Is Social Justice Still Out of Reach for Many American Citizens?

The San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) will present a panel discussion titled “Social Justice: Progress or Regress?” Inspired by the exhibition Wendy Maruyama: Executive Order 9066: The Tag Project, which explores the emotional and societal impact of the WWII Japanese American internment camps, the panel will explore the ways American society has progressed and/or regressed in terms of social and racial justice in our communities. What have we learned from our past? Is social justice still out of reach for many American citizens? How can we individually shape the future of our communities? Full event details at the Institute of Contemporary Art’s site.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there! All faiths, including Islam, emphasize good treatment of parents, particularly in old age. This especially applies to mothers as they bear the major burden in child-bearing, as acknowledged in the Qur’an: “And we have enjoined upon man to be good to his parents: his mother bears him in weakness upon weakness” (31:14). In fact, one of the often-repeated prophetic traditions in Islam is: “Paradise lies under the feet of mothers.” Other rights of mothers and women in general are described in ING’s presentation and online curriculum Muslim Women Beyond the Stereotypes.

May is Jewish-American Heritage Month

Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) is celebrated in May as an annual recognition the achievements and contributions of Jewish Americans in the United States. JAHM was established by President George W. Bush in 2006 and in May, 2010 President Obama hosted the first ever White House reception in honor of the Month, inviting a range of prominent Jewish Americans.

Today, ING is proud to partner with Jewish organizations throughout the country to deliver panel presentations with the Interfaith Speakers Bureau. Our panel “Jewish-Muslim Relations in the U.S. – Living in the Shadow of the Middle East Conflict” is built to change the paradigm of Jewish-Muslim American conversations away from the Middle East conflict towards common interests as Americans, addressing topics such as anti-Semitism and Islamophobia and maintaining a religious identity as two of the largest religious minorities in the country. To schedule a Jewish-Muslim Relations panel, visit here.