Baha'is of South Orange, NJ

09/12/2021

Community Roundtable Discussion: A Spiritual Framework for Social Change

Please join us for the first in a series of discussions with a special focus on race amity in the United States and the example set by 'Abdu'l-Baha.

We will be meeting from 3-5 pm on Sunday, September 12 at the patio of 9 Vose Avenue in South Orange. All are welcome.

“Do not allow difference of opinion, or diversity of thought to separate you from your fellow men, or to be the cause of dispute, hatred and strife in your hearts. Rather, search diligently for the truth and make all men your friends.”

“That which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith.” - Bahá’u’lláh

08/30/2021

Ever strike up a conversation and feel like you want to spread a little bit of hope, but aren't sure quite how? A member of our community has made these lovely, printable prayer cards and shared them with us for everyone to use. She prints them out on nice, sturdy paper and distributes them to folks she meets and interacts with in the community. She says it is a great way to make a connection and to brighten someone's outlook. This set includes a Prayer for America as well as a Baha'i Prayer for Mankind. Feel free to print out these prayers and give it a try! Thank you again to our dear friend!

06/07/2021

What is kidness? And how do we spread it? How do others feel when they receive it? Check out some wonderful and insightful responses from youth of all ages in the latest Family Fund Newscast!

This is "Family Fund Newscast: Kindness" by Office of the Treasurer on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

05/18/2021

A beautiful and thought-provoking segment offering peaceful and comforting thoughts on grief and loss:

https://fb.watch/5nHRn-7hze/

04/05/2021

A member of our community has shared this beautiful quotation from the writings of Baha'u'llah for all of our friends celebrating Easter:

"Know thou that when the Son of Man yielded up His breath to God, the whole of Creation wept with a great weeping. By sacrificing Himself, however, a fresh capacity was infused into all created things. Its evidences, as witnessed in all the peoples of the earth, are now manifest before thee. The deepest wisdom which the sages have uttered, the profoundest learning which the sages have uttered, the profoundest learning which any mind hath unfolded, the arts which the ablest hands have produced, the influence exerted by the most potent of rulers, are but manifestations of the quickening power released by His transcendent, His all-pervasive, and resplendent spirit...He it is who purified the world. Bless the man who, with a face beaming with light, hath turned towards Him." (Gleanings, 86)

Happy Easter, dear friends! To find out more, check out this fascinating article:

As Baha'is, we believe that the foundation of all the divine religions is one. Ever so often, we'll be putting up posts for our 'Changeless Faith Series', in which we look closer at some of the similarities between the divine religions, in an attempt to more fully understand what Baha'u'llah meant w...

03/25/2021

Naw-Ruz, which was celebrated last week, is the Baha'i new year, and a time of celebration and spiritual renewal. Looking for a way to dive deeper and make some positive spiritual steps this year? Check out the reflections and questions in this beautiful article!

As I join Baha'is around the world in celebrating the Baha'i New Year known as Naw-Ruz, the last month of the Baha'i Calendar just before Naw-Ruz is the fasting period for Baha'is, and it was a perfect time for me to reflect on, and plan, what goals I want to set myself for the new year. As we are e...

03/01/2021

We hope you can take a moment today to enjoy this beautiful Prayer for Mankind! Sending much love to all!

HD videos accompany this Baha'i prayer for the oneness of mankind, revealed by Abdu'l Bahá, which begins "Thou hast created all humanity from the same stock....

02/25/2021

Happy Ayyam-i-Ha! Wishing you and yours days filled with service, joy, and friendship! What are your favorite Ayyam-i-Ha traditions, and how will you be celebrating this year? Let us know!

This is "Happy Ayyám-i-Há 2021!" by Office of the Treasurer on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

01/30/2021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHhbeRJudY4

This video was recommended by a community member, and it is an uplifting, gorgeous, inspiring illustration of the beauty of unity:

"So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth."

(Bahá’u’lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 14)

Let us work towards and celebrate unity in diversity today and every day!

We can find unity in our diversity ✊🏼 I am proud to partner IllumiNative and Mag 7 for the release of “We Are One,” a collaboration to show the richness, di...

01/06/2021

Looking for a timely and insightful topic to discuss with family and friends this week? How about watching this recent video from The Race Unity Project:

"In this short clip from “The Race Unity Project,” Michael shares how reading the Baha'i writings and reflecting on what he’s learned from his Native American ancestors influenced his understanding of the power of language. " (bahaiteachings.org)

https://bahaiteachings.org/learning-new-ways-talk-about-racism/

Watch Michael discuss what kind of language he believes helps us avoid inflicting more harm on ourselves and others.

01/06/2021

Come and join us for our next community discussion, this Sunday, January 10th at 7 pm: Caste, Racism and the Oneness of Humanity. This week's topic is an overview and discussion of the book "Caste: The Origins of our Discontents" by Isabel Wilkerson. But don't worry- you don't need to have read the book! The discussion will explore the themes of "Caste" through a Baha'i lens as well as how it applies to our community. All are welcome and encouraged to attend and participate!

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fus02web.zoom.us%2Fj%2F4699809702%3Fpwd%3DbzhsdCt6b2pnQkZzb3loeXlZQVdkdz09%26fbclid%3DIwAR2gY-05O3YDeOPqWUYmX_gXHGE9iW6VIYNv4Ze7--SL5d_GxyCgav0ZTLc&h=AT3idkqZul4BH6Fq0hkxGsbwAYi_-JyvAgJG_W4CXsTLw8InsS3VzHhWo5M-piHxUmyb2qW5nyxg1k1vvxTNRIYnEq3LyQLoMu8tfBYk3vUxAkVT_IOEp2aIgVNDLcZIv1kzKcZhtA

P.S. Our community discussions take place biweekly, and cover a variety of topics of interest to the whole community. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate! If there is a topic that you would like to explore, please reach out and let us know!

12/10/2020

Looking for some inspiration to brighten your day and spur meaningful conversation? Check out this amazing video about the English Corner program in Chicago! This video is part of the "A Rich Tapestry" video series, "a video storytelling collection that expresses and illustrates how love is being translated into action to address questions of race and culture in the United States". Be sure to share with family and friends to keep the conversation rolling!

https://www.bahai.us/learning-friendships-learning-english/

Interested in learning more about language? Join us for our Community discussion this weekend: "Language in Our Community: Dispelling the Myths that Divide Us". Hope to see you there!

A program called “The English Corner” grew out of conversations among friends in Vancouver, Canada, on how they could help their community. They realized that immigrants attending the local university needed help integrating into community life and practicing English. They designed a program foc...