The 411 on Faith: Communities in Dialogue

Date and Time
February 17, 2011

Location

Event Details

In partnership with the Interfaith Center of New York, the New York Public Library offers a series of moderated conversations with local spiritual leaders about belief, worship and how religious traditions shape everyday lives in New York City.  

Panelists include:

Imam Shamsi Ali is currently the imam of the Islamic Cultural Center of New York, on East 96th Street, which is the city’s largest mosque.  He is also chairman of the Al-Hikmah Mosque and director of the Jamaica Muslim Center, both in Queens.  He serves on the boards of numerous interfaith organizations, and has often been recognized for his contributions to the civic life of the city.  In 2006, he was named one of seven most influential religious leaders in New York City by New York Magazine, and in 2009 he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the highest recognition given by congress to immigrants for their contributions to American society. 
 
Reverend Brenda Husson is the Rector of St. James' Church, an Episcopal church on Madison Avenue and 71st Street that has served New York City since 1810.  Reverend Husson received her M.Div from Union Theological Seminary, and has been Rector of St. James since 1996.  She is the principal preacher at St. James’ Sunday services, and especially enjoys leading Bible studies with parishioners.  She has also helped develop a range of community ministries to serve the needs of the Upper East Side, including an assisted living facility for seniors, and a shelter and food pantry for homeless men and women.
 
Rabbi Joseph Potasnik is Executive Vice President (and former President) of the New York Board of Rabbis, located on East 39th Street, and also serves as Senior Rabbi at Congregation Mt. Sinai in Brooklyn Heights.  He is extremely active in New York civic life, including serving on the city’s Campaign Finance Board, and as a chaplain for the FDNY, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the New York Press Club.  He also hosts a number of radio and television shows on religious themes, and has authored numerous articles, including the forward to The Illustrated Jewish Bible for Children.
 
Henry Goldschmidt  (series moderator) is the Education Program Associate at the Interfaith Center of New York and the author of Race and Religion Among the Chosen Peoples of Crown Heights. 

This program is supported by the Lubar Institute for the Study of the Abrahamic Religions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.