Rumi Forum Podcast

On Tuesday, May 12, Rumi Forum hosted Dr. Yehuda Stolov, the executive director of the Interfaith Encounter Association (IEA), for a discussion about IEA's outstanding story of building interfaith bridges in Israel and Palestine. He highlighted an inter-communal model where ongoing groups of interfaith encounters prevail the opportunity to meet the 'other'.

Based in Jerusalem, IEA plants seeds of the desired long-lasting friendships coupled with respect for the unique identity of each. The IEA invites people from different traditional and cultural backgrounds and faiths to join its groups. Within the groups, participants have meaningful encounters which bring them closer to each other. Prejudice, hostility, and suspicion are transformed into a direct acquaintance, mutual respect and friendship. IEA groups are both a model for inter-communal relations of appreciation and care, and vehicles to promote them.

About the Speaker

Yehuda Stolov is the executive director of the Interfaith Encounter Association (www.interfaith-encounter.org), an organization that works since 2001 to build peaceful inter-communal relations in the Holy Land by fostering mutual respect and trust between people and communities through active interfaith dialogue.

Dr. Stolov has lectured on the role of religious dialogue in peace-building throughout the world, including Jordan, India, Indonesia, Turkey, South Korea, North America and Europe. He also published many papers on related issues.

In 2006, he was awarded the Immortal Chaplains Foundation Prize for Humanity, which honors those who "risked all to protect others of a different faith or ethnic origin"; and in 2015 he was awarded the IIE Victor J. Goldberg Prize for Peace in the Middle East.

Among other activities, Dr. Stolov was a member of the International Council of the International Association for Religious Freedom and a member of the steering committee for the United Nations Decade of Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace.

He holds a B.Sc. and a M.Sc. in Physics and a Ph.D. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is married and father of three children, living in Jerusalem.

On Thursday, May 7, Rumi Forum participated in the National Day of Prayer with its third prayer event. A diverse group of leaders and clergy participated in the exceptional hour of healing words, blessings, and prayers.

On Sunday, May 3, Rumi Forum participated in the Day of Unity coordinated by Inter with its special event, "Healing with Rumi". Three leading scholars walked us through the legacy of Rumi with a particular focus on healing during difficult times.

Rumi; the great jurist, mystic, poet, and scholar was a pioneer of reconciliation and healing during the time he lived, and continues to inspire hearts and minds to this day. Rumi Forum is proud to announce its special Day of Unity event "Healing with Rumi" where we will reflect on and celebrate this legacy. Please join us for a stimulating journey into Rumi's universe with three renowned speakers. This webinar is a great opportunity for those interested in religion, mysticism, and poetry to rediscover the healing potential of Rumi's great example in challenging times.

The Day of Unity (DOU) is an annual, coordinated day of interfaith local, grassroots action and community building around the DC metro area. This year's Day of Unity will be held virtually due to the COVID-19 emergency.

Speakers of the Event

Sara Towe Horsfall, Retired Professor of Sociology, Texas Wesleyan University Before joining the academia, she has worked as a foreign correspondent and international journalist in India, Greece and England for the New York City Tribune and the Middle East Times. This gave her unique insight into social problems and their solutions around the world. She taught Sociology at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, Texas for 15 years, before retiring in 2013. She is co-editor of Chaos, Complexity, and Sociology and Music Sociology books and author of A Neighborhood Portrait and Social Problems books. She worked as a music teacher while completing her Ph.D. in Texas, and is currently a member of the Baltimore Classical Guitar Orchestra. She also teaches part-time at Frederick Community College in Frederick, MD and is the organizer of monthly Rumi Poetry Reading and Sharing group around Baltimore region.

Zeki Saritoprak, Ph.D, is Professor and the Bediüzzaman Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies at John Carroll University. He holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Theology from the University of Marmara in Turkey. Professor Saritoprak is the author of Islam's Jesus (University Press of Florida, 2014) and over thirty academic articles and encyclopedia entries on topics in Islam. He has served as guest editor for issues of the journals Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations and the Muslim World. He is editor and co-translator of Fundamentals of Rumi's Thought: A Mevlevi Sufi Perspective (in English; New Jersey: The Light, 2004) and the editor of a critical edition of al-Sarakhsi's Sifat Ashrat al-Sa'a (in Arabic; Cairo, 1993). His He is currently preparing a book on Islamic spirituality tentatively titled Islamic Spirituality: Theology and Practice for the Modern World.

Ori Z. Soltes teaches at Georgetown University across a range of disciplines, from art history and theology to philosophy and political history. He is the former Director of the B'nai B'rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum, and has curated more than 85 exhibitions there and in other venues across the country and overseas. He has authored or edited 21 books and scores of articles and essays. Some of his recent books include Our Sacred Signs: How Jewish, Christian and Muslim Art Draw from the Same Source; Searching for Oneness: Mysticism in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; Untangling the Web: Why the Middle East is a Mess and Always Has Been; and Embracing the World: Fetullah Gulen's Thought and Its Relationship to Jelaluddin Rumi and Others.

On Thursday, April 23, Rumi Forum in collaboration with Atlantic Institue hosted Dr. John L. Esposito from Georgetown University, who gave a great talk about pluralism in the US, recent trends in the social landscape, and the particular impact of COVID19. This marked the sixth Virtual Coffee Night Series.

Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say "Let's have a cup of coffee" to imply "Let's have a conversation". That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.

About the Speaker

Dr. John L. Esposito is University Professor, Professor of Religion and International Affairs and Founding Director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding and The Bridge Initiative: Protecting Pluralism – Ending Islamophobia at Georgetown University.

In 2019, he was S. Rajaratnam Professor of Strategic Studies, Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore. Past President of the American Academy of Religion and Middle East Studies Association, his more than 55 books include: Islam and Democracy after the Arab Spring, What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam, Shariah, What Everyone Needs to Know, The Future of Islam, Who Speaks for Islam?: What a Billion Muslims Really Think, Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam, The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality?, Islamophobia and the Challenge of Pluralism in the 21st Century. Esposito's writings are translated into more than 45 languages.

Esposito has served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of State and other agencies, European and Asian governments, corporations, universities, and media worldwide and has been a member of the World Economic Forum's Council of 100 Leaders and the E. C. European Network of Experts on De-Radicalisation

On Wednesday, April 22, Rumi Forum in collaboration with the American Turkish Friendship Association (ATFA) and Institute of Islamic and Turkish Studies (IIST) brought leaders from various faiths to offer blessings and prayers to ask for the deliverance of humanity from troubles during these testing times.

On Monday, April 20, Rumi Forum hosted Petra Alsoofy, Outreach & Partnerships Manager at Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) for the fifth Virtual Coffee Night speaker series. Petra Alsoofy gave an illuminating data-based presentation about Muslim women the US in a variety of dimensions; including family, education, wellness, and institutional capacity.

Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say "Let's have a cup of coffee" to imply "Let's have a conversation". That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.

About the Speaker:

Petra Alsoofy is the Outreach & Partnerships Manager at ISPU, where she strengthens our valued partnerships and forges new ones with organizations who share our goal of empowering American Muslims. She joins ISPU after serving more than four years as an educator at the Arab American National Museum, where she worked with educators, students, and professionals. In her role at the museum, Petra educated visitors about the history and the contributions of Arab Americans as well as stereotypes and challenges they face. She also serves as a board member on the Michigan Council for History Education. Petra is a graduate of Grand Valley State University where she earned a BA in political science.

On Friday, April 17, Dr. Craig Considine from Rice University was with us to talk about the humanity of Muhammad from a Christian view with an emphasis on the Identification with All Humanity (IWAH) as a moral concept. It was the fourth Virtual Coffee Night speaker series.

Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say "Let's have a cup of coffee" to imply "Let's have a conversation". That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.

About the Speaker

Dr. Craig Considine is a scholar, professor, global speaker, media contributor, & public intellectual based at the Department of Sociology at Rice University. He is the author of many books & articles. Dr. Considine's opinions have been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, BBC, CBS News, Fox News, MSNBC, Newsweek, & Al Jazeera. He has been invited to speak at some of the leading international organizations & universities in the world. Dr. Considine is visible on social media. He holds a PhD from Trinity College (University of Dublin), MSc from Royal Holloway (University of London), & BA from American University in Washington, DC. Dr. Considine is a U.S. Catholic of Irish and Italian descent.

On Wednesday, Aril 15, for the third Virtual Coffee Night speaker series, Melissa Rogers, a leading expert and scholar on religion in American public life, gave a fascinating talk on how the First Amendment encompasses common ground, and for sharing insights on controversies about religion in public life.

Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say "Let's have a cup of coffee" to imply "Let's have a conversation". That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.

About the Speaker:

Melissa Rogers is a nationally known expert on religion in American public life. Her areas of expertise include the United States Constitution's religious liberty guarantees and the interplay of religion, law, policy, and politics. Rogers currently serves as Visiting Professor at Wake Forest University School of Divinity and as a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution.

Rogers previously served as Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (2013-2017), Chair of President Obama's inaugural Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (2009-2010), Director of the Center for Religion and Public Affairs at the Wake Forest University School of Divinity (2003 – 2013), Executive Director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (2000 – 2003), and Associate Counsel/General Counsel of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (1994 – 2000).

Rogers is author of Faith in American Public Life (2019) and co-author of Religious Freedom and the Supreme Court (2008). She has received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from both Wake Forest University and the John Leland Center for Theological Studies. Rogers holds a J.D. from University of Pennsylvania Law School and a B.A. from Baylor University. In 2017, President Barack Obama appointed Rogers to serve as a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. Baylor University awarded her its Pro Texana Medal of Service and the First Freedom Center gave Rogers its Virginia First Freedom Award. National Journal has recognized Rogers as one of the church-state experts "politicians will call on when they get serious about addressing an important public policy issue."

On Monday, April 13, Rumi Forum featured Baxter Oliphant from Pew Research Center to talk about up to date Pew Research findings of how American public opinion responds to COVID-19 news in the media for the second Virtual Coffee Night speaker series.

Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say "Let's have a cup of coffee" to imply "Let's have a conversation". That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.

About the Speaker:

Baxter Oliphant is a senior researcher at Pew Research Center, where he focuses on U.S. politics and policy research including partisan polarization, trust in government, gun policy and U.S. foreign policy. He received doctoral and master's degrees in politics from Princeton University and holds a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University. His dissertation explored the impact of moments on U.S. presidential elections. Before graduate school, he worked in political polling for campaigns and industry groups. Oliphant is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research and the American Political Science Association.

On Friday, Aril 10, Rumi Forum launched the first Virtual Coffee Night speaker series. Dr. Peter Cohen talked about ways to project empathy and compassion during these testing times.

Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say "Let's have a cup of coffee" to imply "Let's have a conversation". That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.

SPEAKER:

Dr. Peter Cohen received his Ph.D. from Florida State University in Humanities and Religion, his M.A. from Florida State University in Biblical Studies and his B.A. in Religion and Philosophy from Springfield College. His dissertation was entitled "A Motif Index of the Angel of Death in Early Rabbinic Literature." Dr. Cohen came to Clemson in 1995 after teaching at Appalachian State University, Florida State University, Florida A&M University and Tallahassee Community College. His teaching interests revolve around looking at the common traits shared by the religious traditions of the world, rather than looking for their differences. Dr. Cohen can often be found teaching adult education in area churches on Sunday mornings or as an instructor in the University's Osher Life Long Learning Institute for retired people from the community. Presently, he is teaching the general education courses in Religion for the department.