By Parveen Chopra
Jericho, NY: The Interfaith Institute of Long Island (IFI) presented Rev. Chloe Breyer, an Episcopal priest and a leading voice in the interfaith movement, with its prestigious annual award at its 10th anniversary celebration on October 19 at the Cotillion here.
Rev. Breyer, daughter of former US Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer, has been a dynamic force for change as the director of the Interfaith Center of New York (ICNY) since 2007. Under her guidance, ICNY has pioneered a civics training curriculum for grassroots religious leaders, created multi-faith advocacy coalitions to combat bias crimes, and championed justice and immigration reform.
Dr Faroque A. Khan, IFI chairman and founder of the Islamic Center of Long Island, presented the award to Rev. Breyer alongside Dr. Unni Mooppan, IFI President, and directors representing a beautiful tapestry of faiths. Dr. Khan lauded Rev. Breyer, a PhD in Christian Ethics, as a brilliant example of interreligious collaboration and visionary leadership.
Accepting the award, Rev. Breyer reflected on her journey to “create bridges between various religions.” She emphasized that the strength of New York City’s diverse fabric—and indeed, our democracy—is directly tied to these interfaith collaborations. She praised the work of Dr. Khan, a professor of medicine who is a native of Kashmir, stating, "The Interfaith Institute and the Islamic Center are a part of your legacy that is not particularly replicable.”
In his presidential address, Dr. Mooppan highlighted the 1893 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago as a landmark event in American interfaith history, where Swami Vivekananda, a young Hindu monk, captivated the West and introduced Hinduism—demonstrating the profound change one person can effect.
Music from different faiths was a highlight of the event. Thahseen Mohammed (Muslim), Rabbi Lisa Ann and Akiva Wharton (Jewish), Budh Prakash Jasuja and his daughter Nanki Jasuja (Hindu/Sikh) were the singers.
As the event took place a day before Diwali, Parveen Chopra, founding editor of A Lotus In The Mud, arranged table decorations to honor the Indian festival of lights.
