Dear Interfaith Philadelphia community,
What role does the “me” play in the bigger “we?” At Interfaith Philadelphia, we emphasize the importance of coming together across difference. It can be scary to share what makes us unique, but without being open about our deepest connections to our own faiths, the relationships we build won’t be nearly as strong.
I am pleased to introduce a new quarterly letter in which I’ll share glimpses into what I’m learning through our work at Interfaith Philadelphia and what I’m noticing in the world around us. I invite you to reflect with me on what it means to develop authentic relationships across difference, to dare to understand one another, and to build a region where religious diversity is celebrated.
A couple of weeks ago, I attended a Sunday morning service with the South Philadelphia ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). This was my second time at an LDS worship service, and I had forgotten how personal it felt. Each Sunday, congregants share reflections on their faith and how it has impacted their lives.
I was particularly moved by a young woman who was relatively new to the community, and she stood at the front to share two significant experiences in which her faith helped her. The first was in a difficult moment with a peer, many years ago. She explained that, in her words, she prayed to see this person the way God saw her, and her prayers were answered. The second was about her struggles with mental health, wondering what God was trying to teach her through her journey.
As she stood before approximately 70 people in the room sharing these stories, she said, over and over, “I prayed to my Savior.”
Mine. Not ours. Mine.
The vulnerability required to stand in front of a room full of near strangers and share not just about challenging times in her life but to do so in such a personal way moved me to tears. Her use of that word “my” stayed with me. It expressed something deeply personal, yet it was also something she shared with everyone in the chapel.
On September 9th, as part of our Religious Freedom: Then & Now series, we gathered at Gloria Dei Old Swedes’ Episcopal Church for an exploration of the role of empathy in dialogue. Professor Lia Howard from the Political Empathy Lab at the University of Pennsylvania guided us through a presentation and discussion to learn about the role empathy plays in understanding new perspectives. We heard stories of students travelling across Pennsylvania to speak with people from different backgrounds, standing tall through standing with others. Throughout the conversation, we explored how individual experiences – me and you – can come together to form a we.
I often hear an assumption that “interfaith” must mean removing the personal, melting and melding each person into someone who can fit with the next. Yet interfaith engagement demands that we remain personal, bring ourselves fully, and that we don’t dilute a single word.
We strive for a region in which all are valued and free to believe as they please – but that is only possible when we each bring our full “me” to the table.
As we approach the upcoming elections, it can be tempting to see our differences as reasons to turn away from one another. But only through bringing the most personal parts of ourselves can we move towards a collective vision, a region in which all people are valued, distinctive traditions are welcomed, and people of diverse backgrounds collaborate to shape a just and compassionate society.
I’m grateful to be part of a community that is willing to hold that “we,” that “my,” that “me” at the center as we both celebrate the personal and build relationships while being our complete selves. Only through sharing our “my” can we find our “we” – authentic, interfaith relationships which reach across lines of difference and defy cultural norms.
I invite you to join us at upcoming opportunities to learn about someone else’s “my.” Join us for Everyday Faith next week to learn about local indigenous traditions and in December to learn about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On November 15th, come to Mikveh Israel to explore how our Constitution has helped us maintain our “my” throughout America’s history. There are so many ways to take the next step in building our “we;” I encourage you to find the way that’s right for you.
I hope to see you at these upcoming opportunities, and I look forward to sharing more of this work and my reflections with you in the months ahead.
With gratitude,
Sara Zebovitz
Executive Director, Interfaith Philadelphia
