ING

Interfaith Speakers Bureau

The program promotes religious pluralism and mutual respect by modeling civil dialogue between the diverse religious communities in the San Francisco Bay Area and emphasizes our shared values and practices, while helping us understand our differences.

REQUEST A PANEL

To schedule a panel, complete one of the following request forms. Please allow a minimum of two weeks for scheduling. To speak with the ING Scheduler, call Henry Millstein at 408.296.7312.
- Schools
- Colleges
- Civic and Community Organizations

AUDIENCE
ING provides interfaith panels for educators and their students in Bay Area public and private high schools, colleges, and universities at no charge.

High Schools - The Interfaith Speakers Bureau can help high school teachers enhance and supplement classroom learning, particularly where global studies and the subject of world religions are a part of the core curriculum. IFSB panels adhere to the California State Board of Education content standards for history and social sciences.

From the study of world history and the role of religion in modern times (10.9, 10.10) to U.S. history and democracy (11.3, 11.9, 12.3), IFSB panels provide an engaging and interactive way to complement your curriculum and meet course requirements. Consider hosting a panel in an assembly for the entire student body or combining several classes for an interfaith panel.

Colleges and Universities - IFSB panels supplement courses in institutions of higher education in subjects such as history, social sciences, religious studies, humanities, global studies, sociology, philosophy, education, and related areas. The IFSB provides content developed by scholars on a variety of topics and addresses frequently asked questions relating to each of the five major world religions.

PANEL TOPICS
The Interfaith Speakers Bureau offers two types of panels. The first panel features up to five interfaith speakers who will provide an introduction to each of their religions and then discuss a topic of your choice. The second is the Muslim-Jewish panel, which provides an overview of these two religions and their commonalities and of the shared interests of their practitioners as Americans.

Five Faith Panel:

• Shared Values
• Living the Faith in the San Francisco Bay Area (as professionals, parents, students, women, citizens, etc.)
• Contemporary Issues - select from the following:
  • Separation of Church and State
  • Modernity
  • Environmentalism
  • Extremism and Fundamentalism
  • Pluralism

Muslim-Jewish Panel:
Jewish-Muslim Relations in the U.S.: In the Shadow of the Middle East Conflict
This panel moves the paradigm of Jewish-Muslim American conversations away from the Middle East conflict towards common interests as Americans:

• Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia
• Maintaining our Faith in a Secular Society
• Issues of Security as Minorities

IFSB PARTNERS
Buddha Gate Monastery
Buddhist Peace Fellowship
Center for Spiritual Enlightenment
Chaplaincy Institute
Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale
Congregation Emanu-El of San Francisco
Council of Churches of Santa Clara County
Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology
First Unitarian Church of San Jose
Interfaith Center at the Presidio
Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County
Interfaith Space
Islamic Society of San Francisco
Jewish Community Relations Councils
Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley
Lehrhaus Judaica
Marin Interfaith Council
Masjid Waritheen
New Vision United Methodist Church
Peninsula Clergy Network
Peninsula Temple Beth El
Progressive Jewish Alliance
San Francisco Foundation FAITHS Leadership
Silicon Valley FACES
South Bay Islamic Association
United Muslims of America
United Religions Initiative
Yaseen Foundation

SCHOLARS AND ADVISORS

Scholars
Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Zaytuna Institute
Venerable Jian Hu Shifu, Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale
Rabbi David Teitelbaum, Board of Rabbis of Northern California
Dr. Jim Ryan, California Institute of Integral Studies

Advisors
Reverend Paul Chaffee, Interfaith Center at the Presidio
Reverend Andrew Kille, Interfaith Space
Dr. Philip Riley, Religious Studies Department, Santa Clara University
Rabbi Jay Miller, Peninsula Clergy Network.

VOLUNTEER TO BE A SPEAKER
ING is currently recruiting volunteer speakers for the Interfaith Speakers Bureau. If you are interested in becoming an interfaith panel speaker or facilitator, please call ING at 408.296.7312 and ask for Henry Millstein.

Speaker Criteria
ING is looking for interfaith speakers who are:

• associated with a religious congregation or community;
• available for one to two hours at a time for a panel during the day, evenings, or on weekends; and
• able to travel to speaking engagements within their region of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Speakers define their own schedule, depending on their availability.