Courage Doesn’t Always Announce Itself. Sometimes Courage Looks Like Friendship. In the days after October 7, fear, grief, and uncertainty rippled across the world, particularly in the Muslim and Jewish communities. Conversations that had once felt familiar suddenly seemed fragile. Both Bryant, a Jewish leader, and Walid, a Muslim leader, had long been active in interfaith circles, working locally and nationally to build bridges grounded in shared values and humanity. Yet they were relatively new to each other, serving together as board members for the Interfaith Leadership Council, with a relationship that had largely been limited to meetings. When Walid encouraged the Board to issue a statement calling for the protection of innocents, Bryant recognized the same pain he felt and saw in others and decided to reach out. Walid was cautious, shaped by experiences growing up in Southern Lebanon. However, he was also guided by his belief that every person has unique thoughts, beliefs and behaviors, and by the Prophet’s teaching to always consider the best intentions of fellow human beings and to always give people the benefit of a doubt first before judging. Though he did not yet know Bryant well, he engaged openly. Bryant, seeing in Walid a deep faith and love for humanity, felt no fear in connecting. Together, they reached across differences, grief, and pain to craft a statement that recognized the moment and the suffering felt by so many. Neither had to force a heroic act. There was no immediate danger and no public spotlight. Yet each made the simple decision to connect, to ask questions, and to listen with intention. Courage is not always dramatic. Sometimes it is stepping forward when silence would be easier. Sometimes it is opening your heart when uncertainty whispers, choosing connection when fear urges retreat. Their first conversation could have been tense, and differences in belief or ideology might have driven a wedge. Instead, it became a moment of understanding. They spoke openly about values, faith, and the pain the world had recently inflicted on innocent people. Active listening to each other’s concerns brought reassurance and support, alleviating one another’s worries. They discovered a shared respect for the sanctity of life and common ethical principles for approaching difficult situations, including protecting and welcoming the stranger, recognizing that we are all God’s children and equal in God’s eyes, acting charitably toward all, and choosing love. Each word and gesture built trust, deepened understanding, and strengthened their relationship, laying the foundation for an ongoing friendship. That initial conversation could have gone much differently, but their openness allowed it to grow into something far greater. Courage does not always announce itself with fanfare. Sometimes it is quiet. Sometimes it is deliberate. Sometimes it is simply choosing to reach out, to connect, and to enter a space of uncertainty with curiosity, humility and respect. In this case, friendship became an act of courage. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is reach across the gap.
What is the Interfaith Day of Unity?
The mission of the Interfaith Day of Unity is to teach our diverse population in Metro Detroit that the work of building a community of justice, equality, respect and peace is a calling that we all share – all of us, no matter what our faith tradition might be. But most important is the fact that we are impacting our children, our teens, and our young adults.
Our processional includes children of many faith traditions, proudly waving the peace banners that they decorated themselves. These children come together to sing the song “We Are Children of Peace.” Every year we honor someone with the Peace Award – someone who is making a difference in the interfaith world, bringing people together to build community!
Clergy of many faiths have been invited to participate in our service, and all the clergy present get called up to read the Congregation Pledge together about building a world of tolerance, justice, faithfulness, and peace. What a wonderful lesson for our youth!!
The Interfaith Day of Unity begins with a Jewish youth blowing the shofar, a Muslim youth chanting the Muslim Call to Prayer, a Hindu blowing the conch shell, followed by middle school, high school and college youth giving additional prayers for world peace from many other religions- Jain, Buddhist, Baha’i, Zoroastrian, Christian, Hindu, Native American, Sikh, Quaker, and Unitarian faith traditions for example.
The Interfaith Day of Unity service features musical offerings that reflect the individual language, culture and tradition of the many religions that are represented.
- Choirs
- Bands
- Dance groups
- Chanting
The Interfaith Day of Unity has been enchanted by Hindu dancers, Yiddish Klezmer music, Jain songs, Sikh Shabads, Christian Dance ensembles, and Arabic elementary school drummers.
The highlight of every Interfaith Day of Unity is the inclusion of children who decorate banners with their ideas about World Peace. These banners are stapled to pieces of basswood to make flags that the children proudly display as they march in the processional into the sanctuary. These banners are then sewn into Children of Peace Quilts which are proudly displayed at the Interfaith Day of Unity services.
The Children of Peace, the youth, and the young adults who participate in our Peace Prayers and our musical offerings bring their friends and family to the Interfaith Day of Unity, and this interfaith happening has grown immensely – so big that the sanctuary at Christ Church Cranbrook, where the first ten Interfaith Day of Unity services were held, is no longer large enough for us.
Please consider donating to the peace efforts of the Interfaith Day of Unity. Donate here.
Previous Events
2025 Interfaith Day of Unity
The Interfaith Day of Unity, held on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the historic Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, brought together a diverse and engaged community committed to peace, resilience, and hope. The strong attendance was a powerful and encouraging sign that, even in challenging times, people are eager to come together across differences. Now more than ever, the InterFaith Leadership Council remains steadfast in our mission to create spaces for learning, relationship-building, and meaningful connection. We are grateful for this momentum and invite you to continue this journey of unity and belonging with us.
2023 Annual World Sabbath of Religious Reconciliation
Raman Singh, Executive Director of The InterFaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit, was honored with the 2023 World Sabbath Peacemaker Award. She is recognized as someone who is making a difference in the interfaith world by bringing people together to build community.
2022 Annual World Sabbath of Religious Reconciliation
Special thanks to the Baha’i community for hosting this virtual program.
If you missed the event, watch the recording below.
