The Flushing Interfaith Council works to build a community that fulfills and surpasses the dream of toleration voiced by the Flushing Remonstrance more than 350 years ago. Our mission is to discover how members of the wonderfully diverse faith and cultural traditions in Flushing can celebrate our differences as we acknowledge our commonalities as well as the worth and dignity of each and every one. Council members build community through outreach, dialogue, working together and bearing witness when the need arises.
2022 Updates
We were please to have held our October 15 Interfaith Unity Walk once again in person! The local television channel PIX 11 covered the event, emphasizing interfaith cooperation to address the increase in hate crimes.
Mr. John Choe of Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce has been serving as Board Chair. We are alarmed by the rise of anti-Asian violence, among other troubling trends. We pray for the people of Ukraine and many other conflict situations at home and around the world. On March 26, 2022 we are convened an interfaith dinner at the LDS Church in Flushing.
Deepening the conversation, the Hindu Temple Society hosted the second Interfaith Dinner in early June and the Free Synagogue hosted a stimulating early August gathering. Our members continued to be active in monthly Interfaith Breakfast programs at Flushing Meeting House. For Armistice Day, in November, we organized an event featuring World War One poetry and the Willow Interfaith Women’s Choir in performance. We also planted butterfly bushes and other native plants in memory of our board Secretary Naomi Paz Greenberg.
Flushing Interfaith Council joined partners at the Lunar New Year parade and has continued its efforts to assist people experiencing food insecurity, lack of social support and other needs.
2021 New Hope, New Beginnings
The health crisis continues and as the year progresses, fewer emergency food resources are available. Our members have continued to support local efforts to provide food to residents impacted by the pandemic, as well as to share accurate information about vaccines and safety measures. Thanks to Con Edison’s grant, we appreciate the opportunity to assist the Flushing CSA in special fresh food distribution to low income resident families.
Though the year many of our meetings have been online, we were happy to gather for our annual interfaith picnic in August 2021. A day after the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, we held a special Reflection Event on September 12, in the new Meditation Garden. We also organized the annual Interfaith Walk as an online event on October 17th, linked here.
To mark MLK Day in January, we organized a Prayers for Humanity event online, that addressed a range of social concerns:
To View Please Click on this Link
2020 Health Crisis and Activities
Flushing and the surrounding communities of Queens have been especially hard hit by the coronavirus. Certain populations like the local nursing homes have suffered many deaths. Flushing Interfaith Council began its response before the full force of the crisis hit; organizing an interfaith lunch on March 2 to focus on the stigma and xenophobia against Asian businesses in the area, arising from fears of the virus. This leadership conversation was followed by two more lunch meetings before the lock-down came into effect. Since February, we also have promoted the dissemination of multilingual materials to prevent contagion.
For assisting diverse impacted communities in June and July, the Council is pleased to announce that we have received a $20,000 grant from the Robin Hood Foundation, to be shared with our partners Flushing Chamber of Commerce and Flushing Jewish Community Council, as well as several local food pantries. Details in this local newspaper article. For information feel free to contact us at flushinginterfaithcouncil@gmail.com.
Though our meetings are now virtual, Council members are serving in food pantries such as La Jornada at St George’s Episcopal Church, and at other participating houses of worship. Other members are supporting food delivery to vulnerable individuals and groups. As this crisis evolves, we hope to expand our community outreach and referrals for benefits in partnership with the local Jewish Community Council (JCC) and with our close partner the Flushing Chamber of Commerce. It is truly unfortunate that many immigrant members of the community will not be eligible for most benefits. Our social justice committee is still meeting, and we have also increased our interfaith breakfasts (now online, hosted by Flushing Meeting House) from a monthly to weekly schedule. There are so many needs, including spiritual and emotional support.
Of course, we also continue our traditional activities, such as our Annual Interfaith Walk, now connecting houses of worship virtually.
2019 Activities
Starting off the year on January 27th, a 2019 write for rights event held at the Free Synagogue of Flushing was followed by an interfaith musicale hosted by the LDS Church the same evening. The Flushing Chamber’s gathering for the annual Lunar Day Parade in February 9 is followed by an art show “Inside/Out” on March 9 at the Plaxal Gallery. A call to artists is being issued by Council Board Member Nancy Bruno at nbruno102487@gmail.com.
During the year, monthly Interfaith Breakfast discussions took place at the historic Friends Meeting House of Flushing as well as monthly social justice committee meetings. These partnerships have involved many of the members of our Council. After hosting our Annual Dinner and Ramadan Iftar at St George’s Episcopal Church, our Board Chair/President Rev Wilfredo Benitez moved to a new post in late summer. The new President is Jack Chang from the Bahai community of Queens. Among other activities, members planned the annual interfaith walk for Saturday, October 19. For more information, feel free to contact flushinginterfaithcouncil@gmail.com
2018 Activities:
First a note regarding our long-time Council Board Secretary Naomi Paz Greenberg, a Quaker who grew up in the Jewish tradition, knitting together compassion and conscience into a warm offering of service to humanity. She passed from this world on August 7, 2018 and will be very much missed.
Reverend Wilfredo Benitez of Historic St George’s Church took office as newly elected President. While many of our member groups are busy with weekly activities, the Council kept up with monthly meetings, Lunar Day parade festivities and Women’s History Month event, featuring the soaring voices of the Interfaith Women’s Choir. There was an interfaith gathering from Ramadan in May. In addition to its regular soup kitchen, St George’s hosted some very well attended community holiday dinners for all in need. Our Amnesty International group 10121 continues on first Wednesdays, and interested locals are welcome to contact lcaroline4@gmail.com. The First Sunday morning of each month there is an interfaith breakfast discussion at the historic Flushing Meeting House: for more information please contact John@Firstfriends.org.
2017
In May 2017 the Council agreed to link the Beacons of Pluralism to our twice-yearly Interfaith Unity Walk. Beacons of Pluralism is a creative project sharing the light from many religious communities in Flushing; See: New York One Report Jan 30, 2017
The second interfaith walk took place in October 2017 and culminated in a community presentation of an InterGenerational and intercultural video project aimed at improving understanding between parents, grandparents and young people in immigrant communities. Thanks to Danny Kim working with the Chinese Buddhist community of Buddhas Light International Association, and to Fatima Rahmati, working with local Afghan Muslim youth.
In 2017 Flushing Interfaith Council was pleased to receive a small grant from Citizens Committee for NYC to help us expand our interfaith and intercultural activities and ensure “green” and environmental issues are included.
2016 Activities
On October 23, 2016 we organized the second Interfaith Unity Walk of the year, this time revisiting some of the houses of worship we first visited over 7 years ago. See page of previous walks or Video link. Also see: flier for the times and route.
Other 2016 activities included February 13 Lunar New Year march; several small events organized or co-sponsored by our social justice committee; and starting on March 6 Muslim Journeys Reading Series (Supported by a small grant from NY Council for the Humanities) which included a discussion with noted author Moustafa Bayoumi (pictured below).
We also had an enjoyable discussion in September with author Sabeeha Rehman of Rethreading My Prayer Carpet (photo below)
On May 1 2016 we held our Spring Interfaith Unity Walk (see video link here).
On July 10, 2016 the Council hosted its Annual Common Meal (photo below)
Currently the Council is planning its August 13 Picnic (same location as previous years) as well as the October Interfaith Unity Walk.
2015 Activities:
On October 18, 2015 we held our annual Interfaith Unity Walk. Please see flier here and see the video on the page linked above!
On Sunday, May 17 2015 the Council hosted a special Domestic Violence Forum with performers and panelists, at the Flushing Library Auditorium. See flier facebook posting
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On Friday, December 5, 2014 the Council co-hosted a special concert at Flushing Town Hall to raise awareness of the many serious attacks on religious freedom around the world, from Iraq to Pakistan, Burma to Beijing. An audience of 150-175 helped benefit our Peace & Justice Committee and Burma Task Force USA which works to confront attacks on minorities in Burma. For videos of the over 50 performers and speakers please see: http://rohingyarights.wordpress.com/december-5-2014-human-rights-concert-in-flushing/
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2014 Activities:
The 6th Annual Flushing Interfaith Unity Walk took place on October 19, 2014. See:
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. The Flushing Interfaith Council Annual Picnic was held on August 16, 2014 at 2 pm at the usual location in Kissena Park (164th and Oak Street) For details please see: FICPicnicFlierAug162014final For more information Please Contact: flushinginterfaithcouncil@gmail.com or call Tel: (646) 926-7844 
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The Council Steering Committee was pleased to receive some funding in 2013 for workshops and other activities including the Annual Walk. Thanks to the Mayors Office and to the Citizens Committee of New York as well as the NY Council on Humanities. With the help of Lawyers Alliance for New York we have received incorporation and are looking forward to nonprofit status soon. We look forward to continued growth in 2014
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ONGOING PEACE & JUSTICE: On July 24 our Peace and Justice committee co-sponsored WEEP FOR GAZA, in partnership with St George’s Church. Over 200 diverse people attended to share their grief over the loss of life in the 2014 Gaza conflict.
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SECOND FLUSHING REMONSTRANCE PROJECT is ongoing since its launch on December 7, 2013 at 7 PM at St Georges Episcopal Church. See FLIER HERE and for Newspaper coverage of this December 2013 successful event see: Times Ledger Article, Queens Chronicle, Queens Gazette For More Information Please See our Peace and Social Justice link. Queens’ first and only Amnesty International Chapter held its first meeting in January 2014 and has been continuing Saturday morning meetings once a month ever since at 3901 Main Street Suite 511. See earlier AMNESTY FLIER .
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On Saturday February 8 the Council joined One Flushing at Flushing’s famous Lunar New Year Parade! Also in the news: Green Jobs Job Fair at Historic Saint Georges Church in partnership with One Flushing see link
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Note: Our new address is c/o Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce 143-30 38th Avenue Suite 1H Flushing, NY 11354
Flushing Interfaith Council 