White House Interfaith Service Initiative Events

The White House Interfaith Campus Challenge is an initiative for colleges and universities around the country to develop an interfaith service project.  The Interfaith Caucus, Edible Churchyard, and Poverty Initiative of Union Theological Seminary are partnering with Jewish Theological Seminary, the Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood, and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church to develop a service project based around food justice in our neighborhood, Harlem.  Together, throughout this year, our plan will be to (1) dialogue on food justice issues, bringing to the table our rich theological traditions, (2) convert sections of St. Mary's churchyard into green spaces, where fruits and vegetables can be grown for those in need in Harlem, and (3) educate our communities about some practicalities of food and growing within the urban environment.

We are launching this year’s initiative with two programs in October:

Justice in the Sukkah: An Interfaith Exploration of Food and Social Change
On Sunday, October 16th, from 6-8pm, we invite you to join us at the Sukkah at JTS for our first dialogue on food justice issues, called Justice in the Sukkah: An Interfaith Exploration of Food and Social Change. This is an opportunity to actively participate in a dialogue with members of other faith traditions, hearing what they have to say about food justice, while offering your own unique perspective.
 
Jewish Theological Seminary
3080 Broadway at 122nd Street
RSVP by Tues, Oct. 11.
To RSVP or for any questions you might have about the event, please email Shuli Passow (shpassow@jtsa.edu).

Download flyer [PDF]

Worship. Labor. Dialogue. Eat.
Sunday, Oct. 23, 10am-5 pm @ St. Mary's Episcopal Church
Join us to celebrate our faiths as the substrate for building community, growing gardens, and working for justice. Union's White House Interfaith Service Initiative and our community partners will come together to begin building gardens at St. Mary's. We will begin with an interfaith service at 10am, and then enjoy potluck food and fellowship. We will then roll our sleeves up and begin the work of transforming St. Mary's grounds. As this is a potluck, please contribute a dish if you can, and consider making it vegetarian to accommodate for various faithful eating practices and dietary considerations.
 
St Mary’s Episcopal Church
521 West 126th Street, between Amsterdam and Broadway
RSVP to edible@uts.columbia.edu or at
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3DG5YMK
Download Flyer [PDF]