Can you believe we’ll be ringing in 2010 in less than a month? This year has flown by, and it’s been a busy one. As 2009 comes to a close, Interfaith Alliance is looking with anticipation to the year ahead – and reflecting with gratitude on the many things you’ve helped us accomplish this past year.

We’ve succeeded, after more than a decade of hard work, in seeing comprehensive hate crimes legislation signed into law. And we celebrate that victory as we gear up for a similar clash over employment non-discrimination legislation. We’ve taken our Weekend LEADD program to the nation’s heartland this year. And next year we’ll push further west and north, educating high school students about the diversity and freedoms that are so crucial to our nation. We’ve lost our Honorary Chairman, Walter Cronkite, whom we continue to mourn. But our celebration of his life in New York this fall was filled with such dedication to fulfilling his legacy that it gives me renewed hope for the future of our religious freedom.

In this, our last e-newsletter of 2009, you’ll find photographs and video clips of our work from this year and articles that look to what lies ahead. And you’ll see that we want your input on how we’re doing. Let us know what you think! And enjoy.

Whether or not we were lucky enough to have you with us at The Roosevelt Hotel on November 3^rd, we're pleased to be able to share our photo album from the 12^th Annual Walter Cronkite Faith and Freedom Award Gala with you.

12th Annual Walter Cronkite Faith & Freedom Award Gala - Nov. 2009

Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to the Interfaith Alliance Foundation in honor of Mr. Cronkite.

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At the end of October, Interfaith Alliance was part of a great victory for the character of our nation and our collective safety as Americans as we witnessed President Obama sign the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act into law.  The Act provides law enforcement with additional resources to prevent hate crimes, bring their perpetrators to justice and better protect groups of Americans who are too often the targets of violence simply for being themselves.

Earlier this year, Interfaith Alliance of Colorado (TIA-CO) was recognized by the Colorado General Assembly for their work in promoting and leading interfaith dialogue in the state.  In mid-November, I received an invitation to join the final session of their 2009 Interfaith Dialogue Series, “Sustainability and Faith,” and drove to Denver to find out what they were all about.

Jerry Davidoff was an original LEADD (Leadership Education Advancing Democracy & Diversity) faculty member, counselor and one of its best cheerleaders.

Jerry, a stalwart supporter of Interfaith Alliance and husband of LEADD founder and former Interfaith Alliance Board President Denny Davidoff, died November 7th in Westport, CT. 

As 2009 draws to a close, we’re asking listeners to tell us their favorite moments from State of Belief this year.  We've had memorable conversations with Bishop Gene Robinson and Bishop Janes Holmes Dixon, author Karen Armstrong, activist Asra Nomani and Comic Book Rabbi Simcha Weinstein, to name just a few.  Need some help remembering? Go to the show archives and revisit some of our past shows. Then tell us what moments stood out for you.  We’ll be sharing your responses in our final program of 2009 and we want to hear from you!

How can I make my year-end gift count?
Year-end gifts are very important to many of our donors, but wading through all the options out there can be both time-consuming and confusing. Donors often set out to make a meaningful gift to an organization they care about, only to end up throwing up their hands in frustration with the red tape. With that in mind, we’ve tried to paint a clear picture of some of the most common ways to make a year-end gift.

On Tuesday, November 17, 2009, Rev. Gaddy spoke at Interfaith Alliance of Idaho’s 11th annual gathering.  His presentation to the group: The Crisis No One Talks About looked at how we are dealing with a religious pluralism that our founders could only imagine.  He recalled that the Idaho Affiliate was one of the first he visited after he became Interfaith Alliance President and how he was advised that the Moral Majority was considered a “moderate” group in Idaho.  With discussions on marriage equality, hate crimes prevention legislation and our LEADD program for youth, much has changed, in the country and in Idaho, since Welton’s first visit more than a decade ago.  But, as Pam Baldwin, the Idaho Affiliate’s director, told Welton, there is still much to do!

You can listen to Welton’s presentation here.