NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Interfaith activist and filmmaker Ruth Broyde-Sharone will bring her most recent documentary, God and Allah Need to Talk — a Film for Healing and Reconciliation, to Vanderbilt University Tuesday, April 5.
The film is part of an interfaith program scheduled from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Ben Schulman Center for Jewish Life on Vanderbilt‘s campus. The center is located at 2421 Vanderbilt Place. The event, which is free and open to the public, also will include music, interfaith dialogue and a call to action for participants to take on “one small, profound act” they are willing to do to further the cause of interfaith.
In July 2004, Broyde-Sharone presented an interfaith program and her film at the Parliament of the World‘s Religions, which was held in Barcelona, Spain, and attended by more than 8,000 people from 75 countries. Currently, she is taking her interfaith/film/music program to college campuses and communities across the country and abroad to promote and support interfaith activities.
God and Allah Need to Talk has been hailed as a “must see interfaith film” and enthusiastically received by audiences at many churches, synagogues, mosques and universities.
Broyde-Sharone has written, produced and directed documentary and educational films for more than 25 years. She has produced films for Encyclopedia Britannica, American television, Israeli television, private foundations and organizations. A graduate of Northwestern University‘s Medill School of Journalism, Broyde-Sharone began her career as a freelance journalist in Latin America, Europe and Israel. She has written for the Associated Press, The New York Times, The Jerusalem Post and The Los Angeles Times among many other national and international publications.
She and African American minister Delores (Ahuva) Gray are the founders of Festival for Freedom, a world movement to create bridges for friendship and peace. As a result of her work, Broyde-Sharone was invited to serve as a delegate to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in Geneva and received a gold medal from Fete d‘Excellence for promoting interfaith dialogue and multicultural education.
In addition to Broyde-Sharone, musicians Stefani Valadez and Alula will be on hand at the Vanderbilt event to perform songs from various nations. Singer/songwriter Valadez plays the guitar and her influences range from blues musicians Taj Mahal and Muddy Waters to Grace Slick, Brazilian jazz artist Jobim and samba songwriter and musician Dorival Caymmi.
A composer, arranger, lyricist, singer, dancer and stage actor, Alula has toured around the world playing concerts and appearing on African, European and American television. He speaks eight languages and sings in more than 10, and plays 12 musical instruments including the piano, guitar, bass, drums, harmonica and kirrar, a harp-like instrument that dates back to the time of King David.
A panel of religious leaders will also discuss their own and other religions at the April 5 event. The panelists are Awadh Binhazim from the Islamic Center of Nashville; Keri Day with the Graduate Department of Religion at Vanderbilt; Richard McGregor, Vanderbilt assistant professor of religious studies; Jack Sasson, Mary Jane Werthan Professor of Jewish Studies and Hebrew Bible and director of the Program in Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt; Rabbi Ken Kanter from Congregation Micah; and John Thatamanil, Vanderbilt assistant professor of theology.
The event is sponsored by Vanderbilt‘s Office of Intercultural Affairs and Diversity Education, the Office of the University Chaplain, the Interfaith Council, the Muslim Student Association and Vanderbilt Hillel.
For more information about the event, please call 615-322-2457.
Media contact: Princine Lewis, (615) 322-NEWS
Princine.l.lewis@vanderbilt.edu