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IFFP’s 2024–2025 Annual Report is Here!
We’re excited to share the Interfaith Families Project (IFFP) Annual Report for the 2024–2025 program year! This has been a year of growth, connection, and anticipation as we prepare to celebrate IFFP’s 30th Anniversary in October 2025. A Year of Connection and Growth This year, IFFP brought together 105 households from the DC area, across the country, and even internationally.…
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Reverend Sam Reflects on 10 Years of Ministry
This August marks ten years since Rev. Samantha Gonzalez-Block was ordained in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). In this deeply personal reflection, she revisits the question she’s been asked countless times: “How and why did you get into the ministry?” From interfaith roots and early doubts to moments of heartbreak, hope, and resilience, she shares what…
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Embracing Interfaith Families: A Journey of Love, Faith, and Understanding
By Rabbi Ari Y. Saks, Co-host of the podcast “Interfaithing: Why Families Can Embrace Two Faiths Under One Roof.” I am excited and humbled to be invited by the Interfaith Families Project leadership to deepen my connection with the IFFP community through regular blog entries. As a rabbi deeply rooted in the Conservative Jewish tradition,…
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Shavuot: A Vision of Shared Prosperity
Originally written for our Gathering on May 18, 2025 Last month, Jews around the world celebrated the holiday of Shavuot. Like many Jewish holy days, Shavuot carries layers of meaning that have accumulated over time. In Leviticus, the Israelites are commanded to count seven full weeks from Passover and then bring the first fruits of their…
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IFFP Teen Group Gathering 2025: Reflections on Worthiness, Faith, and Action
At this year’s IFFP Teen Group Gathering, we reflected on a powerful passage from Luke 5:1-11 — the moment when Jesus calls his first disciples. From this story, we each found a message that resonated with our own lives and experiences. Together, we explored the idea that every person is worthy, and that believing in…
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Rabbi Debbie’s 2025 Haggadah Supplements
Rabbi Debbie’s Supplemental Haggadah Readings for Passover 2025 Even as many of us will gather for the IFFP Seder on Sunday, April 13, Passover begins sooner than that. You may wish to incorporate additional readings into your own family celebrations throughout the week. Below are some readings I’ve gathered that I hope you’ll find meaningful…
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“Guide My Feet”: Finding Strength in the Wilderness During Lent
This blog post is adapted from a reflection written by Rev. Samantha Gonzalez-Block for our Gathering on May 9th, 2025. “Guide my feet while I run this race,Guide my feet while I run this race,Guide my feet while I run this race,‘Cuz I don’t want to run this race in vain!” Have you ever found…
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Tu B’Shvat: A Celebration Rooted in History
Adapted from Rabbi Debbie Reichmann’s sermon, delivered on Sunday, February 9th, at St. Mark Presbyterian Church (North Bethesda, Maryland) What, exactly, does Tu B’Shvat, mean? Is it the “New Year of the Trees,” is it the “The Tree Birthday,” is it Jewish Earth Day? All of these and none of these. Put simply, Tu B’Shvat…
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From Oppression to Hope: The Story of the Star of David
This blog post is adapted from a powerful reflection given by Rabbi Debbie Reichmann on January 26, 2025, in honor of International Holocaust Memorial Day. Do you recognize these symbols? These symbols are instantly recognizable to most of us, and each one immediately brings a specific company to mind. But beyond their logos, these symbols…
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Pearls of Abundance: Loaves, Fishes and More Than Enough
Adapted from Rev. Samantha Gonzalez-Block’s sermon, delivered on Sunday, January 12th, at St. Mark Presbyterian Church (North Bethesda, Maryland) It was an unlikely bond. They were two adversaries, both alike in dignity, who had disagreed on much throughout the years and criticized each other publicly. And yet here they were – stuck on a plane together…
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Elevating Our Voices: Interfaith Families and the Future of Dialogue
This blog post introduces the groundbreaking Interfaith Work and Interfaith Families: A Toolkit, created by journalist Susan Katz Miller and anthropologist Dalia El Ariny. Drawing from their own interfaith experiences and extensive research, the authors explore the unique challenges and transformative contributions of interfaith families in traditional interfaith engagement. The toolkit offers practical steps for organizations…
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The Golden Rule for Our Time
This blog post is adapted from a reflection delivered by Rev. Samantha Gonzalez-Block on November 10, 2024, at the Interfaith Families Project, drawing on Psalm 46, Leviticus 19:18, and Matthew 22:25-40. Last week, my spouse, Matt and I traveled down to Asheville and Swannanoa, North Carolina, carrying the items that you generously donated. The situation…
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