Community members, NYPD and a group of faith leaders comprised of rabbis, pastors and imams gathered at The Bridge Multicultural & Advocacy Project (The Bridge MCP), located at 1894 Flatbush Avenue, on Sunday, March 15th, for a “United Interfaith Celebration” held in observance of three sacred holidays: Ramadan, Easter and Passover.
“Tonight is especially meaningful because we are all recognizing three major faith traditions being recognized at the same time,” Aneesa Ali, director of Special Projects at The Bridge MCP, stated in her opening remarks.
“For those of you who may not be familiar with Ramadan, it is a month when Muslims fast. We give up food, water and many of the basic comforts we rely on during the day,” Ali shared. “But the purpose is not just fasting. It’s about stepping back, developing self-control, reflecting on our actions and remembering what it feels like to go without, so that we become more compassionate, more generous and more willing to help those who struggle every day,” she explained.
Ali, who is the founder of “Making a Change with Kindness,” also enlightened the gathering about the faith traditions of Passover and Easter, showing how the three faiths convey the same messages of compassion, hope, freedom and caring for one another.
“Passover tells the story of freedom. The journey of oppression to liberation and reminds us of the importance of dignity and justice for all people.” Ali added, “And Easter represents renewal and hope – the belief of after every darkness, new life, new beginnings are possible.”
The occasion was marked by fervent prayers, religious readings, eloquent speeches and exquisite food which included kosher and halal options. Reverend Dr. Charles Galbreath, senior pastor of Alliance Tabernacle, said the opening prayer. Other faith leaders including Senior Adviser to the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York Rabbi Bob Kaplan and NYPD Auxiliary Captain and Clergy Liaison Imam Ahmed Ali also made supplications that were punctuated by blasts from a shofar.
There were brief remarks by Councilwomen Mercedes Narcisse and Farah Louis, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and NYPD Assistant Commissioner of Community Affairs Fred Kreizman, all of whom spoke about unity and looking out for one another.
“You can be assured that I stand with our Jewish community against antisemitic acts of any kind, and I stand with our Muslim community against Islamophobia anytime,” Richards announced, to resounding applause. The borough president commended The Bridge MCP Founder Mark Meyer Appel “for bringing hundreds of our interfaith leaders together this evening to celebrate and build bridges to improve the lives of all New Yorkers.”
“I believe in fighting hate. We have to fight hate equally,” Appel who is also president of “Voice of Justice,” a social advocacy group, reiterated as he introduced the keynote speaker.
“If anybody knows what the pursuit of justice means, it’s Councilman Yusef Salaam. He’s going to tell you his own story and he’s going to tell it the way it is,” Appel asserted as Salaam approached the podium.
Salaam, who was appointed by the City Council Speaker to the “Committee to Combat Hate,” first gained notoriety as one of the “Central Park Five,” who was wrongfully convicted of a crime. The councilman spoke of that experience and emphasized the necessity for interfaith collaboration especially as a means of addressing prejudice of every kind, everywhere.
As Salaam concluded, everyone joined hands and sang “We Are The World,” in a show of “Unity in Action.”
