Christopher (Kip) Bergstrom, Deputy Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development, will moderate a discussion among the following panelists, with audience participation.
Mehlaqa Samdani is founder and executive director of Critical Connections, a Massachusetts-based non-profit committed to improving understanding of the Muslim world and Muslim Diaspora, and a peace-building associate at the Karuna Peacebuilding Center in Amherst, MA, developing a proposal to address sectarian violence in Pakistan.
Fr. James Manship of Saint Rosa de Lima Church in New Haven was named “Person of the Year” by the New Haven Register and featured in the Hartford Courant for serving as an advocate for people suffering racial discrimination.
Rabbi Joshua Rattner, of Congregation Kol Ami in Cheshire, CT, was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary where he was a Joseph Neubauer Fellow and earned a Master's Degree in Midrash and a Certificate in Pastoral Care. Passionate about interplay between Judaism, culture, and public policy, he has worked as a rabbinic fellow for both the Rabbinical Assembly and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. He previously earned a JD from Columbia Law School and practiced law for five years before deciding to become a rabbi.
Rev. Frederick J. Streets served as the Yale University Chaplain and Senior Pastor of the Church of Christ in Yale from 1992-2007, where he established a model for multi-faith campus ministry. Jerry currently serves as Pastor of the Dixwell Avenue Congregational United Church of Christ. The Reverend Dr. Streets is no stranger to his current post, having served there as an intern during his seminary years.
To develop “The Dialogue Continues,” the Chorale gathered a working group last fall of community religious leaders, several of whom had also participated in developing the “Understanding” project, to frame its vision and plan the forum for community and religious leaders and the public to talk about pressing social issues affecting the community. It is hoped that upon leaving the event, attendees would:
1. Recognize that we, as faith communities, are not doing enough to address severe social, economic, and health challenges impacting the larger community;
2. Understand the web of causation and the challenges impacting inner cities in general;
3. Recognize that no one faith community can solve the problems alone, and that stronger relationships, better understanding, and commitments to work together must be developed in order to address these challenges;
4. Appreciate that even one small act of kindness can change a life, and that many acts of kindness can change communities.
The Chorale invites members of community organizations, senior residences, educational institutions, and the congregations of area churches, mosques and synagogues to this event since the social issues affect so many individuals and the quality of life in the community.
While not a religious organization itself, the New Haven Chorale believes that music is a universal language, and that choral music offers a powerful opportunity to eloquently communicate words of great impact and understanding. Since much of its repertoire is based on religious texts which express timeless insights into humanity’s search for meaning and purpose in life, the Chorale helps build community by collaborating with partners to put the power of choral music, with its great themes, to work. In so doing the New Haven Chorale hopes to expand interest in choral music and encourage civic engagement by other individuals and groups.
Press Release from New Haven Chorale
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