Jem and Miranda

Sadly we have reached the end of our times as fellows, but we're so honored to have worked with the wonderful volunteers we've met this year... 
Read more | View Comments

A few days ago I came across my old Bat Mitzvah speech and thought it was worth sharing.  
Read more | View Comments

Saying Kaddish with a priest. 
Read more | View Comments

Saturday was Boston University's global day of service. On April 17th BU alumni, students, faculty, staff, friends, and family joined together around the world to improve the world around them. Jem and Miranda were honored by delivering the keynote speech at the university's interfaith dinner following the day of service. The event was organized by BU graduate students John Prust and Lauren Miramontes. Opening remarks were offered by Robert Allen Hill, Dean of Marsh Chapel and University preacher. Dean Hill's Sunday morning services are broadcast weekly on National Public Radio (NPR). The full text of Jem and Miranda's speech will be available here soon. 
Read more | View Comments

Faiths Act Fellow Miranda Rosenberg recently published an Op-Ed entitled "This Is Pharaoh's Army" in the Harvard Crimson, the daily newspaper serving Cambridge, Massachusetts.  
Read more | View Comments

See the video! 
Read more | View Comments

Jem and Miranda created a 2 module curriculum on the ethics of global poverty, the UN Millennium Development Goals, and malaria in December 2009. The curriculum was received well in the classroom and distributed to the New England International Baccalaureate High Schools at their regional meeting in March. Since then, the fellows have received word that it is already being used by IB teachers across New England and inspiring students to take action on malaria this April. If you would like a free copy of the curriculum, you can email the fellows at Miranda.Rosenberg@faithsactfellows.org. 
Read more | View Comments

The New England Faiths Act Fellows launched the 10 Net Challenge on Monday. Individuals and groups can visit www.10netchallenge.com to register for free and pledge to raise a minimum of $100 (the equivalent of 10 bed nets) for malaria eradication efforts in Mali. Those who complete the Challenge receive complimentary admission to the World Malaria Day celebration in Harvard Square and a free ticket for the evening's raffle. The launch was a huge success and already the fellows have received sign ups from as close by as Cambridge and as far away as Honduras. The fellows will be updating the site regularly to include helpful resources for individuals, schools, congregations, etc. to fundraise. 
Read more | View Comments

400 lives. 100 dollars. 10 bednets. 1 world. Are you up for the challenge? Check out the 10 Net Challenge at 10netchallenge.com 
Read more | View Comments

On Tuesday, March 23rd, Jem and Miranda presented their two part Faiths Act, global poverty, malaria, and the MDGs high school curriculum to IB coordinators from across the entire New England region. The coordinators participated in some of the interactive portions of the curriculum and learned more about the mission overlap between Faiths Act and International Baccalaureate. Jem and Miranda also challenged each coordinator to commit to their school raising enough money for 10 bednet by World Malaria Day. "If each school raises money for 10 bednets, that's almost 200 bednets provided by the end of the school year. If in two years, all of IB America has followed suit, that's over 6,000 bednets provided each year. And if two years after that, all of IB worldwide participates, that's over 20,000 bednets from the IB community. A movement has to start somewhere. It starts here today. 
Read more | View Comments

March 8th is International Women's Day. Join the Faiths Act Boston Fellows for an online Women's Day Fundraiser. ALL DONATIONS WILL BE MATCHED, so as little as $5 can make a big difference in the lives of others. Donate at http://www.firstgiving.com/faithsactboston and save a life today! 
Read more | View Comments

Students make 200 loaves of bread to benefit relief efforts in Haiti. 
Read more | View Comments

Darwin turns 201! 
Read more | View Comments

Want to make a positive change in Boston and the world? Join our Malaria Coordinating Council! Fill out the attached application and send it to one of our emails. Good luck! 
Read more | View Comments

 
Read more | View Comments

No matter how insurmountable a task may seem, or how big a problem is, if you believe it is possible to achieve, it will be.  
Read more | View Comments

What happens when a third world disease suddenly shows up in the United States? 
Read more | View Comments

November has rolled around and it's starting to get chilly. We've finally narrowed our strategy to working with students in universities and high schools and bringing student groups together on campuses. November will be a great month, with presentations, services, and celebrations planned. The Faiths Act Fellowship is shaping up to be pretty busy.  
Read more | View Comments

Miranda and I got ourselves up this morning to visit Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Jamaica Pond. It was well worth it. The service was over 2 hours long, but it didn't feel like that. The music kept us awake and alive, and the enthusiasm of the Pastor kept us out of our seats. But I think it was something else that will keep us going back week after week. During the service, everyone new to Bethel stood and introduced themselves. People came from Austria and Trinidad, New York and Florida. After Miranda and I introduced ourselves, the members around us prayed over us and blessed us and welcomed us back. Afterwards, people came to greet us and welcome us. We even got invited to brunch afterward. This sense of community and fellowship made me feel at home. Even though it was snowing (!) outside, I felt warm and cozy with these people. During the service, I stepped back for a minute and thought about what was actually happening. Hundreds of people gathering together for one reason- their faith. These people are "doctors and lawyers", as one member said, so they have busy lives outside of church. Yet, they make it. They even look nice. Faith is important to people in the US just like in Malawi. It seems that sometimes we don't realize how powerful our faith is. We don't realize what we can do with people who share our faith. I wonder if the people today realize how warm they made us feel by simply asking us to eat with them. It makes me feel as though we perceive this work as hard and trying, but in reality, it's simple. People are people. Humans are humans. If we don't look out for each other, who will? 
Read more | View Comments

Being intensely passionate about something is tricky business. I LOVE this work. It is unbelievable how exciting it is when I get an email saying, "Yes! This sounds cool! Let's meet!" and I just want to email everyone in the world and tell them how awesome this project is. The trouble is...we only have 8 months. It's nothing. We don't have a lifetime. So we have to be very particular about who we work with and what we do this year. It's practical. Before I took a step back and realized this, I've been feeling like I'm about to conquer the world. And I am- but it has to be a step at a time. One university Interfaith council at a time. One Methodist church at a time. One Sangha. One Hillel. Baby steps. Everything is a step in the right direction. Yesterday we went to an event at the Harvard school of public health and ended up meeting the CEO of APIN, a huge organization working in Nigeria on AIDS as well as a woman who has traveled all over Africa investigating AIDS. Both people were very excited about the project, and even offered to speak at some of our events. It's things like these where you never know what will happen. That's why I never want to exclude anyone. But, it will be important to know how to include people. Meaning, we can't promise everyone that we will host a big event with them. We can include everyone at some level. I firmly believe this. I've been thinking about my faith, not as a Buddhist or a Christian or in a hugely spiritual way, but my faith in people. I think we need to have more faith in people. I think we need to have more faith in ourselves. 
Read more | View Comments

We love Faiths Act Fellows!

 
Read more | View Comments

 
Read more | View Comments