West Chester interfaith ceremony to honor Sandy Hook Elementary victims, promote unity

Photo
Map

The Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati (ICGC) hosted an interfaith candlelight ceremony on Dec. 20. (Photo credit: ICGC)
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Previous Play Next

Regular Photo Size7/7

Posted: 12/20/2012

By: Holly Edgell, Community Editor

WEST CHESTER TWP., Ohio - More than 100 people braved the high winds Thursday night to attend an interfaith candlelight ceremony honoring the memories of those who died in the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting on Dec. 14. The Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati hosted the event.

"We thought it was important to come together to begin the conversation about not only dealing with the tragedy, but overcoming it by uniting around the good in people," said organizer Shakila Ahmad.

The event featured remarks by leaders from across the faith community, including:

Deacon Jerry Barney, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church (West Chester Township)
Rev. Thomas E. Breidenthal, Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Southern Ohio
Dr. Inayat Malik, President of the Islamic Educational Council, Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati
Jaipal Singh of the Sikh Temple Gurdwara
Dr. Gary Zola, Executive Director of The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives

Center officials said the event was intended to "honor those lives that were so terribly taken at Sandy Hook Elementary with a focus on the good God created in all of us, dealing with the horrific tragedy, honoring the teachers who teach and love our children and coming together as communities and as a country in overcoming violence."

"We have to create a culture that is loving and caring," Ahmad said, who is the founder of Muslim Mothers Against Violence .