Sarah Oliver Cape Town activities, Environment, Interfaith

Interfaith is Earth-hearted

Published in the Spring edition of Link-Up, Berry Behr, CTII Chairperson, reflects on the importance of working together to protect our planet. Read about the Beach Clean-Up in partnership with the UN Environmental Programme, that stood out as an example of interfaith collaboration in cleaning our environment.

Click here to read the full article.

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Photograph (Left to Right): Erik Solheim (UN Environment Executive Director), Berry Behr (CTII Chairperson), Karen Barensche (URI Southern African Regional Coordinator) & Yara da Costa (URI Southern African Region CC Liaison)

Sarah Oliver Announcements, Peace, Statements

Support the No Place for Hate Campaign

Cape Town Interfaith Initiative has pledged its support of the No Place for Hate Campaign, and we invite you to do the same! 

We pledge to do everything in our power to promote peace and understanding between people of diverse faiths and belief systems. We will live our truth, choosing always the path of love, compassion and respect.

Make your pledge: http://stage.jeremydixon.co.za/pledge-wall/

This message is simple – there can be no space for hatred in South Africa.

We live in a country with constitutional ideals which echo our commitments to shared humanity, dignity, freedom and life.

Through “No Place for Hate”, we will fight hatred directed against anyone to combat a culture of racism, antisemitism and prejudice in our country.

Show your support for the campaign in either a personal or professional capacity. It’s totally free and you get to use the campaign logo to publicly show you are actively supporting No Place for Hate in South Africa.

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Sarah Oliver CTII Schools Programme

Schools Programme celebrates National Women’s Day with special Interfaith Tour

The Marlene Silbert Youth Interfaith Intercultural Programme celebrated National Woman’s Day on 9 August by visiting 4 houses of different faiths to learn about their practices and traditions; and the role of women within those faiths.

The first stop was the Sri Siva Aalayam; the first Hindu Temple that was started in Cape Town 40 years ago. Guru Krishna and Ms Nalini Gangen presented an informative session on the rituals and practices of the devotees. The students were given an opportunity to ask questions and have a tour of the temple.

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Our next stop was the Claremont Synagogue where the tour was facilitated by the Rabbi’s wife (rabitzen); Mrs Lee Liebenberg. This visit helped the students to make connections between the Abrahamic Faiths as they were led through the significance of the Creation account and how God rested on the 7th day; providing humanity with an example of a work and rest. It was great to get a female’s perspective on the practices and traditions of the Jewish faith. We were served tea and cinnamon rolls at the Shul; hospitality is an important aspect of Judaism.

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We arrived at St Saviour’s Anglican Church in Claremont for the next segment of the tour. This church houses the burial ground for the first Anglican Bishop of Cape Town, Robert Gray and his wife Sophie. The resident priest was called away to deal with a pastoral matter and so Revd Natalie Simons-Arendse; a female Anglican priest led the tour. The students had many questions about the liturgies; the various colours and symbols used and the all-time favourite – the Trinity… who is more important within that relationship?

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The day concluded with a visit to the Masjid Ghiedmatiel Islamia – a mosque in Crawford. The Maulana Yazeed Mohamed (religious leader); connected with the young people so well and spoke of his own faith journey.  The 5 Pillars of Islam were explained and the role of women within the faith was a lively discussion.

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A beautiful day filled with learning and sharing of each other’s stories and faith practices.

Natalie Simons-Arendse, MS YIIP Programme Coordinator

Sarah Oliver Announcements, Statements

Statement on Malmesbury Mosque killings 14.06.2018

Cape Town Interfaith Initiative (CTII) is deeply saddened at the tragic events at the Malmesbury Masjied in the early hours of yesterday morning, which unfolded against the backdrop of two fatal attacks in Mozambique in the past two months as well as the May 10 murders at the Verulam Mosque near Durban.

We send our heartfelt condolences to all concerned; we cannot begin to imagine the devastation experienced by the families of those who lost their lives, and of the Muslim community.

CTII calls on all parties to maintain calm in their mourning, and to work together to investigate ways of combatting the pervasive sickness of violence that appears to be based in the radicalisation of youth. We call on all humanity to stand against hate crimes, and to work together with compassion to re-educate our children to acknowledge the sacredness of all life. If nothing else, let us at least respect life, even when there are those around us who don’t.

Let there be peace, and let it begin with me.

Berry Behr
Chairperson