Multifaith educational tool

Interfaith Collaboration Grants

InterfaithCincy, in partnership with A Blessing to One Another, is offering Interfaith Community Engagement Grants. Any Faith community or any faith-based youth group that partners with a faith community or youth group from another faith tradition to work on a community engagement project can apply. To view the grant application, please click here. For Information and application form contact Dr. James Buchanan at A Blessing to One Another at interfaithcincy@gmail.com.

Volunteering Opportunities

Ohioans For Gun Safety- Needs Your Help

More Opportunities >>

Community Event Report: “How to Start a Green Team in Your Congregation”

In November, Faith Communities Go Green hosted the first local conversation “How to Start a Green Team in Your Congregation”. Panelists from six different congregations shared stories on how they got people together to form a green team. They described their green team accomplishments and provided advice to the audience based on their experiences.

The meeting was exhilarating. Each panelist shared their team’s successes, impressing us all with how small groups of people can do so many wonderful things for the environment.

Key areas of action were identified by the panelists.

Form your team, even if your first meeting is just two people. The more people you have, the more credibility you have. Determine who the decision makers are in your congregation. Get support and commitment from your congregational decision makers, religious leaders and staff. Use available organizing tools to solicit interest and engage potential team participants. One way to find like-minded individuals is to host a symposium on a current environmental issue.
Develop educational programming for adults and children by having speakers, film screening discussions, and outings to connect with nature. Conduct an energy audit in the congregation facility and in households. Incorporate recommended upgrades, purchase reusable tableware for events, recycle and compost. Post monthly green actions in the e-bulletin. Host a weekend retreat with workshops on becoming carbon neutral.
Lobby for policy changes. Visit with legislators, sponsor monthly advocacy actions, become part of a coalition doing this work.
Bring care for the earth into worship services.

Advice offered: Show people the connections between environmental issues and other issues they might care about, such as refugees or food insecurity. Use the strengths of the people on your team.

The biggest take away was that having a green team in a house of worship enables lay members to influence attitudes and daily behaviors to take better care of our planet for future generations. It was thrilling to hear all the success stories, inspiring us to start a green team in our own houses of worship.

Faith Communities Go Green provides support for faith groups to work together to protect creation. Everyone was invited to complete a survey for their congregation. The 7 question survey helps Faith Communities Go Green understand the needs of the faith community. The survey, upcoming events, the recording of this event and other previous events, can be found at https://greenumbrella.org/faith/

A PORTRAIT OF JEWISH CINCINNATI NOW OPEN AT THE SKIRBALL MUSEUM in celebration of the Cincinnati Jewish Bicentennial

The Skirball Museum on the historic Cincinnati campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is currently featuring the exhibition A Portrait of Jewish Cincinnati in celebration of the Cincinnati Jewish Bicentennial. Jewish community life in the city of Cincinnati formally began with the founding of Chestnut Street Cemetery in Cincinnati’s West End in 1821. The exhibition opened on November 4 and will be on view through January 30, 2022. For the opening, the Skirball welcomed several descendants of individuals whose portraits appear in the exhibition.

A Portrait of Jewish Cincinnati brings together the likenesses of many of Cincinnati’s prominent Jewish citizens from the early 19th century to the present day, gleaned from the museum’s own rich collections as well as those of local and national museums and private collections. Portraits include oil paintings, sculptures, drawings, and mixed media representations of figures who have made a significant impact on Jewish Cincinnati and the larger secular community. Augmenting the portraits are several decorative arts objects, including a tall clock made by Joseph Jonas, Cincinnati’s first permanent Jewish settler, who was a jeweler and watch and clock manufacturer.

Fanny Aub, artist unknown, oil on canvas, ca. 1860, collection of Professors A.E. Ted Aub and Phillia C. Yi

Abraham Aub, artist unknown, oil on canvas, ca. 1860, collection of Professors A.E. Ted Aub and Phillia C. Yi

“Bringing together almost 40 works of art in celebration of 200 years of Jewish life in Cincinnati has been an incredible journey of discovery and learning for the Skirball Museum staff,” comments Skirball director Abby S. Schwartz. “From Fanny and Abraham Aub, the couple who gave the land to build the third location of Cincinnati’s Jewish Hospital—the first such hospital in the country—to Sally Priesand, the first woman ordained a rabbi in America, in Cincinnati at Hebrew Union College—to so many scions of philanthropy, civic service, industry, education and culture who made their mark on the Cincinnati community, the narratives of these portraits are colorful and diverse and will engage viewers of all backgrounds.”

While her husband and brother were busy becoming the largest producers and merchandisers of whiskey in Ohio and Kentucky, Duffie Workum Freiberg founded the Jewish Foster Home on West Sixth Street in 1892 and served as its first president, was a director of United Jewish Charities, the predecessor of today’s Jewish Federation, and a trustee of the Cleveland Orphan Asylum. A preponderance of the subjects in A Portrait of Jewish Cincinnati are immigrants or first-generation Americans. Whether merchants, physicians, attorneys, industrialists, teachers or volunteers, in almost every instance, these men and women found ways to give back, to support their secular and religious communities, making them a source of pride for all Cincinnatians. A case in point is Milton Schloss, who began his career in the family business, E. Kahn & Sons, as an apprentice in the slaughterhouse and built the company to the pinnacle of success, eventually running a more than billion-dollar consolidated national meat company – Hillshire Farms and the Sarah Lee Meat Group. In the years leading up to World War II, Schloss sponsored several German Jews to immigrate to Cincinnati and provided employment for them at Kahn’s. He served his country in World War II, liberating a German concentration camp and earning a Bronze Star Medal. Later, he taught at the University of Cincinnati School of Business and supported local Jewish organizations, most notably the Jewish Community Center.

On December 14 at 1pm, Skirball Museum director Abby Schwartz will offer “A Portrait of Jewish Cincinnati: Up Close and Personal,” a slide talk overview of the exhibition followed by a gallery visit. The program will be held in Mayerson Hall Auditorium and will be delivered in person and via Livestream. Reservations are required by calling 513.487.3231 or emailing awheeler@huc.edu, or by registering online at A Portrait of Jewish Cincinnati: Up Close and Personal! – Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (huc.edu). Capacity is limited. All visitors 12 years of age and older are required to show proof of vaccination for entry into the Skirball Museum. Masks are required for all visitors over the age of 2.

Event is subject to change or cancellation as we continually assess the ever-changing impace of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For additional information call 513.487.3231 or email awheeler@huc.edu, or visit the Skirball Museum website at http://csm.huc.edu.

Death Penalty Abolition Week for Ohio Faith Communities

Over 80 faith communities across 18 counties participated in more than 220 actions for Death Penalty Abolition Week for Ohio Faith Communities from October 8th – 17th. This week was the result of the efforts of the #NoDeathPenaltyOH coalition’s faith table and organized by Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center (IJPC) to uplift the voices of faith communities in a call for death penalty abolition. Faith communities took action in a number of ways. I am inspired by the multitude of people who shared stories about reflective prayer services, emboldened by the hundreds of postcards sent to legislators, and excited about the statewide gatherings and educational events that brought new people in.

In Cincinnati, over 100 people came together for an interfaith vigil outside Bellarmine Chapel. It was a bright, cloudless day and the sun beamed down on the stage as representatives from Catholic, Christian, Jewish, Mennonite, and Muslim faith traditions shared why they are called to stand in opposition to the death penalty. It was a powerful moment that grounded us in the reason why movements like this are so important.

Faith communities are crucial in the effort to end the death penalty and Ohio has never been this close to abolition. Bipartisan abolition legislation, Senate Bill 103 and House Bill 183, are currently sitting in committee awaiting hearings before heading to a vote. The death penalty is an arbitrary and racist system that is too broken to be fixed. As Tala Ali, Muslim Chaplain for the Dorothy Day Center for Faith and Justice, stated, “The death penalty in America is flawed, it is defined by bias and error and it targets the most vulnerable people in our society.”

It is our faith traditions that ground us in the inherent worth and dignity of human beings, that call us to nonviolent action, and to recognize that we are not the worst thing we have ever done. As Abby King-Kaiser, Director of the Dorothy Day Center for Faith and Justice, said, “I hope we can all tap into our prophetic imagination, so that we can imagine a world in which our traumas are addressed when we’re children, where we don’t have to resort to violence either as a society or a state or individuals. It takes our imaginations to help get us there and it takes all of our work in our many traditions to make it a reality.”

To learn more and get involved please email Bekky Baker, Program Manager for Death Penalty & Peace and Nonviolence at bekky@IJPCcincinnati.org. Check out IJPCcincinnati.org to learn more about IJPC and nodeathpenaltyoh.com for more information on the campaign.

Sensory Friendly Liturgies Foster Welcoming Communities

I sat there at Mass two pews behind a family who had a little boy with autism. His parents struggled with him as he moved around the pew, played with the books and even occasionally cried out. During the homily he began to recite the alphabet, not loudly, but loud enough for those around him to hear. His parents became quite flustered. I longed to say something to comfort and welcome them, but they were a few rows ahead of me, and I didn’t want to make a scene. I resolved that I would encourage them during the Sign of Peace; however, I never got the opportunity, because after about 10 minutes, they left the church looking embarrassed and defeated.

What breaks my heart about this situation is that my parish is an incredibly welcoming community, but past experiences prevented this family from encountering that sense of belonging. A large percentage of Catholic families with members with disabilities have felt forced to abandon weekly Mass attendance due to stigma and the difficulties associated with unpredictable behavior during the liturgy. We, as Church, are called to create a culture of meaningful participation and inclusion for persons with disabilities and their families. Unless we make intentional and well-communicated efforts to embrace these individuals and their families, they will never know that they are an important and necessary part of the Body of Christ.

To better welcome ALL people to the Lord’s Table, the Office for Persons with Disabilities of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati has begun hosting Sensory-Friendly Liturgies during regularly scheduled Mass times at several parishes. These liturgies specifically cater to persons with sensory sensitivities by using lower lights, softer music, low-gluten hosts, and pictorial missals. We encourage the use of the Children’s Lectionary for its more literal interpretation of the readings and suggest shorter and more literal Homilies to meet the needs of persons with neurodiversity. All of these modifications are incredibly important, but for the families who attended, the most significant accommodation is the elimination of any stigma that they previously encountered. One participant said, “It was so wonderful to feel like we weren’t a burden, distraction or inconvenience.”

In order to assist parishes in creating these opportunities to embrace the entire Body of Christ, the Office for Persons with Disabilities has created a variety of resources which are available on our website at Sensory-Friendly Mass – Archdiocese of Cincinnati (catholicaoc.org). Several Dayton parishes have already committed to regularly scheduled sensory-friendly Masses, and our goal is to expand the ministry to all the deaneries in the Archdiocese. We are hopeful that these liturgies will be something that inspire not just Catholic Churches, but all place of worship to consider the importance of intentional welcome for persons with disabilities and their families.

By: Noelle Collis-DeVito, Associate Director for the Office for Persons with Disabilities for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati

Faith Communities Go Green Invites You Join the Plastic-Free EcoChallenge

The Faith Communities Go Green Facilities Group is hosting an event for the religious community, June 7th from 7pm to 8:30pm ET

The Cincinnati Regional Coalition Against Hate (CRCAH)

Our community leaders often say: an act of hate towards any one community is an act of hate towards all.

As upstanders in our community, we assert that Cincinnati is no place for hate. With the re-emergence of white supremacy in the wake of the 2016 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Cincinnatians came together and formed the Cincinnati Regional Coalition Against Hate (CRCAH). With rising division across our nation, it became critical to mobilize. Nineteen founding organizations created this non-partisan coalition; an allyship committed to vigilance against hate activity by supporting impacted communities and fostering acceptance, compassion, and justice for all across Greater Cincinnati. Today, there are more than 40 partner organizations working together to educate the community and monitor incidents of hate in our community. Our rapid response model allows us to effectively respond to hate activity within 24 hours by leveraging a diverse network as the connective tissue between communities thereby providing key resources specific to any particular community. Whether incidents occur on the street, in the workplace, or at school, CRCAH is able to tap into community leaders as needed.

As of January, the Coalition now operates under the umbrella of the Holocaust and Humanity Center (HHC) as its convening organization. As such, we have a new home at Cincinnati’s historic Union Terminal, one of our city’s greatest symbols of an America for all. With a focus on the Humanity Gallery and community education, HHC is perfectly suited to help push the work of CRCAH forward. We are now expanding the team and seeking to fill the new position of CRCAH Program Manager. We are seeking a fellow upstander who shares a passion for our mission: a belief in denouncing hate and promoting tolerance by working collaboratively with people of all identities. Such an individual would have leadership experience in nonprofit settings and excited to continue our work to ensure that this is no place for hate.

For more information about the Coalition, or to get in touch, please visit https://cincinnaticoalition.org/ and join the cause!

If you are interested in the Program Manager position, please visit the job posting.

Jaipal Singh
Executive Board Member
Cincinnati Regional Coalition Against Hate

Faith Communities Go Green

Response from Midwest USA Chinese Chamber of Commerce regarding recent Anti-Asian Hate Incidents

COVID Spurs Solidarity and Compassion Among Hospital Chaplains

This month marks the one year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, a virus which has killed more than half a million people in the U.S. The fear, uncertainty, and isolation experienced during this time left many feeling helpless. For those responsible for accompanying the sick in their spiritual needs, hospital chaplains, their ministry called them to face this novel virus with new forms of prayer and solidarity.

The Department of Pastoral Care at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center responded to this call by creating “Prayers for those Affected by COVID-19,” a booklet of more than a dozen prayers, which could be used across hospital settings — with sick children, with sick adults, or with healthcare staff. Ten staff members, two of them Rabbi’s, contributed to this booklet.

This project began at the beginning of the pandemic, when a former palliative fellow at CCHMC, now working at the Children’s Hospital of Montefiore in New York, reached out to their friend, Rev. Karen Geiger-Behm, staff chaplain at CCHMC. According to Rev. Geiger-Behm, “They had moved many of the children out to make space for COVID positive adults. As the director of the palliative program, [my friend] was supporting all end of life care, which was overwhelming. She didn’t have a chaplain on staff, and so she asked me to provide prayers for all the situations they found themselves in. I called upon the team at CCHMC, and within a weekend we put the prayer booklet together.”

These prayers, it seems, met a real and urgent need, because, since it was written last spring, this booklet has been shared across the country and even translated into Spanish. This act of compassion and solidarity, “was our small way,” said Rev. Geiger-Behm, “of offering care to the areas that were much harder hit from the pandemic.”

–//–
We are grateful to the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab for making us aware of this ministry of the Department of Pastoral Care of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Click Here to view the resource in English

Click Here to view the resource in Spanish