Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs
Photos From:
The Storytelling Festival
Festival Celebrates the Power of Diversity, Honors Activist Rabbi Robert Marx and Shares Stories of Searching for Home
Over one hundred fifty participants, spanning three generations and many ethnic backgrounds, joined together for a full day at the Divine Word International Conference Center in Techny on Sunday, April 23 to hear stories of “Searching for Home,” as part of the 4th JustStories Storytelling Festival. A highlight of the event was the brunch to celebrate and honor long-time activist, Rabbi Robert Marx, with the 2006 BridgeBuilder Award.
The morning and afternoon sessions with Arif Choudhury, Olga Loya, Antonio Sacre, Susan O'Halloran and La'Ron Williams entertained and inspired the crowd with moving stories that embraced their diversity and centered around the day's theme, “Searching for Home.” Gail Schechter, Executive Director, Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs, welcomed many long-time friends and social justice champions to pay tribute to Rabbi Marx and all he has personally done to promote equal opportunity, access to housing, jobs, education and even basic services. Schechter shared the significance of Fair Housing Month and the challenges we still face since original inroads were forged by heroes like Rabbi Marx in the 60's.
During the brunch, Robert Marx, Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Hakafa in Glencoe, IL graciously accepted the 2006 BridgeBuilder Award, but quickly turned the focus away from himself, to challenge all those gathered to honor him. He urged everyone to “act as if the future of the world depends upon what you do today,” and meet the challenge “to make sure that the voice of powerless people are heard,” that “righteousness triumphs over selfishness,” and “justice triumphs over greed.” Rabbi Marx advised all to look around the room and always “Remember that you are not alone.”
Rabbi Marx helped recognize a group of Northbrook students who participated in The Bridgebuilder Youth Project. Brian Zohn, Caryn Rubanovich, David Goese, Jeff Buchbinder, Rahul Gupta, Safaya Fawzi-Youssef and Stephanie Wong completed a series of workshops which explored the qualities of powerful and contagious leadership. All expressed interest in forging their own path through becoming role models and effective leaders in their immediate school environments and in the larger world. The leadership workshops were sponsored by the Northbrook Community Relations Commission, students were gathered by Diedre Berkowitz and sessions led by Susan O'Halloran. Catholic Schools Opposing Racism (COR) also provided a scholarship that brought a confirmation group of Vietnamese students together to participate in the day's events.
Provincial Mark Weber, SVD, and Derek Simons, SVD, representing The Society of the Divine Word, the host and sponsor of the day's events, joined Rabbi Marx, Dr. Esmail Koushanpour, Executive Director, Islamic Information Centre, Northbrook and many others as “May Peace Prevail on Earth,” became a shared hope for all who followed Northbrook's local Girl Scout Troop as they led everyone outside to help rededicate the Northbrook-Techny Peace Pole following the Bridgebuilder Brunch.
The day was filled with heartfelt stories originating from diverse communities which magically came together as an expanded family searching for peace, justice and home.
This 4th Techny JustStories Storytelling Festival was sponsored by Angels Studio of Divine Word of Techny at Northbrook and the Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs together with the Northbrook Community Relations Commission and the Northbrook Youth Commission.
Further information contact chris@interfaithhousingcenter.org.
Read Rabbi Marx's speech,
find out more about the event or download a flier .
Glenbrook North High School students Caryn Rubanovich, Jeff Buchbinder, Stephanie Wong and Safaya Fawzi-Youssef completed a series of leadership workshops for the BridgeBuilder Youth Project, and received a Certificate of Achievement from Sue O'Halloran and Rabbi Robert Marx during the festival brunch.
Storytellers Arif Choudhury, Antonio Sacre, Susan O'Halloran, Olga Loya, and La'Ron Williams joined together to entertain festival attendees and share their diverse, yet universal, stories centered around the theme, "Searching for Home.”
Fr. Derek Simons, SVD, asks Rabbi Robert Marx to read “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in Hebrew as Northbrook's local Girl Scout troop and other festival participants take part in the rededication of the Northbrook-Techny Peace Pole.
Provincial Mark Weber, SVD, and Gail Schechter, Executive Director, Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs, present Rabbi Robert Marx with the 2006 BridgeBuilder Award honoring his life's work of fostering cooperation among people and institutions of all races and faiths.
Photo Report Author: Chris Smith
Photos by FirstLightCreative.com
Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs
www.interfaithhousingcenter.org
620 Lincoln Avenue; Winnetka, Illinois 60093-2308
phone: 847.501.5760
e-mail: ihcns@interfaithhousingcenter.org