This episode features Rabbi Stephen Epstein at Temple Sholom of Ontario, who serves the San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. His love for Judaism inspires him to lead people through prayer services, host Yiddish theater, and promote love and compassion in his community. Believing strongly in gender equality and inter-religious prayer services, Rabbi Epstein is a positive force in the community.  

Pastor Tamiko leads the Justice Ministry at Purpose Church in Pomona, having done extensive work with anti-human trafficking and supporting teens in the foster care system. In this episode, she brings unique perspectives of the commonalities between different faiths in the Pomona Valley area, shares her insights on international fellowship, and reveals her church’s unique history in sponsoring new immigrant families. 

Mr. Scott Tanner represents the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Public Affairs for the area encompassing the Southwestern part of Los Angeles County and the San Fernando Valley. He is also the president of a food pantry, Food Pantry LAX, that provides groceries to around 500 people per week. Serving as the current Treasurer of ICSoCal, Mr. Tanner has extensive experience collaborating with other religious leaders, especially Catholics. This episode delves into interfaith work through a Mormon lens and explores the commonalities between all faiths. 

Fifty-six years devoted as a monastic member of the Vedanta Society of Southern California, active leader in the SoCal Interreligious Council, diligent archivist and facilitator of Hindu-Catholic interfaith dialogue, Brother Jnana has an incredible story to tell. In this episode, he explains how Vedanta underlies Hinduism beliefs, shares the shift in Hindu racial demographics during recent years, and how the pandemic led to an expansion of an online audience. 

As the Co-Chair of the UN Multi Faith Advisory Council and CEO of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, Debra brings a unique perspective to the realm of religious discourse. Her journey leading Buddhist and Catholic interfaith dialogue has revealed many commonalities between the two religions: the most prominent being a shared desire for compassion and understanding. In this episode, we explore how faith-based organizations help create government programs for the most vulnerable through their grassroots efforts, how religious leaders serve at the forefront of social justice issues, and the role of women and immigrants within Buddhist institutions. 

Tune in each week as Jenny Wang explores the religious diaspora within Southern California through the lens of politics, gender, and theology. Interviews with religious leaders from a variety of faiths reveal surprising commonalities between us all, both in spirit and in practice.