On Friday September 10th, my fiend Jason Maloy and I began our road trip to Arkansas to visit Little Rock (where I enjoyed a visit to President Clinton's Library). We then traveled on to Fayetteville Arkansas for the second annual Gala Benefit & Silent Auction benefiting The Building--A Dream Capital Campaign Fund for TEMPLE SHALOM of Northwest Arkansas held at Fayetteville's UNITED METODODIST CHURCH. The Jewish Community has been using the local Unitarian Church as their home and their dream of building a permanent home is becoming a reality due to Fadil Bayyari's tremendous act of generosity. Bayyari Construction services are being donated at cost to the project and Mr. Bayyari, himself, is donating his services as general contractor. NEVER BEFORE IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY HAVE CHRISTIAN ARCHITECTS DESIGNED A JEWISH TEMPLE THAT IS BEING BUILT BY A MUSLIM CONTRACTOR.
Glenn Shadix & Jason Maloy
This building partnership has also had the added benefit of creating a vision of understanding and respect for all viewpoints. Temple Shalom has established a FAITH TO FAITH Initiative that will provide people of all religions, ethnicities and cultures a safe forum in which to share and learn from each other.
To inquire about making a tax-deductible donation to the BUILDING OF A DREAM CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FUND please contact: Barry Brown, Capital Campaign Chairman at (479) 871-1457 (cell) or at his home: (479)750-4004 or email at
bbrown@uark.eduBarry gave me a personal tour of the Temple, now under construction and I was treated as an honored guest during my time in Arkansas. A highlight was a beautiful poem read by Mohja Kahf at the Gala benefit Sunday evening. What a wonderful example for all communities of Faith. It was certainly worth the 16 hours I spent in my car on the way up and then back to Birmingham!
Glenn,
This looks great! Thanks