Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas, a Conservative synagogue, hosted Syracuse’s eighth annual World Interfaith Harmony Assembly on Feb. 5, 2018, organized by Women Transcending Boundaries and InterFaith Works of Central New York.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The event began at 6:45 pm with Dr. Joan Hillsman leading\nsix members of the Syracuse Chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of American\nsinging \u201cIf I can help somebody\u2026then my living shall not be in vain.\u201d Dr.\nHillsman then introduced \u201cIt\u2019s a New Season,\u201d a song she composed for tonight\u2019s\nevent, and we all joined in, hands clapping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beth Broadway, President\/CEO of InterFaith Works, welcomed\nus all to the 8th<\/sup> annual Harmony Assembly, part of a worldwide\nInterfaith Harmony Week designated by the UN. Beth thanked co-chairs Danya\nWellmon and Simone Montgomery, the event committee, our host Beth Sholom-Chevra\nShas, and the other seven congregations that have hosted previous harmony\nassemblies. She urged us to openly hear and experience the traditions presented\ntonight, noting our understanding will be deepened, not diminished, by\nexperiencing the different ways in which humans meet and praise the \u201cGreat\nMystery.\u201d Beth also urged us to keep the current situation of refugees in our\nhearts. The travel ban is having a very negative impact on refugees, especially\nthose from Muslim nations. She asked us to affirm the dignity of every faith\ntradition and pledge to speak out for each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sue Savion, President of Women Transcending Boundaries,\nwelcomed everyone and commented on the wonderfully diverse environment we are\nblessed to have in Syracuse. She focused on a recent positive news story in\nwhich many different denominations came together to help rebuild a mosque in\nTexas: we too will rebuild this world with love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pastor Alicia Wood from University United Methodist Church,\nlast year\u2019s host congregation, passed an imaginary torch to Norma S. Feldman,\nPresident of Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas. They served as the evening\u2019s\nMCs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before beginning the program, Norma Feldman described the\nsanctuary for those not familiar with Judaism pointing out the ark containing\nthe sacred Torah, the eternal light hanging above the bimah (raised platform) symbolizing\nthat God is always with us, and verses from Deuteronomy to the right and left\nof the altar: \u201cHear O Israel, our God is one\u201d and \u201cTeach our children,\u201d respectively.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cantor Paula Pepperstone offered an opening prayer: may we\nalways dwell together in our sacred spaces hearing each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mike Greenlar of the Post Standard was acknowledged and thanked for his newspaper coverage of all eight Interfaith Harmony Assemblies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The InterFairth Works Round Table of Faith Leaders came\nforward. Edith Washington (Unity) and Shinge Sherry Chayat (Zen Buddhist) spoke to \u201cVoices in Harmony\u201d\u2014all\nour faiths mingle in harmony, compassion and peace. Candles were lit to\nrepresent our differences, our commonalities, and our commitment to unity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A combined group from May Memorial Unitarian Universalist\nand First Unitarian Universalist Societies of Syracuse performed a song written\nby Fred Fiske. Unitarian Universalists are not required to believe in a\nspecific creed, but they make a covenant to behave toward each other and the\nworld according to their seven guiding principles. The song they performed put\nthese principles to music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tim Saka from CNY Rise spoke about the Prophet Mohammed\u2019s flight from Mecca to Medina and how Mohammed settled on the human voice as the perfect instrument to call the faithful to prayer. Cihad Sigindere turned to face Mecca and his voice rang out in the call to prayer. Tim then translated the Arabic words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Destiny African Nations Church shared a moving song\naccompanied by drums and keyboard. A large group made up of people who have\ncome here from many of the 53 countries of Africa musically offered \u201cthanks to\nGod for the great thing he has done in our life.\u201d Many have been traumatized by\nstrife, but now have a chance at a new life in America. About a dozen people\nsang and danced the background, with two soloists singing the verses in an\nAfrican language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cantors from Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas, Temple Adath Yeshurun,\nand Temple Concord joined by some dozen members of these congregations of all\nages and accompanied by guitar, violin, and drum, offered an inspiring song by\ncontemporary Jewish composer Jerry Weinberg. Led by Cantor Paula Pepperstone,\nthe entire audience joined them in singing the \u201cHallelujah\u201d refrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, young women of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day\nSaints performed a skit which they had written. In the skit, Cinderella\u2019s\nGuardian Angel quotes scripture to teach Cinderella\u2019s misguided stepmother that\nwe are all children of the Heavenly Father and we should all love one another.\nFamilies from the church then joined them, and young and old sang a verse of\nthe hymn I Am a Child of God.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Representing Hopps Memorial CME Church, three compelling\ngospel singers accompanied by piano sang a moving praise hymn to God \u201cYou are\nholy\u2026it is a privilege and honor to worship at your throne.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wearing the University United Methodist Church\u2019s rainbow\nstole which symbolizes the congregation\u2019s acceptance of all people, Ted\nFinlayson-Schueler had the audience laughing as he recited Jeff Foxworthy\u2019s\nhumorous reflection \u201cYou might be a Methodist if\u2026\u201d He also reflected on Methodist founder John\nWesley\u2019s 1755 Service of Commitment prayer: \u201cI am no longer my own but Yours.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Led by their director and accompanied on piano, choir\nmembers from the United Church of Fayetteville sang a soft and lovely \u201cThou\nshalt know Him when He comes.\u201d The words of the hymn were signed, which added\nto the beauty of the selection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, three men from the Sikh community spoke, observing\nthat humans have great capacity for both compassion and hate, peace and war. Yet\nbeyond our differences in culture and beliefs, we are all one, children of one\nGod. They challenged each of us to take this message back to our communities.\nHope and compassion starts with each of us: we are the hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unity of Syracuse continued this message with a rousing hymn\nabout the power of one person. Led by their music director, accompanied by\npiano and two drums, a multi-generational choir of a dozen people sang out \u201cit\nall begins with one\u2026believe we can change the world\u201d; the younger singers\nenhanced the words with choreographed movements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Two Buddhist traditions presented together. In the Tibetan\ntradition, two women from Thekchen Choling Buddhist Temple chanted a \u201cshort\npassage of refuge and great compassion\u201d punctuated by a clear bell. They\ntranslated the words: \u201cI go for refuge until I am Enlightened.\u201d Members of the\nZen Center of Syracuse shared a chant which Shinge Sherry Chayat explained was based\nthe Buddha\u2019s final words. As he was about to pass away, the Buddha told his\ndisciples: \u201cYou are the Light. You are already capable of doing everything that\nthe world needs. \u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n Father Fred Daley from All Saints Catholic Church introduced\nthe President of the Congolese Community that worships at All Saints. The\npresident explained that Congo is the second most diverse country in Africa; many\nrefugees arrived in this country with these ethnic divisions still between\nthem. These differences no longer divide them: \u201cwhere there is love there is\nhope.\u201d A group from this community raised rich voices as they sang part of the\nCatholic mass, the Sanctus, in Swahili.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Madalyn Smith, representing Tibetan Buddhist Rangrig Yeshe\nand Dzogchen Ati Ling Center, offered the closing blessing. In her Tibetan\ntradition, at the end of doing anything good, you give it away. She offered a\nprayer for the Earth\u2019s abundance as the New Year begins (Feb 16th<\/sup>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Norma Feldman eloquently thanked all those who shared their\nfaith traditions this evening. She invited everyone to partake of kosher\nrefreshments immediately following program. Baskets were provided for a free-will\noffering, donations to be used to defray the costs incurred by this year\u2019s\nhosts and provide seed money for next year\u2019s gathering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. Joan Hillsman led us all in a chorus of \u201cWe Can Live in\nHarmony\u201d before reprising \u201cIt\u2019s a New Season\u201d –leaving us all on a note of\nharmony and hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n