event here.
Interfaith Baby Blessing
Interfaith Families Project
Sunday, May 15th, 10am
Charles E Smith Jewish Day School Lower Campus
Rockville, MD
Join us for our annual Interfaith Baby Blessing on Sunday, May 15th. This program is part of our weekly program which includes a Gathering, Sunday school, and an adult group discussion. More information about us and about this program can be found here.
8th Annual Greater D.C. Area Summit of Imams, Rabbis, & Leadership Colleagues (Invitation Only)
JAAMAT and the Jewish Islamic Dialogue Society
Sunday, May 15th 1pm-5pm
In connection with this Summit, JAMAAT is also reaching out to houses of worship throughout the DMV area to stimulate the creation of new interfaith partnerships between churches, synagogues, mosques, and other faith groups to help resettle the waves of Afghan refugees and other refugees that have already arrived and are expected to arrive in the future. To learn more about this project and how to be involved, please click here.
Montgomery County Townhall
May 17th at 7 pm (Zoom)
Learn more about Community Reach of Montgomery County’s various resources available to our faith community and beyond. The presentation will include the history of the organization and their current five areas of service — healthcare, housing, financial emergency assistance, education for immigrants and eldercare.
Townhall events are open to all faith and non faith community members in Montgomery County. Townhalls will reoccur featuring different speakers and resources on the first and third Tuesday of every month. Register in advance here.
Poetry/Passage Reading Roundtable
Beloved Community Interfaith Network (BCIN)
Tuesday, May 17, 2022, 7-9pm
We invite participants to bring a poem or passage to read aloud, and time permitting, we will read them all and offer reflections on it. In the spirit of the Day of Unity, please pick a writing that reflects on any of the themes of faith, interfaith, human rights, or social justice. In previous years, we shared readings from poets such as Maya Angelou, Joy Harjo, Langston Hughes, and Jalaluddin Rumi. You can even share your own writing, or words of those close to you. To register, please send a request to this e-mail address and we will give you the virtual sign-in link: [email protected].
Virtual Scriptural Reasoning session on “Food”
Rumi Forum
Wednesday, May 18 6:30-7:45pm, Zoom
Scriptural Reasoning (SR) is a practice where Christians, Jews, and Muslims study each other’s sacred texts. SR participants meet once a month to read short passages from their respective scriptures on a certain topic. Facilitated by a study leader, each session is an opportunity to listen and share various perspectives. SR sessions help participants reflect on a curious list of topics within the Abrahamic tradition. The result is often a deeper understanding of others and one’s own scriptures, as well as the development of strong bonds across faith communities. Register here.
Abrahamic House
Thursday, May 19th, 7pm
Faith communities across the world have peace at their heart. Yet, there are many areas of the world that suffer from violence despite the fact that 80% of the world’s population is affiliated with a religious tradition. Twenty national faith-based organizations across the United States have joined together to urge support for courageous, creative actions of nonviolence in Ukraine. Join Abrahamic House and Pax Christi USA to learn about faith-based approaches to peacemaking and current interfaith support for nonviolent approaches to the war in Ukraine. You may attend this event either in-person or virtually. Register here.
Dental Day for Our Afghan Friends
Organized by JAMAAT
Sunday May 22 from 9 AM to 4PM
70 recently arrived Afghan refugees will receive free-of-charge dental services at Grove Dental Clinic (Falls Church, VA) to be provided by a team of 17 Muslim and Jewish dentists.
Contact Walter Ruby, [email protected], for more information
Abrahamic House
May 22nd, 7:30pm
Please join Abrahamic House for an outdoor movie night! We’ll play the movie with the most votes (fill out the Google form to vote) on a projector on our deck– come for drinks, popcorn, and good company. “Gathering not othering” while relaxing and having fun!