Iftar in the SynagogueIftar in the Synagogue

Iftar in the Synagogue
Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012

“Iftar” is the breaking of the daily fast during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. This inspiring annual event has grown tremendously in recent years and become an important gathering for both Jewish and Muslim communities. The evening includes Jewish and Muslim prayers, engaging speakers, conversation and a kosher/halal dinner.

For the first time, this year we will celebrate "Iftar in the Synagogue" across the city, in three locations on the same night:

  • EVANSTON: Beth Emet The Free Synagogue, 1224 Dempster, Evanston
  • CHICAGO NORTH: Temple Sholom of Chicago, 3480 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago
  • CHICAGO SOUTH: Beth Shalom Bnai Zaken, 6601 S. Kedzie, Chicago
 
The program begins at 6:30 p.m. at all three locations.

RSVP

Online advance registration is closed. Walk-ins are welcome. We look forward to seeing you tonight!

MORE INFORMATION

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Please contact Asaf Bar-Tura.

Iftar 2012 Speakers

Evanston -- Beth Emet The Free Synagogue, 1224 Dempster

 
Rabbi Andrea London

Rabbi Andrea London...

has been the senior rabbi at Beth Emet since 2010, having served Beth Emet as associate rabbi from 2000-2010. Rabbi London co-chairs the Jewish-Muslim Community Building Initiative and holds several national leadership positions within the Reform Movement. Rabbi London introduced Beth Emet to the Union for Reform Judaism’s Just Congregations initiative, sparking discussions on local, regional, and national issues as an initial step toward developing new social action efforts on issues of communal concern. She holds a degree in applied mathematics from Brown University and worked as a management consultant before becoming a rabbi. She received her smicha (ordination) in 1996 from the Hebrew Union College in New York and served as assistant rabbi at Temple Israel in Minneapolis from 1996 to 2000. She is married to Danny London and has two children, Yonah and Liora.

 

 
Dr. Zaher Sahloul

Dr. Zaher Sahloul...

is chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago. Dr. Sahloul has held various governing positions for several religious, civic, professional and medical nonprofit organizations including the Organization of Islamic Speakers - Midwest, the Civil Rights Education Center, Holy Cross Hospital, and CAIR-Chicago. He is on the National Advisory Board of the Bernadin Center and the Steering Committee of the Tri-faith (Muslim-Christian-Jewish) dialogue at the Catholic Theological Union. He serves on the board of advisers of the Center of Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace and Justice at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. He has participated in many interfaith initiatives with Catholic, Jewish and Lutheran Communities. Professionally, Dr. Sahloul is a physician at Advocate Christ Medical Center. He is a founder of the Syrian American Medical Society (Midwest chapter) and its foundation, and serves as president of the Syrian American Medical Society National Office. He has written several articles about mosques, leadership, environment, civic engagement and activism from an Islamic perspective. He is married with three children.

 

Chicago North --Temple Sholom of Chicago, 3480 N. Lake Shore Drive

 
Azam Nizamuddin

Azam Nizamuddin...

is an attorney and principal of The Law Office of Azam Nizamuddin, P.C., where he practices business litigation, family law, and real estate. His firm advises individuals and assists businesses, including not-for-profit organizations, for their litigation and corporate needs. He is adjunct professor in the Department of Theology at Loyola University of Chicago where he teaches courses on Islam and History of Islamic Thought. Previously, he taught at Elmhurst College in Illinois from 2002 to 2007. He has lectured extensively on Islamic theology and law, and on Islamic civilization to churches, synagogues, civic organizations and federal agencies across the country. Since September 11, he has attended conferences in Denmark, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan and Turkey to discuss East-West relations and interreligious dialogue.

 

 
Rabbi Peter Knobel

Rabbi Peter Knobel...

is Interim Senior Rabbi at Temple Sholom. Prior to this, he was senior rabbi at Beth Emet in Evanston. Rabbi Knobel has been an educator for his community and many other institutions of higher learning, including Spertus Institute, Connecticut College, HUC-JIR, Yale University, the University of Connecticut and the University of New Haven. He has served as the president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Chicago Board of Rabbis and the Chicago Association of Reform Rabbis. He chaired the Editorial Committee for the new Reform Siddur, Mishkan T’filah. Rabbi Knobel received his master's and Ph.D. in Philosophy from Yale University and was ordained and received a master's in Hebrew Literature from Hebrew Union College. He earned his bachelor of arts from Hamilton College.

Chicago South -- Beth Shalom Bnai Zaken, 6601 S. Kedzie

 
Eiman Abdelmoneim

Eiman Abdelmoneim...

is an American-born Egyptian-American who co-founded Sereen Foundation (http://www.sereen.org), a philanthropic venture, in 2012. Its mission is to bring projects that inspire hope and joy to children dealing with the challenge of cancer in Egypt. Prior to the Sereen Foundation, Eiman was a founding board member of the Mohamed Webb Foundation, an organization based in the western suburbs of Chicago with the vision of creating a warm and inviting space for Americans to experience Islam. As a public speaker, Eiman gives sermons monthly at the Muslim Educational and Cultural Center in Willowbrook, Ill. as well as in different forums for both Muslims and non-Muslims. He is a resident of Darien, Ill., where he lives with his wife and three children.

 

 
Dahn Ben Yehuda

Bruce Carey (Dahn Ben Yehuda)...

for more than 20 years has been an advocate working for the developmentally disabled/mentally challenged population. He is a certified QMRP/QSP and currently works for Impact INC; a nonprofit organization based in Crown Point, Ind. Born and raised in Gary, Bruce holds a bachelor's degree from Purdue University. For 14 years, he has been a congregant of Beth Shalom B’nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation in Chicago, where he previously served as vice president. He is a supporter of AJP (Arabs and Jews for Peace), and participates in interfaith dialogue, and activities regionally. Currently he is starting an interfaith book club at the Gary Public Library. Bruce is widowed and has one daughter residing in Houston.

 

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Iftar in the Synagogue 2012 Banner

Iftar in the Synagogue

Sponsors

  • American Islamic College
  • Andrew Schapiro and Tamar Newberger
  • Anshe Sholom 
  • Bnai Israel
  • Beth Emet The Free Synagogue
  • Beth Shalom Bnai Zaken
  • Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals
  • Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago
  • Fiedler Hillel at Northwestern University
  • Hillel at Loyola
  • Inner-city Muslim Action Network
  • Jay and Irene Frank
  • Jewish Council on Urban Affairs
  • Makom Shalom
  • Muslim Women's Alliance
  • Temple Beth Israel
  • Temple Judea Mizpah
  • Temple Sholom of Chicago
  • The Jewish-Muslim Initiative at UIC

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