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Morocco Trip Reflections
In thinking of all we learned and listened to during our trip, it is amazing that the Jewish history in Morocco covers almost 3,000 years! That’s 3 millennia! – a time to develop culture, history, and roots. Of course, there were good and bad years (as there were for other populations that make up Morocco), yet Jews were …
Let Us Be Peace Builders Together
Let Us Be Peace Builders Together Dear Sisters, The Sisterhood is dedicated to building trusting Muslim-Jewish relationships between women, to standing up for each other, engaging in social justice action, and working to end acts of hate against any human being. For the first few years, with so much work we needed to do …
Sacramento Region Participates in Build for Unity Program
In February, members of the Sacramento region of the Sisterhood took part in the annual Build for Unity program with Habitat for Humanity. They joined together with volunteers from various churches, community organizations, and Habitat constructor supervisors to work on the Cornerstone development. Beginning in early 2016, various faith groups in Sacramento came together to …
Sacramento Region Participates in Build for Unity Program Read More »
Arlington/Alexandria Service Project
On January 16, members of the Arlington/Alexandria I Sisterhood chapter joined forces with the Agudas Achim Congregation and the Alfred Street Baptist Church to pack over 20,100 meals for food insecure individuals and families in Alexandria, Virginia. They worked with The Outreach Program to assemble nutritionally balanced meal packets that were picked up by ALIVE!, a …
Western Nassau Service Project
The Western Nassau chapter of the Sisterhood recently completed its annual Tzedakah/Sadaqa Day project. During the months of November and December, they solicited donations of toiletries and feminine hygiene products from synagogues, mosques, and friends to benefit Momma’s House, which provides housing and services to young mothers and Domestic Harmony, which serves those impacted by …
A Message from our Executive Director
Tahija Vikalo, Executive Director, and her beautiful daughters Hilal and Tasneem As some of you know, last year was personally a very difficult year for me. Returning to work full-time at the beginning of the year was daunting but at the same time, a relief. I was inspired once again by all the amazing women …
Peacebuilder Reflections – Holding the Pain
Rabbi Amy Eilberg is the first woman ordained as a Conservative rabbi. She serves as a spiritual director, peace and justice educator, and teacher of Mussar (a classical Jewish system of spiritual development). My recent trip to Palestine and Israel with a group of 20 justice-minded rabbis began with a tour of the remains of the Palestinian …
Building Bridges – Morocco 2023
BUILDING BRIDGES – MOROCCO 2023 February 20 – 28, 2023 Morocco offers a fascinating opportunity to explore multiple dimensions of religion and culture in the Middle East/North Africa region. With distinctive Muslim practice and belief and being the site of Jewish communities for roughly 2,500 years, Morocco represents a nexus of Jewish, Arab, Berber, African, …
Voter Registration Project Opportunity
The Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom is partnering with The Civics Center to host voter drives to register high school students to vote nationwide. In most states, individuals have a full year or more to register to vote before their 18th birthday. In general, these students do not register, but once they do, they vote in …
Hanging In When We Would Rather Shut Down
Rabbi Amy Eilberg is the first woman ordained as a Conservative rabbi. She serves as a spiritual director, peace and justice educator, and teacher of Mussar (a classical Jewish system of spiritual development). When I first began my journey of learning to listen to Palestinians and to their perspectives on Israel and Palestine, one thing that I …
Sister Spotlight – Eunice & Safeta
“From our very first conversation, it was the start of a friendship.” Eunice and Safeta met through the Virtual Coffee Connection in the early months of the pandemic. With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the Sisterhood devised an easy and fun way for women to combat isolation and remain in touch- the Virtual Coffee Connection. Safeta Pejcinovic, …
Regional Roundup- Metro DC Picnic
Regional Roundup The latest news from our regional members! Our Metro DC region recently held a first-ever regional picnic to celebrate all things spring and Sisterhood! Members from multiple chapters gathered in a park and shared food, music, and henna. The newly formed Northern Virginia teen chapter also attended, which gave them an opportunity to …
Sister Spotlight- Anne Kjemtrup
Congratulations to Anne Kjemtrup, who recently received a 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award from the City of Davis, California. Anne is a member of the Sisterhood’s Board of Trustees, Sacramento Regional Coordinator, and founding member of the Sacramento chapters. For her exemplary work building positive relations in the community and also for working towards equality, intercultural …
Sister Spotlight- Hayat Ford
We invite our members to share a bit about themselves, their lives, and their connection to the Sisterhood in an occasional series. If you wish to tell your story for a future spotlight, please email [email protected] On May 6, 2022, long-time Sacramento sister Hayat Ford passed away from ALS. Hayat was one of Sacramento’s founding members in 2016. …
Biweekly Briefing April 13, 2022
Biweekly Briefing April 13, 2022 Welcome to the Sisterhood’s Biweekly Newsletter! Wishing Our Community a Blessed and Peaceful Ramadan and Passover! Dear Friends, We are in the middle of a truly special month. With the convergence of Ramadan, Easter and Passover, this month presents us with family time, self-reflection, and beautiful rituals. We wish all our Muslim Sisters and …
Sister Spotlight – Rebecca Weintraub
Rebecca Weintraub was born and raised in New York City’s Lenox Hill neighborhood. From a very young age, she found herself seeking her place within the Jewish community. She attended everything from nursery school through K-12 after school programs through a Reform synagogue and served as the first President of her Temple’s youth group, a …
Biweekly Briefing: Stranger/Sister Event TODAY, Refugee Ramadan Project THIS WEEK
Welcome to the Sisterhood’s Biweekly Newsletter! Sister Spotlight We are implementing an occasional series inviting our members to share a bit about themselves, their lives, and their connection to the Sisterhood. If you wish to tell your story for a future spotlight, please email [email protected] Rebecca Weintraub was born and raised in New York City’s …
Biweekly Briefing: Stranger/Sister Event TODAY, Refugee Ramadan Project THIS WEEK Read More »
Holidays
Holidays Please note that many holidays begin the evening before their indicated date. Scroll down for descriptions of holidays in alphabetical order. Al-Hijra/Muharram – New YearAl-Hijra, the Islamic New Year, is celebrated on the first day of Muharram, the month in which Muhammad emigrated from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE (known as the Hijra). …
Rise and Respond: Guide to Responding to Anti-Muslim and Anti-Jewish Bigotry
Rise & Respond: Guide to Responding to Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism Sisterhood Rise and Respond Guide.2 Ed, January 2020 Appendix 1: Pyramid of White Supremacy Appendix 2: Planning a Vigil Appendix 2a: Template for Vigil Flyer Appendix 2b: Vigil Liturgy Appendix 3: Letter to Editor Appendix 4: Press Release Appendix 5: Letter for Press Conference Appendix …
Rise and Respond: Guide to Responding to Anti-Muslim and Anti-Jewish Bigotry Read More »
Biweekly Briefing- January 12, 2022
Biweekly Briefing: Director’s Letter, Virtual Israel-Palestine Trip
Summer 2021 Newsletter ~ Welcome to Our New Executive Director
Executive Director’s Message It has been only two months since I joined the Sisterhood staff team as the new Executive Director and so much has happened in this short period of time. From the very beginning of my engagement with the Sisterhood five years ago as a chapter member, chapter co-leader, and most recently, as …
Summer 2021 Newsletter ~ Welcome to Our New Executive Director Read More »
Winter 2021 Newsletter~ Transitions and New Opportunities
President’s Message The first months of 2021 have brought change to our national landscape and to the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom. After being the voice of the Sisterhood for more than ten years, co-founder Sheryl Olitzky will be stepping down as executive director as of March 1. The Sisterhood will remain in good hands under the …
Winter 2021 Newsletter~ Transitions and New Opportunities Read More »
Virtual Building Bridges 2020: Civil Rights and Racial Justice Journey
Virtual Building Bridges Trip 2020: Civil Rights & Racial Justice Journey During the summer of 2020, dozens of women joined us for a series of conversations in courage. Guided by Dr. Todd Allen, Vice President for Diversity Affairs and Professor at Messiah College, women examined key issues in the civilrights movement, including voter suppression, police …
Virtual Building Bridges 2020: Civil Rights and Racial Justice Journey Read More »
Teens Present: Embracing Black Women’s Voices in Faith Communities
The Sisterhood teens recently welcomed an esteemed group of panelists for a conversation on Black women’s experiences in Muslim and Jewish communities. We were grateful to be joined by Sisterhood former teen co-leader, Asiyah Ball, former jGirls Magazine editor, Makeda Zabot-Hall, Be’chol Lashon Director of Community Engagement, Lindsey Newman, and Assistant Professor at Rhode Island College, …
Teens Present: Embracing Black Women’s Voices in Faith Communities Read More »
Building Bridges Trip 2020: Tuscon, Arizona Border Trip
Building bridges trip 2020: Tuscon, Arizona Border Trip The 2020 Building Bridges Trip grew directly out of the 2019 Building Bridges Trip to Germany & Poland. While still in Europe, and learning firsthand the results of unchecked hatred during the Holocaust, the participants vowed to organize a trip to the U.S./Mexican border. Our mission was …
Building Bridges Trip 2020: Tuscon, Arizona Border Trip Read More »
Responding to Biased or Offensive Comments by: Judith Kaye Training and Consulting
Responding to Biased or Offensive Comments by: Judith Kaye Training and Consulting
Spring 2019: Rise & Respond Training, Spring Celebrations, Annual Conference and New Staff!
Director’s Note It has been a busy first few months of 2019, with regional trainings, preparation for our Building Bridges trip, and increased resources and opportunities for learning and connecting! We are dismayed and disturbed by recent attacks on our houses of worship. These acts of cowardice go against everything we stand for and are devastating …
Winter 2019 Newsletter: Sisterhood Growth, Day of Service, Teen Chapters and Earth Day Plans!
Director’s Note You made 2018 an exciting year for the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom! Thanks to you, we expanded to over 170 chapters in 32 states, Canada, and Washington, DC, and we have many more on the way in both new and existing locations! We also launched our initiative for teen girls, welcoming chapters for teens in …
Pittsburgh Rally of Peace Speech: SOSS Teen Chapter Leaders
Simone: I never thought that I would have to watch my eight-year old sister crying in our synagogue because she didn’t understand why all the adults around her were breaking down in tears, wailing over the lives that were lost, and the sense of safety that will never return. Yesterday my sister told me and …
Pittsburgh Rally of Peace Speech: SOSS Teen Chapter Leaders Read More »
Salaam & Shalom to the Sisters in Memphis! October 2018
The co-leaders (Orli Katz, Sarah Unowsky, and Damla Onder), and I, Yagmur Onder, just recently started our chapter in Memphis, Tennessee. Our reasons for the creation of this chapter range between the desire to create stronger friendships with those in our cultural communities and having a space with others of our religious cultures to discuss …
Salaam & Shalom to the Sisters in Memphis! October 2018 Read More »
Unexpected Sisterhood in Machu Picchu, Peru
Of all the places in the world, the encounter of two Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom sisters at the UNESCO site of Machu Picchu, Peru! It was the last day of our four day trip to Pueblo Machu Picchu. On this last day, my brother, Viquar, and I revisited the Machu Picchu site, to take one last …
Pittsburgh Chapter: September 2018
Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom Pittsburgh Chapter Aniya Akhtar and Simone Rothstein As young Muslim and Jewish girls, religion never really came up within our friendship. As we got older, however, and started to consider our identity more, we began discussing our cultures, traditions, and ideologies with each other. It became apparent to us that we …
Getting Past Hate: How Two Women of Different Faiths Are Starting a Movement
Next Tribe‘s Eileen Stukane covers the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom in a July 3 article. She writes: Amidst the crudités and tasty Vidalia onion dip that hostess Fern Jurgrau-Schiffman had set out, Adla Karim placed baklava she had just made in her kitchen. Other women in this living-room meeting of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom had tasted …
Getting Past Hate: How Two Women of Different Faiths Are Starting a Movement Read More »
May Newsletter: Conference Registration, New Video Resources and Civil Rights Trip
Director’s Note April has been full of activity across North America. Sisters joined together on our recent Building Bridges trip to meet with civil rights leaders in the American South, and we’ve launched registration for our 2018 national conference! We have also released the next video, “Listening with Compassion,”in our resource library. As always, thank you …
May Newsletter: Conference Registration, New Video Resources and Civil Rights Trip Read More »
Three Generations of Women Creating Peace
We are honored that three generations of the Fishman-Belkin family are a part of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom®! Grandmother Janet Belkin is a member of the Tucson, Arizona chapter. Kira Belkin and her daughters Talia and Ruth live in central New Jersey. Kira is a member and co-leader of a Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® chapter …
March Newsletter: Our Terrific Teens, Chapter Round-Up, and New Resources
Director’s Note March has been a busy month here at the Sisterhood of Salaam Salaam. Our members have been featured in the news from Washington State to Virginia to New York and beyond, and most recently, our teen chapters were featured in national and international outlets! March has also seen a rising up of the …
March Newsletter: Our Terrific Teens, Chapter Round-Up, and New Resources Read More »
February Newsletter: Leadership Trainings and Amazing Chapter Work
Director’s Note It has been a busy month here at the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom®! Nearly 200 women attended leadership trainings in Manhattan and Metro DC, new chapters have been launched in places as diverse as South Florida, Palo Alto, and Chicago, and nearly 100 new women have requested to join chapters across the country. …
February Newsletter: Leadership Trainings and Amazing Chapter Work Read More »
January Newsletter: Welcome to our inaugural issue!
January 2018 Welcome to the inaugural 2018 issue of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® newsletter! We look forward to updating you with SOSS news, upcoming events, and chapter goings-on on a regular basis. We will feature chapters and individuals partaking in extraordinary events as well as highlight activities that will allow you to participate locally, …
January Newsletter: Welcome to our inaugural issue! Read More »
The Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® on Megyn Kelly TODAY
On December 19, Megyn Kelly featured the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® on her show for a feature, “Women Promote Understanding Between Jews & Muslims.” Founders Atiya Aftab and Sheryl Olitzky joined Megyn in the studio. Please watch and share!
We Reaffirm Our Commitment To Be There For One Another
A Statement by Board Chair Atiya Aftab, Board President Donna Cephas, and Executive Director Sheryl Olitzky We are reaching out to you today in the midst of emotions running high over actions that have taken place over the past few weeks for many in the Muslim and Jewish communities. The Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® remains …
We Reaffirm Our Commitment To Be There For One Another Read More »
Rising Up Against Hate: The 4th Annual SOSS Conference by Heba Macksoud
When people ask me to describe the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® annual conference, I often have so much to say, that I don’t even know where to start. This year was the 4th year of the conference and over 630 women attended — a tremendous jump from the 100 who attended in 2014. I typically …
Rising Up Against Hate: The 4th Annual SOSS Conference by Heba Macksoud Read More »
Breaking Religious Stereotypes to Foster Understanding: A High School Student’s Perspective
Kaitlyn Dundorf, a freshman at Hillsborough High School in New Jersey, visited a local chapter of the Sisterhood of the Salaam Shalom as part of an assignment for her Exploring Journalism class. The assignment required her to write a feature story, highlighting a local event or organization. She was interested to find out more about …
It’s About Personal Connections of Trust: Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® Highlighted
This article by S. D’I and Erasmus originally appeared on The Economist on May 22, 2017. Here’s an excerpt: Inter-faith dialogue: Muslims, Jews and women in America However toxic the climate, some Muslims and Jews try harder to get along As President Donald Trump engages in his own, idiosyncratic kind of religious and cultural diplomacy …
It’s About Personal Connections of Trust: Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® Highlighted Read More »
In Azerbaijan, Lessons on Peace and Harmony
This commentary originally appeared on Philly.com. By Marcia Bronstein While the Republic of Azerbaijan had never been on my bucket list, I eagerly embraced the recent chance to experience it as a participant in a Muslim/Jewish women’s bridge-building trip helmed by the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® (SOSS). Azerbaijan’s unique and successful model of peaceful coexistence …
Everything Depends Upon Building and Cultivating Relationships of Trust-Rabbi Nancy Fuchs Kreimer
In 1974, just as I was graduating college, I attended a conference in New York City entitled, “Auschwitz: Beginning of a New Era?” I was moved by passionate Christians who were repentant for the role their religion had played in genocide and were determined to reconstruct their theology, their liturgies, their textbooks. I found them …
New York Times & .Mic Cover Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom®
On December 5, the New York Times published an article about our historic and powerful December 4 Muslim Jewish Women Leadership Conference, “Both Feeling Threatened, American Muslims and Jews Join Hands.” Here’s an excerpt: Jolted into action by a wave of hate crimes that followed the election victory of Donald J. Trump, American Muslims and …
New York Times & .Mic Cover Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® Read More »
#Stand Up Against Hate; Atiya Aftab
What is it going to take to awaken us to see our commonalities and not be divided by fear of the other? I am still reeling from the elections. The bigoted, xenophobic, misogynist statements uttered by our presumed president elect were at the least disturbing. Now I understand how millions of people around the world live …
We Stand Up for Each Other: Atiya Aftab, Co-founder and Board Chair
Proud of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® and Atiya Aftab, Co-founder and Board Chair, for their support of and participation in the November 1 “Stand Up for the Other” Interfaith Program at Rutgers Douglas Student Center. Atiya was a presenter and shared the following words: Good evening, salaam, shalom and peace be with you all! About …
We Stand Up for Each Other: Atiya Aftab, Co-founder and Board Chair Read More »
Join Hundreds of Women and Attend the Muslim Jewish Women’s Leadership Conference
Register Today while seats are still available! Several hundred women will gather at Drew University on December 4 for the 2016 Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® Leadership Conference! Conference is sold out “I attended the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® Muslim Jewish Women’s Leadership Conference together with my 16-year-old daughter. I knew it would be a transformative experience for her, but …
Join Hundreds of Women and Attend the Muslim Jewish Women’s Leadership Conference Read More »
Support the Our Choice, Not Yours Campaign
When one of us is hurt, we are all hurt. We are proud to announce the solidarity mission of the Our Choice, Not Yours campaign. This campaign, a partnership between the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom®, Safina Fellowship and altMuslimah, will convene an international solidarity mission consisting of a group of interfaith women coming together and traveling …
Seeing God in One Another’s Eyes by Chelsea Garbell
This article originally appeared in the magazine Tablet. In the Jewish quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem there sits a small jewelry shop. Unknown to most Israelis, the beaten silver engraved pieces it produces have become a ubiquitous symbol of an American Jew who has spent time in Israel. Known simply as a “Hadaya,” …
Seeing God in One Another’s Eyes by Chelsea Garbell Read More »
Announcing the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® Third Annual Muslim Jewish Women’s Leadership Conference
Register Today-Early bird discount ends August 31! Several hundred women will gather at Drew University on December 4 for the 2016 Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® Leadership Conference! REGISTER NOW “I attended the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® Muslim Jewish Women’s Leadership Conference together with my 16-year-old daughter. I knew it would be a transformative experience for her, but I didn’t realize …
What to Wear: Reflections on Choice
It was a Sunday night and I was preparing for the upcoming week by hitting Facebook in my pajamas and there, amongst the selfies and memes, was a cartoon that caught my eye. It depicted two women staring at each other. One woman was in full abaya and niqaab – an outfit that covered every …
The Spirit of Charity in Ramadan
Ramadan Kareem! I am grateful to be alive to cherish, celebrate and commemorate another month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar Hijri calendar, commonly called the Muslim or Islamic calendar and is a month where Muslims strive to be in a heightened state of God-consciousness. Clearly when one is not eating …
From Generation to Generation
Each chapter of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® is unique in their composition. Yet, all the chapters achieve the same building bridges results. Each chapter takes on the commitment of women waging peace. The Westchester/Hudson Valley, New York Chapter has a very unique composition. In this chapter there are two moms, one Jewish and one …
We Hosted The First Regional Event Representing Eight Chapters
You asked and we responded! After each annual conference, we receive several requests for us to organize regional meetings. We were finally able to host a regional meeting last Thursday in New Jersey. It was a wonderful opportunity for the women from eight New Jersey chapters to meet each other. It was also an opportunity …
We Hosted The First Regional Event Representing Eight Chapters Read More »
Presentation For the Ahmadiyya Muslim Women’s Association Conference
I am so honored to have been asked to speak to you from a Jewish perspective on the topic of “ How Women of Faith can Contribute to Building Peaceful Societies.” There are many ways that Jews practice our religion, but the basis of our tradition stands on three things- on Torah (which is our …
Presentation For the Ahmadiyya Muslim Women’s Association Conference Read More »
Learning From the Past, Living For the Future
I just returned from a trip to the Balkans. This Building Bridges Journey brought Muslim and Jewish women from the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® to Bosnia and Albania. The trip had two goals. First, we went to witness the results of the attempted genocide against the Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) in the early 1990s. Next we …
Largest Gathering of Muslim & Jewish Women for Peace
Our December 2015 Muslim Jewish Women’s Leadership Conference was an unbelievable success. Over 350 women came together for two days in Princeton, New Jersey for workshops, panels, and relationship building — the largest-ever gathering of Jewish and Muslim women coming together for peace. Women came from across the United States and around the world, including from …
Largest Gathering of Muslim & Jewish Women for Peace Read More »
A Real Blessing: Baking For Peace
Baking at Sarah House in Santa Barbara September 20, 2015 “When women put their minds to peace and healing, great good can be accomplished.” — Kathy Rayburn, a member of the Santa Barbara Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® Chapter On Sunday, September 20, our Sisterhood volunteered to bake for the residents and staff of Sarah House. Sarah House …
Sisterhood Interview Featured on US Arab Radio
In late July, the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® was featured on US Arab Radio as part of their program highlighting women peacebuilders. The program featured Sheryl Olitzky, Symi Rom-Rymer, and Ambereen Shaffie and helps to educate others on the change in attitudes and behaviors that the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® has on women, their family and their …
Thoughts on Elections: Insights from Dr. Amaney Jamal
Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® member Dr. Amaney Jamal shares her insight in this article by Julie Poucher Harbin of Religion News Service, “Are Americans Ready For a Muslim President? Here’s What a New Gallup Poll Suggests.” (RNS) A recently released Gallup poll found “tidal shifts” over the past 60 years in Americans’ willingness to support a …
Thoughts on Elections: Insights from Dr. Amaney Jamal Read More »
The 26th Night of Ramadan
Last night was such a powerful and beautiful night that I just want a part of it to be etched somewhere forever. I think that all of us who came to the iftar felt the same way. There was something special, something powerful, and something so deep about it subhanAllah. Last night I invited my …
Responding to EEOC v. Abercrombie: The Ruling and Its Implications for Religious Freedom
The US Supreme Court’s recent decision in EEOC v. Abercrombie & Fitch —supporting a Muslim woman’s civil right to observe hijab at work and prohibiting employers from considering a job applicant’s religion or belief practices in hiring decisions—reinforces America’s commitment to religious freedom. Additionally, one might draw a number of broader insights. First, the case …
Responding to EEOC v. Abercrombie: The Ruling and Its Implications for Religious Freedom Read More »
Because We Are Sisters
I am blessed in many ways, and chief among my blessings has been my family. I have a brother who fulfills the ideal definition of brother, but I do not have any sisters and I have always felt a little bit cheated. A built-in best friend who gets giddy with you and tells you what not to wear. Someone …
International Religious Freedom and Women’s Experiences on the Extremist Battlefield
From parts of Europe to Nigeria to Myanmar to Iraq, women and girls often experience religious freedom violations in ways that are similar to as well as distinct from male co-religionists. Still, while protecting international religious freedom and advancing women’s rights globally represent core US foreign policy objectives, respectively, their inter-relationship remains a generally under-explored area of inquiry meriting attention. This …
International Religious Freedom and Women’s Experiences on the Extremist Battlefield Read More »
The Re-Education of the Muslim Next Door
In some respects I am a quintessential American soccer mom — I actually have two sons who play both recreational and travel soccer. My family eats burgers and watermelon on July 4th. We live in a suburban New Jersey neighborhood with picket fences and bikes abandoned in front yards at dinner time. My family binge …
Engaged in the holy
A year and a half ago, Sheryl Olitzky asked me to serve on the Executive Committee of the newly forming organization, the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom®. I was happy to be able to say “Yes!” and my life has been enriched in lovely and unexpected ways since. My co-chair, Tasneem Shamim, and I started our …
All Lives Matter
We are disturbed and saddened to witness more senseless violence – the execution style killing of three Muslims in North Carolina. #MuslimLivesMatter. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of these victims. We pray that God Almighty blesses their souls and admit them to heaven. We cannot be silent in the face of violence. …
We will continue to stand up for each other and to support each other
The Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® is deeply saddened and sickened by the unfolding news in Paris over the past few days. This most recent tragedy makes us confront, yet again, how helpless many of us feel in the face of this seemingly relentless violence. When terrorists attack any one of us—as Journalists, as Policemen and …
We will continue to stand up for each other and to support each other Read More »
Recruiting for New Chapters
The Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® is delighted to announce that we are currently recruiting members for new chapters in these cities: Cleveland, Ohio Los Angeles, California Ft. Lauderdale, Florida St. Louis, Missouri San Franscisco, California Chicago (Downtown), Illinois San Diego, California Rockville, Maryland And additional chapters in Phildadelphia, Kansas City, Boston and throughout New Jersey …
The Muslim fast and the Jewish fast: Really? By Atiya Aftab, Co-Founder and Board Chair
Today, November 3, is the 10th day of Muharram in the year 1436. I am referring to the Hijri calendar — often less accurately called the “Islamic” calendar. While there is nothing “Islamic” about it in a religious sense, year one of the Hijri calendar marked the Hijra in 622 CE (Common Era). The Hijra …
The Muslim fast and the Jewish fast: Really? By Atiya Aftab, Co-Founder and Board Chair Read More »
Santa Barbara, Essex County, Providence and Philadelphia Chapters Launch
More new chapters launch. A special welcome toSanta Barbara, California; Essex County, NJ; Philadelphia, PA and Providence, Rhode Island. We are so excited to welcome our new Muslim and Jewish sisters into the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom® organization. The Sisterhood now has coverage on both coasts of the US and also is active in many …
Santa Barbara, Essex County, Providence and Philadelphia Chapters Launch Read More »
