Narberth Interfaith Council
The Narberth Interfaith Council [NIC] was an idea recently, if not for the first time, put together by three members of our Havurah - Art, Bob and Yitzhak. We met for our inaugural session on Friday evening, May 18, 2007, at the Yoga Garden, with nearly 30 people in attendance, half from St. Asaph's Episcopal Church, half from the Havurah, and a wonderful and grounded couple from The Fellowship in Overbrook. Our intention is to build bridges. We are aware how organized religion can be stale, dogmatic, snooty. By bringing leadership/clergy together from different groups in the area, (not limited to within the Borough's limited borders,) we will be walking the path many of the world's princes (and princesses) of peace have walked before.
We plan to meet on a near-monthly basis with various non-Jewish groups. We will gather to increasing our understanding of how we think and act as Jews in the light of the ways and customs of others.
Of course our havurah is, in itself, an interfaith body. One of our primary intentions as a small local Jewish community is to include and be particularly welcoming to those who have been excluded in the past. This, alas, would include many, ranging from women, to Jews-by-choice, gays and lesbians, non-Jewish partners (and their partners!), Jews of color, working class Jews...
So join the effort we refer to as the NIC, the Narberth Interfaith Council. For now, it's something the havurah has cooked up, down the road, who knows? Please contact Bob or Yitzhak and share with them your out-of-the-box way of making community, coming together, celebrating and valuing our humanity!