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Hanukkah Traditions
So, against that backdrop, Chanukah for me was, next to Easter, the season when I felt most different from my friends, almost none of whom were Jewish. As soon as leftovers from Thanksgiving were gone, they were putting up trees and lights and there was caroling and I just did none of those things. And…
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Interfaith Weddings: Shir and Trevor Smith
Despite the pandemic, we were married on May 30, 2020 on our original wedding date. Reverend Julia and Cantor Manovich stood masked beside us as we stood under our wedding chuppah. Although we postponed our wedding celebrations, we were ready to be married after 6 years of long-distance dating! Our parents and siblings joined us…
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St. Francis and the Wolf
Long-time IFFP member Dr. Dan Griffin’s take on the story of St. Francis and the wolf.
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The Refuge of Faith in Difficult Times
By IFFP Member David Bigge This month’s blog post asks a direct question: how do we cultivate joy in dark or difficult times? Our religious traditions, of course, primarily link joy with faith. As Paul writes in Philippians chapter 4, verse 4: “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice!” Or as Psalm 5 tells…
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The Rollercoaster Month of Av
This article from the Interfaith Families Project of Washington D.C. explores the unique nature of the month of Av and how we can find meaning in its contrasting emotions.
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Reflections on Interfaith Identity from a Coming of Age Student
Being interfaith is confusing. How does a person believe equally in two different systems of beliefs, much less two different systems of belief that inherently contradict each other? Christianity believes in the Holy Trinity– that God is three parts, among which is Jesus, who was the Messiah, and also the central figure in the whole…
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IFFP Statement Message of Solidarity in Support of Racial Justice
The Interfaith Families Project of Greater Washington, DC condemns the deaths of Black victims at the hands of police and others. We mourn the lives of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, and all the other people—the names we know and the many names we don’t—whose lives have been taken by violence. Black Lives…
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Going “Online” with Interfaith Families
We’ve all been in some form of lockdown for several weeks now due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The mildest way to describe our current situation is that it’s a very weird time. It feels like the answer to an impossible hypothetical. “What would you do if there was a viral outbreak that forced you, your…
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Blessing of the Interfaith Babies
By Susan Katz Miller: April showers bring May flowers, blue robin’s eggs, newborn lambs and foals. Even though human babies are born throughout the year, it seems appropriate somehow that our interfaith community welcomes new babies as a group in the spring.
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‘Hineini’ – Answering the Burning Bush
David Bigge April 6, 2020 When I attended Hebrew School as a child, there were two possible answers when the teacher called our names while taking attendance. We could say “ani po,” which literally means “I am here.” Or we could say “hineini,” which is an old biblical way to say “I am here,” like using…
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Creating a Spiritual Home
There’s no place like home. Home sweet home. Home is where the heart is. Home is where you hang your hat. We know from someplace deep in our gut that home is a place of warmth, safety, love, and belonging. Last week, as the IFFP community began preparing for Lent, Reverend Julia shared with us…
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Thoughts Upon Re-reading Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address
February 2, 2020 Lincoln delivered his Second Inaugural Address, in Washington, D.C., on March 4th, 1865. I would like to quote it: “On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it–all sought to avert it. …. Both parties deprecated war; but one…
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advent Being Both bible catholic Chanukah christian Christmas clergy community couples Easter environment epiphany esther families family god Hanukah Hanukkah hebrew High Holidays holidays holocaust holy week hope inclusion interfaith jesus jewish Judaism justice lent Lex Rofeberg love Moses Passover prayer rabbi Rabbi Debbie racial justice reverend Rosh Hashanah seder sunday school Susan Katz Miller theme tikkun olam torah virtual wedding