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Press

An Interfaith Buddhist Response to the Ground Zero Protests
First published in Huffington Post, 9/8/2010
by Matthew Weiner and Rev. Chloe Breyer

Program Director Matt Weiner and Executive Director Rev. Chloe Breyer discuss the interfaith Floating Lantern Ceremony taking place on September 11 at Pier 40 in an article published by the Huffington Post. Read more.

Building Shared Cultural and Spiritual Spaces: Lessons in the Mosque Debate
First published in Huffington Post, 8/31/2010
by Sarah Sayeed

Sarah Sayeed, Program and Communications Associate at the Interfaith Center of New York, takes a look at the mosque controversy in an article published by the Huffington Post. Read more.

Zero Grounds
First published in The New Yorker, 8/16/2010
by Hendrik Hertzberg

Imam Feisal is cited as a board member at the Interfaith Center of New York. Read more.

The Faithful Search: A Civics Primer for Real Patriots
First published in Huffington Post, 8/9/2010
by Rev. Chloe Breyer and Matthew Weiner

Rev. Chloe Breyer and Matthew Weiner discuss religious freedom in terms of the controversy over Cordoba House in an article published in the Huffington Post. Read more.

NY Imam Says He Plans a 'Muslim Y' Not a Mosque
First published in National Post, 7/22/2010
by Tom Heneghan

Earth Day with the Interfaith Center
First published in Interfaith Matters: ICNY Blog, 5/5/2010
by Allysa De Wolf

A walk to inaugurate the Healthy Living Green Map of Harlem, with Faith Leaders for Environmental Justice. Read the Interfaith Matters blog.

Panel Discussion: interView with Sarah Sayeed
First published in Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue, 4/15/2010
by Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue

The Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue interviewed Program and Communication Associate, Dr. Sarah Sayeed, for its online publication.  Video clip and written responses to the interview are available on the website of JIRD.

Bronx Works to Improve Census Count
First published in Black Star News, 3/10/2010
by Nurah-Rosalie P. Jeter Amat'ullah

Executive Director of Muslim Women's Institute for Research & Development, Nurah Amat'ullah, wrote an op-ed about the importance of the Census for undercounted areas such as Highbridge.  The op-ed mentions the Interfaith Center of New York's new program to build partnerships between Muslim social services and Catholic Charities.

Faiths Meet at Parliament of World Religions
First published in Reuters FaithWorld Blog, 12/8/2009
by Paul Knitter and Matt Weiner

The Interfaith Center attended the Parliament of World Religions in Australia- Professor Paul Knitter and Matthew Weiner, Program Director of the Interfaith Center shared their observations on Reuters FaithWorld

Positively Identified at Last, Fire Victim's Remains to Go Home
First published in NY Times, 12/4/2009
by Kirk Semple

For nearly a month, Biswajit Paul's remains sat in the medical examiner's office, pinned under the weight of bureaucratic law.  To learn more about how interfaith leaders worked together to help return his body to relatives in Bangladesh, read more at the NY Times.

Senator Edward Kennedy: A Man of Faith and Friend of Religious Freedom
First published in BeliefNet, 8/27/2009
by The Rev. Chloe Breyer

Highlighting Senator Kennedy's championing of a bill that enabled religious leaders in New York City to provide spiritual care to family members and clean-up workers at Ground Zero in the immediate aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks of Sept. 11th http://blog.beliefnet.com/progressiverevival/2009/08/senator-edward-kennedy-a-man-o.html

Out of Our Hair and Away from Our Pants!
First published in Reuters FaithWorld Blog, 8/25/2009
by Sarah Sayeed, Ph.D.

Commenting on the Sudanese and French rules regarding Muslim women's dress, Sarah Sayeed published a blog entry on Reuters FaithWorld entitled "Out of Our Hair and Away from Our Pants!"
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2009/08/20/guestview-out-of-our-hair-and-away-from-our-pants/

Women's Spiritual Voices: Crossing Continents, Finding Common Ground
First published in Religion & Ethics News, 7/2/2009
by Religion & Ethics Newsweekly

Published online, Religion & Ethics Newsweekly covers an interfaith panel on women's leadership, moderated by Sarah Sayeed, Program Associate. Held on May 21, 2009, the program was sponsored by the Moroccan American Cultural Center and the American Jewish Committee on the occasion of a visit by the Mourchidates of Morocco. The Mourchidaat are women religious counselors who are trained to serve alongside imams, or traditional male religious leaders; they are assigned to mosques and communities across Morocco to provide spiritual instruction, guidance and support, particularly to women, teens, and children. Religion & Ethics Newsweekly

Religion in the Public Schools: A Story about Civics in the Bronx and Queens
First published in Huffington Post, 6/29/2009
by Matthew Weiner

Why should students at a predominantly Latino public High School in the South Bronx learn about religion? And what happens when fifty of these students take a field trip to visit Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims in Queens? As it turns out, the result is a mixture of controlled chaos, curiosity, and civic engagement. Huffington Post

Immigration Task Force Aims to Expand Social Services in Queens
First published in NY1, 6/19/2009
by Tamani Wooley

NY1 covers the Queens Borough President's Immigration Task Force- also featured are The Rev. Chloe Breyer and JPM International Fellows!  NY1

Finding and defining the religious pluralism within
First published in Reuters Blog , 5/4/2009
by Matthew Weiner and Rev. Bud Heckman

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has just released a survey entitled "Faith in Flux: Changes in Religious Affiliation in the U.S." that attempts to map changes in religious affiliation in the U.S. It follows on the coattails of the important "U.S Religious Landscape Survey" conducted by the Pew Forum in 2007. If read in cross-tension with the "American Religious Identification Survey 2008″ released by Trinity College in Hartford, one can begin to see a complex and diverse picture of faith affiliation for Americans, as well as some patterns of change.  Reuters Blog

Where is the Cause for Concern?
First published in News Week, 4/7/2009
by The Rev. Chloe Breyer

In this week's "The End of Christian America" John Meacham offers a faithful (and reasonable) argument that should quell alarmist fears about a "post-Christian" era in America. His Newsweek cover story is the stuff of solid civics classes and sermons alike--in some congregations, that is. Newsweek

Healing After Catastrophe
First published in WNYC Brian Lehrer Show, 9/11/2008
by Brian Lehrer

Reverend T.K. Nakagaki of the New York Buddhist Church talks about the church's floating lantern ceremony tonight honoring the victims of 9/11. The ceremony is in partnership with the Interfaith Center of New York. Chloe Breyer, the Center's director, discusses where New Yorkers are spiritually seven years after the event on the Brian Lehrer Show.

The Anglican Church's Shifting Center
First published in International Herald Tribune, 7/24/2008
by Rev. Chloe Breyer

In 1867, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Charles Thomas Longley, convened the very first Lambeth Conference of Bishops to address, among other things, scandalous writings of a South African bishop questioning Holy Communion as a precondition for salvation.
Only 76 of the 200 invited bishops showed up at Lambeth Palace.  But together they resolved that "the whole Anglican Communion is deeply injured by the present condition of the Church in Natal" and recommended that a committee be appointed to "report on the best mode by which the Church may be delivered from the continuance of this scandal."   Download full text.

Change Believers Can Believe In? Obama's Leap of Faith
First published in The Huffington Post, 7/17/2008
by Matthew Weiner and Travis Rejman

Senator Obama's announcement to expand President Bush's Faith-Based Initiative returns attention to a heated public debate about the role of religion in government. Negative reactions from the left and the right demonstrate that a liberal candidate engaging religion will not ease the polarized positions between secular liberals and the religious right. With this ever heightened animosity, can Senator Obama's Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships be what he calls the "moral center" of his administration?  Download full text.

Buddhists Who Stand Up
First published in International Herald Tribune, 4/1/2008
by Matthew Weiner

Westerners tend to think of Buddhism as a passive religion, focused on silent meditation and personal spiritual growth. The image of the Buddha seated with a smile sums it up. So while the West is highly familiar with conflict and activism in other religions, the "saffron revolution" in Burma and the "high altitude revolt" in Tibet have come as a surprise to many.  In fact, there is a healthy tradition of Buddhist activism. International Herald Tribune

The Buddha's Birthday, Live from New York
First published in Sightings, 3/1/2008
by Matthew Weiner

May marks the anniversary of the Buddha's birth more than 2,500 years ago. And now, all across America, Buddhists are observing "Vesak," a highly significant time for commemorating the birth and enlightenment of the Buddha. Traditionally falling on the day of the full moon in May (this year on the 13th), events surrounding Vesak day began in April (when the Japanese Jodo Shinshu community celebrated), were in full force last week, and continue next week, with a celebration at the United Nations. In New York City alone, there will be nearly a hundred formal celebrations.  Download full text.

Seminar Explores Faith and Social Justice
First published in Bold Faith, 9/1/2005
by Matthew Weiner and Jay Godfrey

A group of young women from across the country recently took part in an event coordinated by the Deaconess Program of the United Methodist Church entitled, "Living Justice." The 18 participants traveled to New York to learn more about the Deaconess movement in the United Methodist Church andto discover new ways to put their faith into action, and at the same time meet other women whose faith, conviction and commitment moved them to live out their Christian vocation in social justice ministries.  Download full text.

Lost in Translation - A cautionary tale of rebuilding in a Muslim country
First published in Slate, 2/20/2004
by The Rev. Chloe Breyer

In November 2001, while bombs were dropping over Afghanistan, the Episcopal bishop of New York heard that at least one Afghan mosque had been destroyed in a U.S.-led assault. He invited church members to work with our Muslim neighbors in Flushing, N.Y., to help rebuild a damaged mosque north of Kabul. The "mosque project" was a small pre-emptive strike by a few New Yorkers of Episcopalian and Afghan Muslim extraction against a Samuel Huntington-style "clash of civilizations" on the one hand and the hollow ring of President Bush's laudable words about religious tolerance on the other. It was also an interfaith effort at reconciliation that ended up having more potential religious, cultural, and logistic pitfalls than your average USAID road- construction venture.  Download full text.

Maha Ghosananda as a Contemplative Social Activist
First published in Action Dharma: New Studies in Engaged Buddhism, 1/1/2003
by Matthew Weiner

The twentieth century has been a period of severe testing for Buddhism. In nearly every Asian country where Buddhism has flourished in the past, civil wars, foreign invasion, or sstemic poverty and tyranny have intervened. Meanwhile, Buddist leaders have responded with unique forms of social engagement. The Dalai Lama's response to the crisis in Tibet, Thich Nhat Hanh's response to the war in Vietnam, and Aung San Suu Kyi's response to the Burmese dictatorship come immediately to mind. In the face of severe oppression, these leaders have acted with tremendous force and creativity in a manner that epitomized the non-violent social action called engaged Buddhism.  Download full text.

Religion in Democracy
First published in Metro,
by Matthew Weiner

What does religion have to do with democracy? On Dec. 31, Mayor Bloomberg held his Annual Prayer Breakfast for New Yorkís religious leaders at the Public Library on 42nd Street. Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs chatted over coffee and bagels. Prayers were prayed, and the mayor noted that, in this worldís greatest city, all the world's religions live together.  Download full text.

An Ecumenical Revelation
First published in The Wall Street Journal,
by Matthew Weiner

Recently, the Office of Court Administration and the Interfaith Center of New York convened a group of 100 religious leaders for a program about how the court system works. The event included religious leaders from many faiths, including Buddhism, Islam, Judaism and 10 Christian denominations. How did we get such a diverse group?  Download full text.

Foundations Lack Religious Literacy
First published in The Chronicle of Philanthropy,
by Matthew Weiner

As the Supreme Court gets ready to issue a major decision on the separation of church and state, figures like Pope Benedict XVI and the Dalai Lama comand attention around the world, and the divisions among Muslims and Jews coninue to provoke tensions and violence, all can agree that faith is having a high-visibility moment. Yet no matter how public religion becomes, or how religious Americans may be, the topic remains taboo and confused among secular grant makers.  Download full text.

Separation Anxiety
First published in The International Herald Tribune,
by Matthew Weiner

For centuries now, the debate between public religion and secularism has been fierce. But with the newly perceived "problem" of Islam in "secular" Europe, George W. Bush's faith-based initiative, and the recent duel between Pope Benedict XVI and the philosopher Jürgen Habermas, it's safe to say that the level of "separation anxiety" has reached new heights.  Download full text.

Neighborly, Reflective, Committed: New York City's Muslims
First published in America,
by Matthew Weiner

In the city of Ground Zero, what are Muslims saying about cartoons? When I ask the question to Muslim friends, they tell me stories I wish more people could hear. Muslims in New York seem remarkably unconsumed by the cartoons, because well before 9/11 hey understood the need to be self-critical and work with the larger community to be part of our shared civic life. Of course they are concerned, just not consumed. Work goes on, some of which involves partnerships across religious lines, and such camaraderie is precious. As an interfaith organizer who happens to be Jewish, I probably miss a dark side of opinion. But the following three stories are noteworthy.  Download full text.

Mumbai violence brings New York faith groups together
First published in Reuters Blogs: Faith World,
by Matthew Weiner

When terror attacks like those in Mumbai occur, many people of faith want to stand together despite their differences to condemn them with one voice. Reuters Blogs

Interfaith encounter at a Catholic school in Brooklyn
First published in Reuters Blogs,
by Matthew Weiner and Raffaele Timarchi

Why should students in urban high schools learn about religion? The Interfaith Center of New York recently received a call from Penny Kapanika, a social studies teacher at Nazareth Regional High School in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn. Canarsie lies on the eastern edge of Brooklyn, next to Jamaica Bay. Reuters Blogs

First Responders in the Interfaith Community
First published in The Jewish Week,
by Sharon Udasin, Staff Writer

http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c36_a14211/News/New_York.html

Should interfaith efforts be free of proselytizing?
First published in the Dallas Morning News ,
by Matthew Weiner and Matthew Dunbar

When liberal religious groups work together, it is assured that they agree on one thing: proselytizing is against the rules. The history of Christian evangelism has led to extreme sensitivity on this issue, especially amongst Jews, Buddhists, and Hindus. A Buddhist monk, who is also a parliamentarian in the Sri Lankan government, even introduced a bill to make proselytizing illegal.
Liberal religious communities assume that in order to engage in honest dialogue, one cannot think one's faith is superior, let alone try to convince the other participants that one's religion is the only true faith. But there are problems with this assumption. Moreover, far more theologically conservative religious communities also work across religious lines these days. Many of them believe their faith to be superior to the faiths that they encounter. How do these participants reconcile the conflicting objectives of working together honestly and preaching their faith? And how do liberal religious leaders navigate such difficult waters? If interfaith activities seek to move beyond the usual liberal context, these are essential questions to pursue. the Dallas Morning News

Obama's Interfaith Score Card
First published in The Huffington Post,
by Matthew Weiner

Obama gets a "B" for his first interfaith outing. Not bad for a beginner, so let's give him an "A" for effort. The Huffington Post 

Canada and the niqab: How to go public in the public square
First published in Reuters Blogs: Faith world,
by Sarah Sayeed and Matthew Weiner

A Canadian judge recently ruled that a Toronto Muslim woman must take off her face veil while giving testimony in a sexual assault trial. This tension between public space and private religion comes up repeatedly in western urban centers where Muslim women increasingly occupy the pubic square. Reuters Blogs 

Obama inauguration: An interfaith invocation to answer the critics
First published in Reuters Blogs: Faith World,
by Matthew Weiner

The choice of Rick Warren to deliver the inaugural invocation, and the drama surrounding it, was President-elect Barack Obama's latest carefully planned move to prove that he is not a far out liberal, but instead mainstream. Obama is good at the art of compromise, but also at improvisation. The liberal outcry that followed, and his addition of the openly gay Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson to join the party, continues to demonstrate his skill as political tai chi master. Reuters Blogs

Avigdor Lieberman: A Threat to Israeli Democracy
First published in Belief Net,
by Matthew Weiner

What does it take to get a secular Israeli Harvard Mathematician who has never engaged in public politics to jump full force into the current election in his country, and create a grassroots campaign amongst academics? The answer is simple: it is prospects of a government shared by Avigdor Lieberman, leader of ultra nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party. Belief Net 

Gaza, New York, Mayor Bloomberg and interfaith dialogue
First published in Reuters Blogs: Faith World,
by Matthew Weiner

The last day of 2008 was a bad day for interfaith relations in New York City. Mayor Michael Bloomberg had his annual Prayer Breakfast at the New York Public Library, where several hundred religious leaders gathered. As usual there were prayers offered from many faiths. The Hindus were miffed, because a Sikh got their usual slot. Instead of praying, the Sikh explained Sikhism for a bit too long. The Buddhist monk also prayed too long, and the translation took forever. But poor staging was not the reason for the dark cloud that hung over us all. Instead, it was the bombing of Gaza. Or rather it was the Mayor's response the day before that created tension in the audience. The night before, Bloomberg had sided with Israel in the conflict. "I feel very strongly that Israel really does have a right ...to defend itself," he said. The mayor said nothing about the loss of innocent life on the Palestinian side. Reuters Blogs

Domestic Violence, Islam, and the Unexpected Response
First published in The Huffington Post,
by Matthew Weiner

As we should know by now, domestic violence is a crime that afflicts all communities, be them rich or poor, black or white, and regardless of their faith background. Still, the Muslim community in America suffers disproportionately. Or so many Muslims in New York believe. If a Jew or Christian commits domestic violence, will the media report it as a religious act?  Reuters Blogs

Change Believers can Believe In? Obama's Leap of Faith
First published in The Huffington Post,
by Matthew Weiner and Travis Rejman

Senator Obama's announcement to expand President Bush's Faith-Based Initiative returns attention to a heated public debate about the role of religion in government. Negative reactions from the left and the right demonstrate that a liberal candidate engaging religion will not ease the polarized positions between secular liberals and the religious right. With this ever heightened animosity, can Senator Obama's Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships be what he calls the "moral center" of his administration? See article here

Unexpected Karmic Consequences
First published in The Huffington Post,
by Matthew Weinir

When the Dalai Lama comes to New York this week, he will be flooded by an onslaught of Buddhists and spiritual seekers. His popularity, and the interest in Buddhism, has grown exponentially since the 1960's through an overwhelmingly liberal excitement over non violence and spiritual exploration. But the Dalai Lama is in many ways an orthodox religious figure: he is celibate, has taken a vow against any form of inebriation, and understands the act of abortion to be a form of killing.  The Huffington Post