An Interfaith Reflection and Celebration

Of International Women’s Month

Sunday, March 15

3:00 – 4:30 p.m.

The Congregational Church of Patchogue

95 East Main Street

631.475.1235

The Long Island Immigrant Justice Alliance (LIIJA) is offering an interfaith reflection at the Congregational Church of Patchogue honoring immigrant women during this International Women’s Month. These reflections occur during the rare confluence of Purim, Lent, and Ramadan that had not happened since 1863. The journeys of immigrant women’s resilience, survival, and courage will be told.

Rabbi Susie Moskowitz of Temple Beth Torah in Melville will reflect on women’s courage and Purim, a joyous and festive Jewish holiday that has been celebrated for over 2,500 years, and recounted in the Hebrew scripture Book of Esther. Set in Ancient Persia, known today as Iran, Purim is about Queen Esther’s brave deliverance of the Jewish people from the King’s death order. When Esther heard that her people were to be slaughtered, she risked her life by revealing her identity as a Jew to the King, and pleaded for him to revoke his order.

There will be a Muslim reflection on Ramadan, also in the context of courageous women. Ramadan is considered in Islam as the holiest month of the year. During Ramadan, Muslims commemorate the revelation of the Qur’an (the Islamic holy book), in which observant Muslims fast from food and drink daily from sunrise to sunset as a means of drawing closer to God and cultivating self-restraint, gratitude, compassion, and generosity. The goal of fasting is a state of constant awareness of God.

Rev. Marie Tatro will reflect on courageous Lenten journeys of women. Lent is a 40-day, solemn Christian season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on Maundy Thursday, the day of Jesus’ Last Supper. It commemorates the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness, serving as a period of preparation for the Easter celebration of Jesus’ resurrection.

There will be a reflection by Katherine Veloz, of the organization, Sepa Mujer, a Patchogue based non-profit founded in 1993 to support and empower Latina immigrant women and children on Long Island. It focuses on leadership development, fighting domestic violence, providing immigration legal services, and advocacy for social change.

Mimi Pierre Johnson will reflect on courageous Haitian women’s experiences in the context of this season.

This program will conclude with prayer and song on the front steps and lawn of the Congregational Church of Patchogue.

CONTACT:

Rev. Dwight Lee Wolter

Congregational Church of Patchogue

office@churchonmainstreet.org

631.475.1235