Interfaith Synagogue Building
Plans to build the new Temple Shalom in Northwest Arkansas, an inspiring interfatih effort to give a home to Fayetteville’s Jewish community (which I had the pleasure of briefly visiting while researching the new Jewish community in nearby Bentonville), are moving forward.
A new synagogue is slated for completion within 30 days. The Faith to Faith gala and silent auction at First United Methodist Church in Springdale brought community members together to help pay off the debt…Like everything connected with the project, the gala was truly an interfaith affair. Prayers from the Jewish, Muslim and Christian traditions helped bless the meal. Muslim poet Mohja Kahf read a poem, while the keynote address was delivered by Nolan Richardson, a Christian and legendary basketball coach. [read the whole article here]
One of my favorite aspects of this story is the contractor, Fadil Bayyari, who grew up in the West Bank and has offered his services to for free. With so much political mistrust in the Israel/Palestine issue, it’s an inspiration to see individuals of faith planting the seeds for a better future.
