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Rev. Shari Brink, Our Executive Minister, in Israel

Rev. Shari Brink

Our Executive Minister, Rev. Shari K. Brink, was part of a delegation of 16 senior religious leaders on an interfaith mission to Israel. It as the first of its kind with an aim to promote peace and understanding by creating and broadcasting a positive model of interfaith relations based on mutual acceptance and tolerance. The religious leaders head 15 historic institutions and collectively represent tens of thousands of New Yorkers. During the intensive six-day trip the clergy visited the holiest sites of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It was an honor for Marble Collegiate Church to be represented, and to have Rev. Brink as part of this delegation.

This mission and group was brought together by Stephen Wise Free Synagogue (SWFS)of New York, and was spearheaded by Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch of SWFS, who is leading the delegation. Scroll down to read the complete press release from SWFS.

Below is Rev. Brink’s Israel Diary with entries sent to us during her trip, as well as additional postings she has provided since her return.
  
Latest Postings


Rev. Brink in Bethlehem Photo credit: David Kappler Photography

The delegation in the news.

The Jewish Week
Non-Jewish Clergy Grapple With Israel

Huffington Post
Turning Enemies Into Friends in Israel and the Palestinian Territories

The Jewish Daily Forward
New York Rabbi Leads Interfaith Mission to Israel

Haaretz
Rabbis, clerics and imams head to Israel in U.S. interfaith delegation

Marketwatch.com by The Wall Street Journal
Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Senior Religious Leaders Come Together for an Unprecedented Interfaith Mission to Israel Led by Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue





The delegation meets with President Shimon Peres. (Please note portions of the audio will require you to raise your speaker volume).



Video of the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Please listen for Rev. Brink’s commentary.



Rev. Brink shaking hands with Shimon Peres, President of the State of Israel. Photo credit: David Kappler Photography
  
Day 5

On our final day we met both with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. Both were impressive - Peres for his thelogical thinking (yes, that's right) and Fayyad for the institution building and economic growth he has stimulated in the West Bank. A quote from Peres: "Peace is not a matter of political convenience. It is in our roots. We were born in the image of God, not for war. We need peace in order to be true to ourselves. We need to use our spiritual strength, not the strength of our arms." May it be so.
  
Day 4
Prayers at the Western Wall. It's the beginning of Shabbat (Sabbath) here in Jerusalem and my heart is full. Sitting in the hotel lobby waiting for a cab to head to the airport. It's a hotel with a shabbat service going on - the singing is beautiful and prayerful. People here are passionate about their faith - much of it so beautiful, passionate and positive. It makes me think about our conversations at Marble about "strong benevolence" (ala Brian McLaren.) Of course some of the religion here is definitely NOT that! So much more to talk about - I'll look forward to being back soon so we can talk in person.
  
Day 3
  
Day 2


Rabbi Ammi Hirsch, the organizer of the interfaith leaders trip to Israel and the West Bank, talks about this delegation. Rev. Brink can be seen at 1:48.



Anat Hoffman of Women of the WallAnat Hoffman of Women of the Wall, working to achieve recognition of the right for women to worship and read Torah collectively and aloud at the Western Wall in Jerusalem (see womenofthewall.org)
  
Day 1
  
 
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
JEWISH, CHRISTIAN, AND MUSLIM SENIOR RELIGIOUS LEADERS COME TOGETHER FOR AN UNPRECENDTED INTERFAITH MISSION TO ISRAEL LED BY RABBI AMMIEL HIRSCH OF STEPHEN WISE FREE SYNAGOGUE
 
December 23, 2011 (New York, NY) –– Stephen Wise Free Synagogue convenes 16 senior religious leaders from New York City to promote peace and understanding through a first of its kind mission to Israel. The program is intended to create and broadcast a positive model of interfaith relations based on mutual acceptance and tolerance. Spearheading this initiative is Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, senior Rabbi at Stephen Wise Free Synagogue.
 
During the intensive six-day trip the clergy will visit the holiest sites of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and together address challenges to peaceful coexistence. Among the leaders they anticipate meeting with are: Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel; Salam Fayyad, Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority; Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority; Shimon Peres, President of Israel; Natan Sharansky, former refusenik and Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel; Nir Barkat, Mayor of Jerusalem, and David Buskila, Mayor of Sderot. In addition the delegation is scheduled to meet the mayor of Bethlehem and the leadership of the neighboring settlement of Efrat in order to gain a better understanding of the reality on the ground.
 
“There is an urgent need to counter the impression that our three great faiths are at war with each other,” said Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue. “We believe in a better way: the way of dialogue and mutual respect. We hope that our visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories will emphasize our common aspiration for, and commitment to, a more peaceful world. We are eager to meet and encourage Israelis and Palestinians who are working daily to realize this aspiration.”
 
The religious leaders head 15 historic institutions and collectively represent tens of thousands of New Yorkers. The participants are Sheikh Dr. Ibrahim Abdul-Malik, Admiral Family Circle Islamic Community; Reverend Stephen Bauman, Christ Church; Reverend Shari Brink, Marble Collegiate Church; Rabbi Marcelo Bronstein, B’nai Jeshurun Congregation; Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, Park Avenue Synagogue; Rabbi Linda Henry Goodman, Union Temple of Brooklyn; Reverend Galen Guengerich, All Souls Unitarian Church; Imam Dr. Muhammad Hatim, Admiral Family Circle Islamic Community; Reverend Dr. William Heisley, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church; Reverend Brenda Husson, St. James Episcopal Church; Reverend Dr. James Kowalski, Cathedral Church St. John the Divine; Reverend Stephen Phelps, The Riverside Church; Father Robert Robbins, Church of the Holy Family at the United Nations Parish; Rabbi Peter Rubinstein, Central Synagogue; Rabbi Jonathan Stein, Temple Shaaray Tefila; led by Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, Stephen Wise Free Synagogue.
  
 
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