Human Connection | Interfaith Understanding | Collective Transformation

Our hearts are with the community of Bondi Beach, Australia, and the Jewish community around the world in light of the horrific mass shooting on the first night of Hanukkah. The pain of this attack is felt by many, including our neighbors here in West Michigan. We pray for those who are still in the hospital, and we mourn those who have passed. May their memory be a blessing. As an Interfaith Institute, we condemn religious-based hate in all forms, as we bear witness once again to the heinous violence it begets. Inspired by the “Festival of Lights,” may we dedicate ourselves to bringing light where there is darkness, seeking to love and understand our neighbors, so that everyone can practice their religious, secular, and spiritual traditions freely and in peace. 

-The Kaufman Team

Stories & Updates

During this holiday season many faith traditions use candles and lights to counter the darkness of the winter days. In these current days there Is also much darkness in the news with shooters on the campus and a brutal attack in Australia during the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. This Interfaith Insight originally published in 2018 can be found here.

Across worldview identities we can all agree that even before the winter season has officially arrived, the need for warm clothing is already upon us. Just as it is human to feel the bitterness of the frigid temperatures, Karen Meyers, one of the co-leaders of Interfaith and Interwoven, explains to upper elementary students at Godfrey Elementary that across religious and spiritual identities, a group of women who share a love of knitting and crochet wanted to share that passion with others in our community.

Read the whole reflection here.

Question of the Month

In living into this year's theme of the power of personal public narrative, each month, we will pose a new prompt to hear from our Kaufman community directly

Save The Date

January 22 - MLK Week | King In Conversation: The Spiritualities of Non-Violence, 6-8:30pm

January 22 - Sacred Site Visit - Saint Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church, 6-7:30

February 16 - Sacred Site Visit - Sikh Society of West Michigan, 6-7:30