Rev. Paulo G. França spoke of the sacred nature of gathering, saying that "coming together around tables is a sacred thing. It’s a place where we want to have our best friends, our families, the people we trust."
The idea of unity amidst adversity was echoed by Rabbi Bruce Elder: "Our job is to set the example here and let it flow from there. We can be here together, that we can continue to grow together, that, despite our differences, we know how important it is to be together."
Imam Kareem Irfan connected Ramadan's spiritual practices to community service: “At its core, Ramadan is all about self reflection, self discipline and self control.” He invited everyone to find a deeper commitment to each other through service. "When we join hands across faith or no-faith traditions, we move from tolerance to solidarity and from mere coexistence to cooperation."
The invocations ended with an "Adhan" (Call to Prayer), recited by Tahir Abdullah.
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