The religious leaders of the Jewish & Christian communities of Holliston, Massachusetts, and the Islamic Center of Boston, the Sikh Gurdwara of Millis, the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society of Boston (Hindu), Peace Islands Institute (Islam), and the Baha'i community together provide opportunities for multifaith and nonreligious neighbors to come together. In doing so, we honor the presence of God in our richness and diversity.
Welcome to our New Dialogue Partner, Maren Tracy
We are very happy to welcome Maren Tracy (Sikh name: Kirin Saraswati Kaur). Tracy is a member of the Sikh Community at the Guru Das Ram Ashram and Gurdwara in Millis, MA. We are grateful for her willingness to join us in our one interfaith voice together in the community.
The High Holy Days of our Jewish Neighbors
SEPTEMBER 17 - OCTOBER 5, 2022

The Month of Elul – The entire month before the High Holy Days are set aside as a time of spiritual preparation. The theme of the month is Love, and we spend the month trying to get back into a loving relationship with God, with humanity, and with ourselves.

Selihot – A series of communal prayers asking for forgiveness, recited in the days leading up to the High Holy Days, beginning the Saturday before Rosh Hashanah.

Rosh Hashanah – The start of the new year brings our annual chance to step out of our daily routines and try to recapture a sense of possibility. Happy birthday, world. Rosh Hashanah is a two-day holiday, whose central ritual is that great call to action, the blowing of the Shofar.

The Ten Days of Teshuvah –  On Rosh Hashanah, we are written into the Books of Life and Death, the liturgy tells us, and on Yom Kippur, those books are sealed. And so, during the days in between, we do everything we can to ensure a true transformation, and a hatima tova, a “good sealing.” It is a time of making things right, asking for forgiveness, and giving charity.

Yom Kippur – Intensive self-reflection – heshbon hanefesh — is the name of the game on Yom Kippur and the High Holy Days overall. The centerpiece is teshuvah, the idea that change is possible within all living systems. That’s true for individuals, communities, and entire societies. For 25 hours we abstain from food and drink, and we wear white and take an honest look inside to reflect on whom we have become and who we could be.

Sukkot – As soon as Yom Kippur ends, we move from the realm of the soul and plant our feet firmly back on the ground. For seven days we eat (and for some, sleep) in a sukkah, a makeshift hut that is just susceptible enough to the elements to remind us of our vulnerability and also the blessings of security.

Shemini Atzeret/Simhat Torah – The final chapters of the high holies. As the holiday season culminates in an outburst of joy, we affirm that despite hardships we may encounter, the Torah affirms and enriches our lives.

Temple Beth Torah
Our dialogue partner, Rabbi Mimi Micner, and the good people of Temple Beth Torah share with us the High Holy Days schedule of their community. For those of us not Jewish, we are invited to participate by signing in on the guest form.
Join The Bridge Initiative's founding director Dr. Esposito in conversation with Dr. Ronan Lee, author of Myanmar's Rohingya Genocide: Identity, History and Hate Speech, and Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, founder of Justice for All, who will be discussing the ongoing persecution of Rohingya Muslims and how Islamophobia played a role in the criminalization and dehumanization of the community. Register here Webinar Registration - Zoom
Interfaith Resources for Teaching about 9/11
As we approach the anniversary of the horrific 9/11/2001 attacks in New York City, teachers across the country prepare to teach about this tragic and heinous act. To this end we are pleased to offer resources which include various perspectives about the impact of that day from the Islamic Networks Group.
The Interfaith Observer
The Interfaith Observer (TIO) is now part of the Religica Theolab inside the Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement (CEIE) at Seattle University. Two issues will be released this academic year. The theme of the first issue will be around religious literacy. Join CEIE’s newsletter to keep informed and be notified when it releases!

New Bible Commentary from a Muslim Context
This commentary opens windows on seeds of truth from Genesis 1-11 which are planted in the various environments "in front of the text" - including the New Testament, rabbinic tradition, the Qur'an, and Bangladeshi culture.
METROWEST INTERFAITH DIALOGUE PROJECT 

Fr. Carl Chudy, D. Min. - Interfaith Outreach Coordinator @ Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, Xaverian Missionaries USA, Holliston, MA.