Offering Support, Resources and Navigating Conversations in Time of Conflict

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Today, our society needs dialogue and understanding more than ever. Because of this, we have worked tirelessly to unite people to stay in relationships and listen with compassion. Over the past two months, we have gotten requests from and worked with numerous individuals, organizations, and communities to help meet their needs in response to the crisis in Israel and Gaza. Here are just a few examples:  Interfaith Leadership Interfaith Philadelphia’s Board of Directors and the Religious Leaders Council of Greater Philadelphia directed their attention to this crisis at their fall meetings. Demonstrating the importance of having tables that foster ongoing relationships, each of these bodies asked its members to share the following:

What are you holding? How is this impacting you and your communities?  What kind of support do you need?   We learned how alone leaders felt when they did not hear from their interfaith colleagues after October 7th, and how the simplest gesture of a call, text, or email with messages such as  “thinking of you in this difficult time” went a long way.   

Tailored Programming Our staff pivoted and tailored programming to address the impact of the Middle East conflict on the people of our region.  To meet the needs of our constituents, we hosted three workshops on Navigating Difficult Conversations About the Middle East, and more than 100 people attended in person and virtually. Participants learned about and practiced skills for engaging with this sensitive and challenging topic.

Leadership Institute Consulting  We were contacted by independent schools, colleges, nonprofits, congregations, and law firms to advise them and host workshops and programs around this issue whether at home or in the workplace.  Community Partnerships - NAMI Philadelphia Warmline and Healing Circles We partnered with the Mayor's Office of Public Engagement, the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, the Mayor's Commission on Faith-Based and Interfaith Affairs, and the National Association for Mental Illness (NAMI) Philadelphia to offer Warmlines and Healing Circles. Warmlines allow people to speak with supportive interfaith leaders about feelings of distress due to the current crisis in the Middle East. Healing Circles are community-hosted peer support groups. Media and Communications Our staff appeared in the local media speaking on how to have healthy discussions during times of conflict. And, our upcoming Visionary Women program was featured in an article.

We continue to hear that our work is more important than ever. If there are ways that Interfaith Philadelphia can offer support and assistance to your communities, please reach out to us. 

Photo: Participants in Navigating Difficult Conversations About the Middle East held at Interfaith Philadelphia on October 30, 3023.

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