Third Annual Interfaith Gathering
was a great celebration
of the religious richness of the Silicon Valley!

Flyer (pdf)| Program booklet (pdf)

Sponsored by SVCCJ, the South Bay Interfaith 3rd annual Community Interfaith Gathering in San Jose on October 2nd was a great success. From the opening drumming and chanting by the Buddhist Monks of the Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale to the buzz of conversation on into the evening, the Circle of Palms echoed with the sounds of religious diversity and mutual appreciation.

Under the able guidance of Emcee Bart Charlow of the Silicon Valley Conference for Community and Justice, musical and chanting groups from Jewish, Unitarian, Roman Catholic, Mormon, and Hindu traditions shared their singing, culminating in the whole gathered assembly singing “A Song of Peace,” set to the tune of “Finlandia” by Johan Sibelius. Over 200 people shared with the Muslim community in breaking the Ramadan fast and then continued in conversation over samosas, pakoras, and zen cookies, making new friends and learning about each other’s religious customs and traditions.

SBIF grew out of 35 years of SVCCJ Interfaith Dialogues and was triggered by the overwhelming response to interreligious convocations at the SVCCJ annual Galas. Religious leaders decided that the public needed to see religion as a source of interest and people of all faiths working together, rather than as a source of difference and friction.

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