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On Sunday, July 22, 2007 Dr. Shamim hosted the Food For the Journey Interfaith Initiative--a group of various religious leaders
devoted to understanding Faith and spreading peace in the New Jersey Community. The group meets once a month and discusses
one important theme in the context of their religion.
The topic of the July meeting was "Service to Humanity." One representative from each religion present was asked
to choose a passage from his or her faith's holy text relating to the topic. The group then discussed the text, the universal
message, their cultural traditions, and how they can use their faiths to offer service to humanity.
The meeting brought together diverse individuals from the Muslim Womens Coalition, The Center for Understanding Islam,
the American Jewish Council, The Rutgers University Hillel, the Rutgers Protestant Campus Ministries, the New Brunswick Theological
Seminary, the Hartford Theological Seminary. The constituents came from Jewish, Hindu, Lutheran, Catholic, Baptist, Quaker,
and Islamic Backgrounds. They discussed passages from the Quran, the Gospel of Matthew, the Torah, as well as Hindu philosophy.
The group concluded that compassion to one's community is the fuel for their belief systems and is the foundation for
understanding the tenets of their respective religions. They also focused on the importance of service to one's diverse,
multicultural, multifaith communities--a critical aspect of practicing religion in the United States. They hope to unite
and work together to create initiatives that will reach out to those in need of charity, kindness, and hope.
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