On Thursday, November 15, 2019, Pacifica Institute hosted an Interfaith Thanksgiving dinner along with panel discussion on how communities can spread love instead of hate in times of turmoil and adversary.
Panelists included: Rafael Brinner from The Jewish Community Federation & Endowment Fund, Elizabeth Green from the Federal Bureau of Investigation , Maha Elgenaidi Islamic Networks Group, Vlad Khaykin from the Anti Defamation League, Jan McDaniel from the United Methodist Church and Fatih Ates from Pacifica Institute.
The program began with old friends greeting each other again while also making new connections with people in the community. Followed by a traditional thanksgiving dinner, which was prepared by members of Pacifica Institute, a small presentation introducing Pacifica Institute and its goals of accomplishing meaningful and spiritual connections among different cultural and religious communities.
The panel discussed why it is important to show love despite of adversary, how people learn to hate and are not born that way and what authority figures in our community are doing to ensure safe
ty. After the panel there was a Q & A further discussing specific ideas and questions about how one can spread love and not hate.