Date: September 1st 2010

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September 2010

In September the Autumnal Equinox arrives, and as with many dates relating to the celestial bodies, it provides the occasion for several religious observances. Many of the festivals are harvest festivals, as the crops begin to ripen and the time for gathering in preparation for the winter begins. Around the equinox, you may find the Buddhist Ohigon, the Jain Ksamavani, the Jewish Sukkot, the Shinto Shuki-sorei-sai, and the Wiccan Mabon.

September also brings recollections of September 11, 2001. This year, in response to anti-Muslim rallies and rhetoric around the country, several local interreligious communities are laying plans for a Community Rally in Solidarity, to take place at the Jim McEntee Plaza at the Santa Clara County building on Friday, September 10. That day is likely to coincide with Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan for Muslims. We are hoping to make this day a celebration of our Muslim brothers and sisters and of the work we have accomplished together in Silicon Valley. Keep checking for details as they are set.

The Carry the Vision Conference is shaping up nicely. It's scheduled for Saturday, October 2nd at Santa Clara University. See details below.

The Dalai Lama is coming to San Jose on October 12, and tickets are available now for his teaching session: Eight Verses on Transforming the Mind: Awakening the Heart of Compassion. This event will be followed by a Post-Teaching Interfaith Gathering that will allow for reflection and discussion of the Dalai Lama's teaching and planning for future interreligious events. Watch for details on the Interfaith Space Events Calendar.

Our next meeting of the Silicon Valley Interreligious Council is set for Tuesday, September 28. We will meet in the Sukkah at Temple Emanu-El in San Jose from 11:45 am to 1:30 pm. The Planning Team will propose a mission statement, goals and objectives, and organizational model for your consideration. Please plan to be with us, and share the information with colleagues and other religious leaders.

Report of our sessions, along with other notes and background documents can be found on the SouthBay Interfaith website, www.southbayinterfaith.org, under "Links > Discussion Documents."

Watch these monthly notes and the Interfaith Space website for updates and announcements as events take shape.

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News & Notes, the occasional blog from Interfaith Space with information about events and commentary on interfaith/ multifaith/ interreligious issues, has received a face lift. Check out our new look at the Interfaith Space website: go to www.interfaithspace.org and click on "News & Notes." We invite your comments or responses.

Send your news! Let the community know about events that are open to the public and are either interfaith or offer an opportunity for others to learn about your faith community. Send information to calendar@interfaithspace.org.

 

 

 

 

September Religious and Cultural Observances

• 1 Installation of Guru Granth Sahib (First Parkash) (Sikh)
• 1 Orthodox Church New Year (Eastern Christian)
• 1 Janma Ashtami (Krishna Janmashtami) (Hindu)
• 4 Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Power) (Muslim)
• 5 Paryushana Parva begins (Jain)
• 8 Nativity of Mary (Roman Catholic, Eastern Christian,
  some Protestants)
• 9 Rosh Hashana (through Sep 10) (Jewish)
• 10 Eid al Fitr - Culmination of Ramadan (Muslim)
• 11 Ganesha Chaturthi (Hindu)
• 11 Dasa Laxana begins (to Sep 22)(Shvetambara Jain)
• 12 Ghambar Paitishahem (through Sep 16) (Zoroastrian)
• 14 Exaltation of the Life Giving Cross (Eastern Christian)
• 14 Holy Cross Day (Roman Catholic, some Protestants)
• 18 Yom Kippur (Jewish)
• 21 International Day of Peace (United Nations)
• 22 Dasa Laxana end (Anant Chaturdashi), (Jain)
• 22 Death of Guru Nanak Dev Ji (Sikh)
• 23 Autumnal equinox
• 23 Mabon, Alban Elued, Haustblot / Harvest (Autumnal Equinox)
  (Wiccan/Pagan)
• 23 Sukkot (through Oct 29) (Jewish)
• 23 Shuki-sorei-sai (fall equinox) (Shinto)
• 23 Ullambana/ Fall Ohigon (Mahayana Buddhist)
• 23 Ksamavani (Jain)
• 29 St. Michael and All Angels (Roman Catholic, some Protestants) 30 Shemini Atzeret (Jewish)

[Interreligious Calendar events are taken from the Multifaith Action Society Multifath Calendar 2010 and other sources. See also the Online Interfaith Calendar and the BBC Interfaith Calendar] NOTE: Jewish Holidays begin at sundown the day before. Buddhist holidays are observed on many different days, according to local tradition.

Upcoming Interfaith Opportunities

"Interfaith Opportunities" focuses on specifically interfaith events; "Take Action" offers opportunities to take action on issues of concern with people from other religious traditions, and "Meet Your Neighbors" includes events that are sponsored by a specific religious group but which are open to the wider community. Items for the calendar can be sent to calendar@interfaithspace.org

Click on highlighted links below for more information-

Friday, September 10, 2010, 5:00 - 6:30 pm, San Jose

People of Faith Responding in Solidarity

Save the date for a community gathering in response to recent attacks on Muslims, mosques, and the Qur'an and to showcase cooperative efforts in our Valley.

Saturday, September 11, 2010, 6:30 - 9:00 pm, Campbell

9/11 Interfaith Dinner,
Prayer and Conversations

For the fifth year, the United Methodist Church in Campbell has invited Muslims and other people of faith to join in conversations on 9/11 to reflect on issues relating to the Muslim and interfaith communities. The dinner will be vegetarian, halal and kosher.

Tuesday, September 28, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm, San Jose

Silicon Valley Interreligious Council

The planning team intends to present a specific proposal for the mission, objectives, membership, and governance of the Council, and we hope to have Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese with us, and perhaps some other local leaders in Silicon Valley.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010, 7:00-8:30pm, Palo Alto

Sharing the Harvest ~
An Interfaith Gathering for Sukkot

With Rabbi Elisheva Salamo, Keddem Congregation; Ven. Jian Hu, Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale; Ismael Nass-Duce, Islamic Networks Group, and others.

Saturday, October 2, 2010, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Santa Clara

SAVE THE DATE!
Carry the Vision: Community Nonviolence Conference

Keynote Speaker Fr. John Dear, Peace Activist, Organizer, Lecturer, Retreat leader, and author/editor of 20 books on peace and nonviolence, including Put Down Your Sword, A Persistent Peace, and Living Peace. Fr. Dear was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The afternoon keynote address will be given by the Rev. Dr. Barnard Lafayette, a colleague of Dr. Martin Luther King and authority on nonviolent social change.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010, San Jose

Visit of the Dalai Lama

The Gyuto community of Tibetan Buddhist monks in San Jose is sponsoring a special visit by the Dalai Lama, who will lead a teaching session titled Eight Verses of Training the Mind: Awakening the Heart of Compassion.

Post Teaching Interfaith Gathering

Tuesday, October 12, 2010, 4:00-6:00 pm
San Jose Convention Center

The Gyuto Vajrayana Center is pleased to announce that it will host a Post-Teaching Interfaith Gathering from 4:00-6:00pm on Tuesday, October 12. Everyone who attends His Holiness’ teaching is invited to register and join us in Ballroom A of the San Jose Convention Center.

November 19-21, 2010, Rohnert Park

Engaging the Other: The Power of Compassion

Save the date! We Invite You To: an extraordinary conference examining concepts of "The Other" from a universal, cross-cultural perspective to promote a wider public dialogue about images of "Us and Them"

Meet Your Neighbors

Public events sponsored by specific religious groups that may help others understand their tradition and concerns more fully.

Saturday, October 9, 2010, 6:00 - 10:00 pm, Santa Clara

Investing in Our Children’s Future: Teach, Inspire, Empower:
ING Annual Supporters Dinner and Gala

Keynote Speaker: Dr Umar Faruq Abd-Allah, Chairman of the Board and Scholar-in-Residence, Nawawi Foundation. Featuring for the first time in the Bay Area: Ambassador Rashad Hussain, US Special Envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

Take Action

Events that address issues of public concern with an alliance of people from different religious traditions.

Now, Santa Clara County

Diaper Drive For Family Wellness Court
of Santa Clara County

The Commission on the Status of Women is partnering with the Indian Community Center, the Jewish Federation and the Northwest YMCA for the 60 Days of Diapers Campaign.

Soon, Cupertino

Habitat for Humanity House of Faith

Habitat for Humanity Silicon Valley is working on a joint effort among the multitudes of diverse faith communities of Santa Clara County to help sponsor and assist in building a Habitat home.

Labor Day Weekend, September 3-5, 2010, South Bay

Labor in the Pulpits/on the Bimah/
in the Minbar

The Labor in the Pulpits program brings the voice and perspectives of low-wage workers and social policy issues that impact working families.

Sunday, September 19, 2010, 3:00 - 5:00 pm, Palo Alto

Interfaith & Intergenerational Witness for Peace

Marking the International Day for Peace (Sept. 21). Interfaith Worship with Jewish, Muslim & Christian speakers including Iraqi & Palestinian witnesses for peace.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010, 10:30 am - 3:30 pm, Cupertino

Protecting Our Elders Summit Meeting

Protecting Our Elders: an Interfaith Response to Elder Abuse and Neglect. The project encourages faith communities to recognize and respond to elder abuse and neglect.

Saturday, September 25, 2010, 6:00 pm, Santa Clara

Three Cups of Tea Gala Dinner

Bestselling author of Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson, will introduce his latest book Stones into Schools.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010, 8:00 am - 4:15 pm

Clergy and the Courts

The second annual Clergy Day is an interactive program designed to educate clergy, staff, and laypersons about California’s Court system.

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And more...

Help us share your good news! If you know of interfaith opportunities that are coming up- please let us know so they can be included on the Interfaith Space Calendar. Send information to calendar@interfaithspace.org.

I have begun writing an occasional blog for Examiner.com, as their San Jose Interfaith Examiner. I'll be posting more extended articles there, and welcome your suggestions for events to publicize, interviews with interfaith leaders, and news about interfaith relationships.