The Faith Trio, an alliance of Kehilla, Montclair Presbyterian Church and the Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California (ICCNC), is organizing an interfaith volunteer project against hunger in Oakland on Friday, December 28, 2018 at the Alameda County Community Food Bank at 7900 Edgewater Dr in Oakland. We will volunteer from 8:30 – 11:00 am doing tasks such as bagging fruit. Standing for about an hour at a time is required for most but not all of the volunteer tasks, but other than that it is not strenuous. This will be the sixth year that Faith Trio volunteers work together at the food bank at the end of December.The facility is very clean and well organized. Children age 10 or older are welcome, and this is a great activity to do as a family. This is a popular activity, so sign up soon. Volunteers may be able to get rides to the facility, please inquire. Please contact Lea Delson at lea@delsonphoto.com or (510) 528-6725 to sign up to volunteer.
We are so heartened by the kind messages of support and condolence we have gotten from many of our allies in the Faith Trio recently.
Betsy King of Montclair Presbyterian Church wrote:
I and four others from MPC attended the beautiful service Monday night at the Jewish Community Center in Berkeley. The entire room and courtyard was packed with people. Our time together was very moving and consoling. I love Jewish songs, and as we were singing I felt love wrapped us all together as One. The words from the various speakers spoke to my soul and reminded me of all the good people we have around us and how beautiful that is. I want to remember that feeling and let it give me strength to keep working for justice!
Nabeela Sajjad, one of the Muslim artists who has been very involved in our interfaith art exhibitions, wrote:
Greetings of Peace! It was so shocking to hear of the tragedy at the Tree of Life Synagogue. I kept thinking of you and Aimee, Dvora, Sandra, Rabbi David and all the people I know of in the Jewish community. It really is heart breaking. My family and community are saddened by the tragedy in Pittsburgh. I want to send you, your family and the entire Jewish community my love, solidarity and lots of prayers. May God heal hearts that are so troubled that would do such horrific crimes against humanity.
From Alireza Rezapour of ICCNC:
I wanted to let you know how much you, Rabbi David, and your whole community have been in my thoughts and prayers. Please accept my condolences on the recent atrocity to the Jewish community in recent weeks. In the times of increased bigotry, ignorance, and violence only love, wisdom, and skill can help heal the wounds and shine a clear path forward. And these are the same ingredients of the making of a piece of art.
And ICCNC put a statement on their website condemning the tragedy in Pittsburgh and offering deepest condolences to the Jewish community:
Over the weekend, a cowardly shooter walked into the Tree of Life Congregation Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, yelling “All Jews must die,” and killed 11 innocent worshipers and wounded many others. With heavy hearts the Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California (ICCNC) extends its deepest condolences to our brothers and sisters in the Jewish community. These acts of hate and terror have no place anywhere in the world, especially in a democratic society at a place of worship where people go to find fellowship, peace, and spirituality. We condemn this antisemitic, hateful violence, and we stand with the Jewish community in these agonizing times in U.S. history.
These senseless acts have filled our hearts with sorrow alongside yours. But we recognize that heartbreak, thoughts, and prayers must be bolstered by firm action if we are to confront the hate that is sweeping across the United States. With this in mind, we take this opportunity to reaffirm our long-standing commitment to working with our Jewish brothers and sisters to find practical solutions to the intolerance that threatens us all.