Inaugural INGYouth Program Workshop A Resounding Success

On Saturday, November 8, ING hosted its inaugural Youth Program Workshop designed to build confidence and pride in youths’ identities through increased Islamic and civic literacy. Youth aged 11-22 and their parents participated.

The successful event was held at the Muslim Community Center in Pleasanton. Youth affirmed that they had learned ways to increase their self-confidence by “knowing my religion” and by “being who I am and having a good attitude.” Parents also reported learning “how to be an informed, engaged, proactive and understanding Muslim parent.”

Many thanks to staff members Ameena Jandali, Michael Dittmer, Marcia Beauchamp, and Maha Elgenaidi, and to volunteers Kiran Palla, Almas Khan, Aamna Khan, and Seher Vora for making this a successful event!

ING Staff Attend San Jose Mayor Reed’s Faith Leaders Appreciation Breakfast

On Thursday November 6, Mayor Chuck Reed held the eighth annual Faith Leaders Appreciation Breakfast. ING staff members Henry Millstein and Yvette Contreras attended the event where the mayor expressed his appreciation for the vital services and support faith leaders provide the residents of San Jose.

ING Speakers at Schools, Universities, Healthcare Seminars, and Museums

ING speakers delivered presentations around the Bay Area last week to over 400 audience members of varying ages. They included a Q&A session on Islam at a high school in Concord; a presentation on Getting to Know American Muslims and their Faith to a class at Holy Names University in Oakland; and three interfaith panels including the five major faiths speaking on Religion and Environmental Issues at Pacifica Institute in Sunnyvale; a Jewish-Muslim panel at a high school in San Francisco, and a five faith panel speaking on the topic of Shared Values at a high school in Antioch.

Ameena Jandali conducted a workshop for St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton’s Faith Community Nurses at an all-day seminar titled, Do You Speak my Culture, where she delivered a presentation on Healthcare for Muslim Patients.

Two ING speakers, Ameena Jandali and Nora Talebi took part in a panel at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco where they discussed Contemporary Reflections on Hijab with an audience of over 100 people. The panel was organized in conjunction with the Asian Art Museum’s current exhibit, Roads of Arabia, which runs until January 18. The exhibit features artifacts from ancient Arabia as well as from Islamic history, and includes videos of Bay Area Muslims who performed the hajj.

Upcoming Muslim-Jewish-Christian Women’s Dialogue

Join ING founder Maha Elgenaidi, who will be one of the participants in an upcoming women’s dialogue between members of the three faiths. This event will bring Christian, Muslim, and Jewish women together for a discussion of the book The Faith Club by Suzanne Oliver, Ranya Idliby, and Priscilla Warner, about the effort of these women to meet and talk through issues of life and faith. RSVP on Facebook or to [email protected]

The event also marks the seventh annual “Weekend of Twinning”, which brings together people of faith to strengthen Muslim-Jewish relations. Check out the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding for more details.