Serving interfaith communities for 25 years
Latest Blog PostsJames Ellman and Mary Frost from CTII attended the interfaith Freedom Seder, hosted by the Jewish Board of Deputies. It was a very special evening, with explanations of the text and and symbolism of food narrated by Judge Denis Davis, bringing to their minds the relevance for our freedom today. Hertzlia pupils sung some of the Hebrew songs adding to a joyful sharing by all.
Last week 2 mosques in the False Bay area, at Kalk Bay and Simon’s Town, were desecrated, spattered with pig’s blood and body parts as part of a presumed Islamophobic attack.
Members of the CTII attended the Kalk Bay Masjidul-Jamiah mosque for Friday Prayers and spoke with Imam Ahmed Sity. In his level-headed, peace honouring Khutbah [lecture] he refused to rise to the occasion in any measure of anger, despite this being the first time in the mosque’s 116 year old history that any such animosity had been shown toward it. The Imam said:
“We in South Arica have been embracing Islam for 3 hundred years along all other faiths with peace and harmony … we respect each and every human being with honour and dignity. Never in the history were we as a peace loving community practising our diversity of faiths in Simons town and Kalkbay been confronted with this evil act of someone that’s sick in his mind.
From myself to the Muslims of South Africa we must practise Islam the way the Nabie Muhammad S.A.W. came to demonstrate the life of a Muslim… So we as Muslims must live the word of ISLAM that stands for PEACE,TRANQUILITY AND SERINITY. We must not let our emotions over ride our intelligence…” [end quote]
It would be appropriate for people of all faiths (and none) who share values of peace and tolerance to acknowledge the global climate and like Imam Sity, resist fear, intolerance and the scapegoating of all we deem “other”. This is the challenge of these events for all of us in Cape Town and on this planet.
A Call to a Service of Prayer and Solidarity from the religious and civic leaders of Simons Town to meet at the Simon’s Town mosque, 9 Thomas Street on Friday 20 th January at 4.00 pm to express our support for Imaam Raban and our sisters and brothers of the Muslim community of Simon Town in the wake of the attack on their place of worship and peaceful presence.
Leaders of the community are invited to bring short messages of support and encouragement.
On the 6th November 2016 at Erin Hall the Cape Town Interfaith Initiative presented its annual Music Of the Soul Concert. A wonderful line-up of professional and amateur musicians offered songs from their religions with much devotion.
The first group were members from Ananda Kutir Ashrama, a centre that teachers Integral Yoga. This group sang an universal song, which included ‘The Universal Prayer’ of Swami Sivananda, improvised singing of short one-line prayers from various faiths, and a sanskrit hymn invoking the blessings of the prophets, saints, sages and gurus of all religions.
This was followed by beautiful and joyful singing by the Soul Singers of Baha led by Clare Mortimore representing the Baha’i religion. The group consisted of a choir of male and female voices singing harmonious praise songs. Dominique Sylvester also rendered a beautiful song on vocals and guitar.
The third act was offered by the international musician Madosini accompanied by Pedro the Musicman. Madosini offered African Traditional songs and played on traditional instruments. She sang soulfully about various aspects of life interspersed with some humour as well.
Then Thazkiyah offered Qawwali songs in the Islamic/Sufi tradition. Their music was vibrant and their lead singer Haroon Hussein gave wonderful translations and teachings of the songs.
Reverend Peter Fox, accompanied by Colin Leo on supporting vocals, Nic Paton on guitar and Garth Hammer on piano, sang soul-stirring Christian hymns, one of which was composed by Nic Paton. The love of God and mankind was heard through their voices.
The final offering was presented by the opera singer Belinda Silbert whose songs representing Judaism. Her beautiful operatic voice resounded through the hall as she offered classical as well as modern songs, one of which was a song that she had received in a vision.
The concert was enjoyed by all participants as well as the audience. The variety was wonderful and the atmosphere was charged with devotion. It was evident that the devotion is the same in all. There is only one religion, the religion of the soul.
The World Psychiatric Association partnered with Cape Town Interfaith Initiative to host a roundtable discussion as part of the recent Conference held in Cape Town. The roundtable was held between international leading psychologists and nine local different faith leaders to address the integration of religious, spiritual and cultural influences on mental health. All participants found the interaction most inspiring and there was an impetus to create a working group to take the conversation further seek ways to collaborate and create joint programs and initiatives. It was shared that mental health is fast becoming the most prominent cause of ill health, and there are only 200 000 psychologists to serve 7.5 billion people. There is definitely a need for this collaboration, as faith leaders play a significant role in counselling and helping people and are usually the first people to be consulted before professional help is taken.
An exceptional dialogue took place in the Mandela Auditorium, at the SA Jewish Museum on Sunday 20th November after the roundtable discussion. The audience was privileged to hear the comments from members of the WPA hailing from Egypt, India, Brazil, Canada, America and Britain and dialogue with four local religious leaders. All participants enthusiastically encouraged a relationship between faith and cultural leaders and psychologists. Education, trust and better understanding is needed so that collaboratively the best care could be offered to people struggling with mental health. Interestingly also the partnership of western medicine and African Cultural methods of treatment could be encouraged without either feeling threatened. Much discussion occurred around suicide, depression and the lack of mental care especially for the marginalised, rural areas, schools and prisons but also for over stretched medical personnel.
The dialogue inspired hope and the assurance of continued input from the WPA to encourage development in this approach to treatment .
Mary Frost CTII
22 November 2016
Thank you Mr Harry Wigget, for your reflections on the CTII Heritage Day Interfaith Bus Tour, which took place this year on the 25th September:
HERITAGE DAY 2016
“I had the privilege of being part of the Cape Town Interfaith Heritage Day Bus Tour which included visits to the Baha’i Centre; the Quaker Peace Centre; the Claremont/Wynberg Synagogue; the Claremont Main Road Mosque; and the Brahma Kumaris Centre.
This took place on Sunday 25th September from 9.00a.m. – 3.30p.m. and was an inspiring experience, receiving wonderful warmth and hospitality at all these spiritual ports of call.
God’s children are truly wondrous in their diversity, a diversity reflecting something of the very wonder of God who is beyond our human understanding in His Omnipresent God-ness and His all-embracing and gracing Love-ness!
I believe all who were part of this tour would agree that wherever we went the common uniting factor was that we were all children of God responding to His love and presence in our lives and communities in ways that were very very real and relevant. And that we had places where, with a common mind and understanding, folk could meet to express their love for Him in acts of joyful community and worship.
I think we were all especially moved when Imam Rashied Omar in the Claremont Main Road Mosque prayed a most beautiful prayer for Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
And, another highlight worth mentioning: During his telling about the Claremont/Wynberg Synagogue, Rabbi Liebenberg emphasised that the most important buidling in Judaism is the HOME. Which brought to mind the times Jean and I have been invited to the Friday evening family Shabbat meal in Jewish friend’s homes….and confirmed a prayer and hope of mine that the time will come when all Christians will gather around their dining room tables on a Thursday evening with family and friends to Break Bread and Bless the Cup in remembrance of JESUS; the head of the family – mother or father, or host – presiding!
The Tour was an overall experience of the love and peace of God alive and flourishing in our stimulating diversity.”
HARRY WIGGETT
28 September 2016
