About thirty minutes long and split into two parts for easy viewing, the webinar covers challenges of Muslim students and how parents can support their children in these difficult times. The presenters are ING’s Content Director Ameena Jandali and INGYouth Coordinator Ishaq Pathan. This webinar includes loads of resources for parents, but it is also valuable for educators.

Maha Elgenaidi Speaks at Shabbat Celebration for Purim

ING Executive Director Maha Elgenaidi spoke during Shabbat services at Kol Emeth Conservative synagogue in Palo Alto on Saturday, March 11th, which is the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Purim. She said:

“I’m deeply honored to have been invited to speak to you this morning on the day that you celebrate Purim, a festive remembrance of one of the greatest events of salvation of the Jewish people, and one that came through a woman’s courage. Esther, I understand, put her own life on the line when she went to the Persian king to intercede for her people against a sinister plot of genocide.

While Esther does not appear in Islamic tradition, Muslims have many examples of bold and courageous women who spoke up and acted for God and for humanity even at the expense of their own life. I’d like to talk to you about the one that I think comes closest in spirit to Esther, a woman who plays a key role in the Quranic version of the Exodus story.”

You can read the rest of Maha’s post on our staff blog.

On Tuesday, March 14th, ING kicked off a new lecture series in partnership with St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Santa Clara as a way of inviting the public in a conversation about the role of religion in the public square. ING’s Executive Director Maha Elgenaidi and Interfaith Coordinator Kate Chance were joined by Rabbi Amy Eilberg, the first female rabbi ordained in Conservative Judaism, and Reverend George Ann McDonnell, rector at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. The first conversation set the foundation of the series by addressing the basics of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as they relate to each other. Future lectures will cover extremisms and fundamentalisms on Tuesday, March 21st as well as the shared values and future of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam on Tuesday, March 28th.

In late February, ING conducted an INGYouth Speakers Training with a group of 7th-10th grade students in Michigan. And this month, ING hosted an INGYouth Speakers Training in Fremont, California that had dozens of participants representing every grade in middle and high school. We’re about to conduct workshops in the southern New Jersey and Philadelphia area this weekend where registration is still open. See below for more info.

• March 18th – New Jersey
• March 19th – Philadelphia-Delaware
• April 22nd – Chicago (details forthcoming)
• TBA – Western Massachusetts (details forthcoming)