Join us for a conversation on “Beyond Polarization: Spiritual Paths to Social Justice and Earthcare” with Imam Jamal Rahman and Rabbi Ted Falcon, who have been working together for over 14 years as part of the Interfaith Amigos, share their views on how spirituality supports the deeper healing of person, of society and of our planet.
About Rabbi Ted Falcon
Through worship, teaching, counseling, and speaking, Rabbi Ted shares the spiritual gifts of Judaism, while appreciating that it is only one of the authentic spiritual traditions of the world. With gentleness and humor, he deeply affirms the integrity of each individual being.
Ordained in 1968 at the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Rabbi Ted served in Los Angeles as a congregational and then a campus rabbi. In 1975, he earned a doctorate in Professional Psychology, with research focused on the nature of meditative and mystical states of consciousness. Since then, his work has bridged the psychological and the spiritual, encouraging deeper integration for greater freedom of personal action and understanding.
The model for the meditative synagogue began in Los Angeles in 1976, after Rabbi Ted and a small group gathered for High Holyday meditations, born out of his need to explore this form of Jewish worship. He shared both meditative practices and teaching with that group, and in 1978 officially formed Makom Ohr Shalom, a Synagogue for Jewish Spirituality.
When he moved to Seattle in 1993, Rabbi Ted and his wife, Ruth Neuwald Falcon, founded Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue. He completed his final year as Bet Alef’s senior rabbi at the end of 2009 so that he could devote his time to writing, teaching, spiritual counseling, and interfaith work. He was the Scholar-in-Residence of Unity of Bellevue in 2010 and 2011.
About Imam Jamal Rahman
Jamal Rahman is a popular speaker on Islam, Sufi spirituality, and interfaith relations. He has been featured in the New York Times, CBS News, BBC, and various NPR programs. Cofounder and Muslim Sufi minister at Seattle’s Interfaith Community Sanctuary (before October 2012, known as Interfaith Community Church) and adjunct faculty at Seattle University, he is a former host of Interfaith Talk Radio and travels nationally and internationally, presenting at retreats and workshops.
He is the author of Sacred Laughter of the Sufis: Awakening the Soul with the Mullah’s Comic Teaching Stories and Other Islamic Wisdom; Spiritual Gems of Islam: Insights & Practices from the Qur’an, Hadith, Rumi & Muslim Teaching Stories to Enlighten the Heart & Mind; The Fragrance of Faith: The Enlightened Heart of Islam; and coauthor of Religion Gone Astray: What We Found at the Heart of Interfaith; Out of Darkness into Light: Spiritual Guidance in the Quran with Reflections from Jewish and Christian Sources; and Getting to the Heart of Interfaith: The Eye-Opening, Hope-Filled Friendship of a Pastor, a Rabbi, and an Imam
Jamal’s passion lies in interfaith community building. He remains rooted in his Islamic tradition and cultivates a “spaciousness” by being open to the beauty and wisdom of other faiths. By authentically and appreciatively understanding other paths, Jamal feels that he becomes a better Muslim. This spaciousness is not about conversion but about completion.
Since 9/11 Jamal has been collaborating with Rabbi Ted Falcon and Pastor Don Mackenzie. Affectionately known as the Interfaith Amigos, they tour the country sharing the message of spiritual inclusivity.
Imam Jamal, originally from Bangladesh, has an abiding faith in the power of heart-to-heart connections to encompass differences and dissolve prejudices. He enjoys programs that celebrate life and unity through delight, laughter, and food. He has a private spiritual counseling practice serving individuals and couples, and is available for interfaith weddings and ceremonies. Jamal offers a variety of classes and workshops, including the popular “Blush of the Beloved,” a course in spiritual deepening and discernment drawing upon the practices, insights, and wisdom within Sufism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism.
Date: Thursday, March 24, 2016
Time: 6:30pm
Venue: Pacifica Institute, Seattle
13219 NE 20th St, Ste 209, Bellevue WA 98005