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The Refuge of Faith in Difficult Times
By IFFP Member David Bigge This month’s blog post asks a direct question: how do we cultivate joy in dark or difficult times? Our religious traditions, of course, primarily link joy with faith. As Paul writes in Philippians chapter 4, verse 4: “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice!” Or as Psalm 5 tells…
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The Rollercoaster Month of Av
This article from the Interfaith Families Project of Washington D.C. explores the unique nature of the month of Av and how we can find meaning in its contrasting emotions.
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Reflections on Interfaith Identity from a Coming of Age Student
Being interfaith is confusing. How does a person believe equally in two different systems of beliefs, much less two different systems of belief that inherently contradict each other? Christianity believes in the Holy Trinity– that God is three parts, among which is Jesus, who was the Messiah, and also the central figure in the whole…
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IFFP Statement Message of Solidarity in Support of Racial Justice
The Interfaith Families Project of Greater Washington, DC condemns the deaths of Black victims at the hands of police and others. We mourn the lives of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, and all the other people—the names we know and the many names we don’t—whose lives have been taken by violence. Black Lives…
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Going “Online” with Interfaith Families
We’ve all been in some form of lockdown for several weeks now due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The mildest way to describe our current situation is that it’s a very weird time. It feels like the answer to an impossible hypothetical. “What would you do if there was a viral outbreak that forced you, your…
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Blessing of the Interfaith Babies
By Susan Katz Miller: April showers bring May flowers, blue robin’s eggs, newborn lambs and foals. Even though human babies are born throughout the year, it seems appropriate somehow that our interfaith community welcomes new babies as a group in the spring.
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‘Hineini’ – Answering the Burning Bush
David Bigge April 6, 2020 When I attended Hebrew School as a child, there were two possible answers when the teacher called our names while taking attendance. We could say “ani po,” which literally means “I am here.” Or we could say “hineini,” which is an old biblical way to say “I am here,” like using…
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Creating a Spiritual Home
There’s no place like home. Home sweet home. Home is where the heart is. Home is where you hang your hat. We know from someplace deep in our gut that home is a place of warmth, safety, love, and belonging. Last week, as the IFFP community began preparing for Lent, Reverend Julia shared with us…
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Thoughts Upon Re-reading Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address
February 2, 2020 Lincoln delivered his Second Inaugural Address, in Washington, D.C., on March 4th, 1865. I would like to quote it: “On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it–all sought to avert it. …. Both parties deprecated war; but one…
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My Interfaith Kitchen
After I met and married my husband and we decided to be an interfaith family, I struggled. Not with balancing the two religions (although it is tricky evenly splitting the gifts for Hanukkah and Christmas so one holiday doesn’t end up with socks and underwear and no cool gifts; and don’t get me started about how…
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The Last Night of Hanukah Before Christmas at IFFP
A holiday poem “Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house”, The Menorah’s still dripping and the dreidels are out. The stockings are draped near the candles with care, The smell of fried latkes in our clothes, in our hair. All in our PJs, some feeties in felt, Sucking on candy canes, eating our…
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“How Lucky We Are!” The Joys of Creating Your Own Interfaith Community
Discover the incredible joys of building your own interfaith community in this insightful blog post. Explore the transformative power of embracing diverse faith traditions, fostering deep connections, and creating a welcoming space for dialogue and understanding. Learn how to navigate challenges, celebrate shared values, and experience the profound fulfillment of forging meaningful connections across religious…
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