Let me introduce you to the leaders of this World Pilgrims pilgrimage. Who better to be Pursuing Wisdom with than my fellow leaders, Jan Swanson, Imam Plemon El-Amin and Rev. Dr. Gerald Durley?! Their collective wisdom has strengthened our city and has reverberated globally.
With a full generation of experience and trailblazing on me, I am as humbled to be co-leading this amazing adventure as I was when I met them--perhaps more so as I even more aware of how much I can learn from them.
I met Jan and Imam Plemon early in my rabbinate. Shortly after 9/11, the faith community in Atlanta woke up to the realization that we must know each other better and build strong alliances. Together we met working together on the founding board to create the Faith of Alliance of Metro Atlanta.
We grew close as we brought great intentionality and integrity as we planned a heart-rending and heart-opening service commemorating the first anniversary of 9/11 at the city's behest. Hosted at the historic center of civil and human rights, Ebenezer Baptist Church, as a city we grieved, prayed for hope and issued a call for greater understanding.
Throughout this time, as a new rabbi, I learned so much from Jan and Plemon. Despite many differences, we grew to respect, trust and rely on one another. I am grateful for their influence on me, they helped shape the rabbi I am today like the many other teachers in my stead.
A little over a month after that service, I would join Plemon, Jan and Gerald on the inaugural pilgrimage to Turkey.
While I know Rev. Gerald was involved in forming important interfaith alliances, it was not until my experience traveling with him that I saw how his warmth and humor created am opportunity to connect with a man who had a legendary reputation preceeding him as a civil rights leader and charismatic preacher. Perhaps more than anyone, I have laughed with him as much as I have learned from. Teaching about the importance of sacred time, Gerald combines prophetic vision with pastoral presence.
To be leading with these three teachers is the first piece of gold to be treasured as we explore the mythic Golden Age of Spain. Whether the legendary openness of Andalus proves to be truly a Golden time, I know we will working together diligently to foster a time to treasure and to continue to build a growing stewardship of an Atlanta that shines in its example of coexistence and mutual understanding.
Imam Plemon El-Amin
serves on various religious and civic councils, including the Boards of the
Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta, the Atlanta Majlis Ash Shura, the Atlanta
Interfaith Broadcasters, the World Pilgrims, and the Atlanta Fulton County
Recreation Authority.
As part of the World Pilgrims, he has led 10 Pilgrimages with over 300 Muslims, Christians and Jews through the religious and cultural landscapes of Turkey, Morocco and Spain, Jerusalem and Palestine, a Istanbul, Athens and the Greek Isles, and Jordan --to deepen their intimate personal friendships and working relationships with one another.He performed the greater Pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca in 1978 and in 2006, and has enjoyed 5 minor pilgrimages (Umra).
The Rev. Dr. Gerald L. Durley is the former Pastor of the historic Providence Missionary Baptist Church of Atlanta, where he has served for nearly 25 years. At Providence, Rev. Durley worked to ensure that people with disabilities in the congregation are able to share their gifts, skills and abilities, resulting in a new system of supports for persons with autism and their families in the congregation and in the community.
Rev. Durley’s previous roles include Executive Director of the Head Start Program for Fulton and Douglas Counties, Director of the Health Promotion Resource Center at the Morehouse School of Medicine, and founder of Perspectives, International, a consortium of historically black colleges and universities. In 2011, Rev. Durley was inducted into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame for his contributions during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Rev. Durley continues to serve as an outspoken advocate on a number of social justice issues and works diligently to understand the differences and similarities among people, cultures and beliefs.
And here is me:
Throughout this time, as a new rabbi, I learned so much from Jan and Plemon. Despite many differences, we grew to respect, trust and rely on one another. I am grateful for their influence on me, they helped shape the rabbi I am today like the many other teachers in my stead.
A little over a month after that service, I would join Plemon, Jan and Gerald on the inaugural pilgrimage to Turkey.
While I know Rev. Gerald was involved in forming important interfaith alliances, it was not until my experience traveling with him that I saw how his warmth and humor created am opportunity to connect with a man who had a legendary reputation preceeding him as a civil rights leader and charismatic preacher. Perhaps more than anyone, I have laughed with him as much as I have learned from. Teaching about the importance of sacred time, Gerald combines prophetic vision with pastoral presence.
To be leading with these three teachers is the first piece of gold to be treasured as we explore the mythic Golden Age of Spain. Whether the legendary openness of Andalus proves to be truly a Golden time, I know we will working together diligently to foster a time to treasure and to continue to build a growing stewardship of an Atlanta that shines in its example of coexistence and mutual understanding.
Here are their bios:
Jan
Swanson was the Outreach Director of the Christian Council of Metropolitan
Atlanta until 2002, an organization supported by the Archdiocese of Greater
Atlanta. Because of her position, Jan was invited to important multi-faith
dinners as the "Christian representative. Invitations came from Muslims,
Jews , Hindus, and Buddhists. After 9/11, she was called on by the city of
Atlanta and the Christian religious community to bring the world faiths
together for a worship service. She agreed to convene the group if all the
groups had an equal say in the worship service.
Rev.
Wayne Smith, now deceased, asked Jan to organize a group of Muslim, Jewish, and
Christian leaders to go on a spiritual pilgrimage to Turkey.
Jan
currently is the program director of World Pilgrims. She and Interfaith
Community Initiatives Chair and President Imam Plemon El-Amin have led ten
World Pilgrimages to places of spiritual significance for groups of Jews,
Christians, and Muslims. Jan also assists in Dr. Ben Johnson in conducting interfaith Immersion weekends
where participants experience the sacred spaces and people from five major
world religions.
Jan
is a founding board member of the FAMA , the Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta.
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| The Community Organizer: Jan Swanson |
As part of the World Pilgrims, he has led 10 Pilgrimages with over 300 Muslims, Christians and Jews through the religious and cultural landscapes of Turkey, Morocco and Spain, Jerusalem and Palestine, a Istanbul, Athens and the Greek Isles, and Jordan --to deepen their intimate personal friendships and working relationships with one another.He performed the greater Pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca in 1978 and in 2006, and has enjoyed 5 minor pilgrimages (Umra).
 |
| The Imam: Plemon El-Amin |
The Rev. Dr. Gerald L. Durley is the former Pastor of the historic Providence Missionary Baptist Church of Atlanta, where he has served for nearly 25 years. At Providence, Rev. Durley worked to ensure that people with disabilities in the congregation are able to share their gifts, skills and abilities, resulting in a new system of supports for persons with autism and their families in the congregation and in the community.
Rev. Durley’s previous roles include Executive Director of the Head Start Program for Fulton and Douglas Counties, Director of the Health Promotion Resource Center at the Morehouse School of Medicine, and founder of Perspectives, International, a consortium of historically black colleges and universities. In 2011, Rev. Durley was inducted into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame for his contributions during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Rev. Durley continues to serve as an outspoken advocate on a number of social justice issues and works diligently to understand the differences and similarities among people, cultures and beliefs.
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| The Reverend: Gerald Durley |
Rabbi Joshua
Lesser leads Congregation Bet Haverim. Together he and the members have
fostered a warm environment balancing the needs of a diverse community.
His
adventurous spirit has propelled him to be a groundbreaker. He founded SOJOURN,
the Southern Jewish Resource Network, a Jewish communal response to gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. He was a founding board member of the
Faith Alliance and served as its first Jewish president. Taking a lead in
interfaith partnership, he was the only rabbi on Atlanta’s first World Pilgrims
pilgrimage to Turkey. He later led a pilgrimage to Egypt, Jordan and Israel.
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| The Rabbi: Joshua Lesser |
Bravo!
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