Location: Pacifica Institute, San Jose, 1257 Tasman Dr. Unit B&C, Sunnyvale, CA 94089 
RSVP Required. FREE Admission
Tag Archives: Pacifica Institute
SiVIC Leaders Forum: Freedom of Religion
Freedom of Religion – under attack throughout the world and even in the United States
Religious Freedom has been under attack all around the world and even here at home. For our first Leaders Forum of 2017, SiVIC will hold a panel discussion on the importance of freedom of religion for a democracy to exist and thrive and for an economy to thrive, and how we can foster freedom of religion within our faith groups. We will then open the discussion to all attendees.
Panel:
- Moderator, Garth Pickett, SiVIC board member
- Pat Mack, multistate public affairs co-director, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
- Randy Mack, multistate public affairs co-director, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
- Mahmut Altun, SiVIC executive board member, Pacifica Institute, Sunnyvale, CA.
Lunch: bring your own sack lunch but bottled water and light refreshments will be provided.
The church is located at the corner of freeway 680 and Scott Creek Road exit going east. Park in the south parking lot, closest to Scott Creek Road. Enter the door on the right within the entrance patio. The SiVIC sign will be on the door and directional signs will be in the building to direct to the meeting room.
SiVIC letter to Pacifica Institute
Pacifica Institute and the Hizmet Movement
June 15, 2016
We have been fortunate in the San Francisco Bay Area to work cooperatively with the Pacifica Institute, a local organization that is inspired by the Hizmet movement and the teachings of Fethulla Gulen. Hizmet, meaning “Service,” is a world-wide faith-based movement, and has inspired hundreds of local groups dedicated to education, multicultural relationship-building, and compassionate relief efforts.
Through Pacifica’s regular dinners that bring together people from across the religious spectrum to learn from each other and distinguished speakers, their community multicultural events like the Children’s Festival held in San Francisco and San Jose, and shared service projects to the poor and homeless, we have developed deep and lasting connections and appreciation for one another across religious and cultural divides.
Some local religious and educational leaders have also had the opportunity to travel to Turkey, not only to see the sights, but to meet and dialogue with people there and gain a deeper appreciation of the country and its people.
In the South Bay, the Pacifica Institute was one of the founding organizations of the Silicon Valley Interreligious Council. They have continued as staunch supporters of our shared work, and we have together sponsored many interreligious events.
It is particularly astonishing to hear that in Turkey, President Erdoğan’s government has sought to defame Hizmet and restrict its activities. It is not our purpose to comment on Turkish policy. However, in our experience, members of the movement have been deeply committed precisely to the things that counter terrorism—open conversation, shared service, education, and multicultural and interreligious understanding.
We appreciate the relationships we have built with the members of Pacifica Institute, and look forward to future cooperative efforts to build a more just and compassionate society for all in Silicon Valley.
Executive Committee, Silicon Valley Interreligious Council
Rev. D. Andrew Kille, Chair
Ramadan Iftars
The Holy month of Ramadan, which is starting on June 18th this year, is a very special time for Muslims. During this 29 – 30 day period, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk after which time the fast is broken with a feast called ‘Iftar’.
We have set aside a few nights that month to share Ramadan with our special friends and were hoping you and your family, colleagues and their families from your office could join us for Iftar at Pacifica Institute, 1257 Tasman Drive, Suite B, Sunnyvale.
Dinner is served at sunset which is around 8:30 PM during the summer. The dates we’ve chosen are:
- Tuesday, June 23rd
- Tuesday, June 30th
- Tuesday, July 7th
- Tuesday, July 14th
Please let us know as soon as possible which of these dates works best and how many people will be joining us. Please RSVP at: http://pacificasv.org/rsvp
Ramadan Iftars
The Holy month of Ramadan, which is starting on June 18th this year, is a very special time for Muslims. During this 29 – 30 day period, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk after which time the fast is broken with a feast called ‘Iftar’.
We have set aside a few nights that month to share Ramadan with our special friends and were hoping you and your family, colleagues and their families from your office could join us for Iftar at Pacifica Institute, 1257 Tasman Drive, Suite B, Sunnyvale.
Dinner is served at sunset which is around 8:30 PM during the summer. The dates we’ve chosen are:
- Tuesday, June 23rd
- Tuesday, June 30th
- Tuesday, July 7th
- Tuesday, July 14th
Please let us know as soon as possible which of these dates works best and how many people will be joining us. Please RSVP at: http://pacificasv.org/rsvp
Community Appreciation Dinner
We will have Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith as our guest for a community appreciation dinner.
Smith began her career at the Sheriff’s Office in 1973, working as a Matron (the former title for a female Sheriff’s Deputy) at the Santa Clara County Jail until 1976. She then became one of the first female permanent undercover vice cops. In 1990, Sheriff Chuck Gillingham promoted her to Assistant Sheriff.
Smith was elected Sheriff of Santa Clara County on November 3, 1998 by a substantial margin and took office on December 15, 1998, becoming the first female sheriff in California.
Smith has a Bachelor’s Degree in Administration of Justice from San Jose State University and a Master’s Degree in Business Management from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She is a graduate of the California Command College and of the FBI Academy and National Executive Institute.
Sheriff Smith has received numerous citations and awards for her public service and has an outstanding record in the California Law Enforcement community. She is a Past President of the California State Sheriff’s Association and has been named Woman of the Year by the California State Assembly.
Free of charge; dinner will be served. PLEASE RSVP to pacifica.org/rsvp
Human Trafficking: Cindy Chavez
County Supervisor Cindy Chavez hit the ground running as soon as she was elected in July 2013. She immediately initiated efforts to:
- Improve county government transparency by regulating lobbyists
- Combating the scourge of human trafficking with a commission she co-chairs with the Sheriff and District Attorney
- Improving public transportation.
Her public service career has been about putting people and their neighborhoods first, making lives better through innovative, visionary and thoughtful policies. She represents Central, South and East San Jose, a district that is a microcosm of the ethnic and economic diversity of Santa Clara County. She chairs the Board’s Children, families and Seniors Committee and serves on the Public Safety and Justice Committee.
Before election to the Board of Supervisors, she led the nonprofit social justice organization Working Partnerships USA, which led the community campaign to raise San Jose’s minimum wage.
During her two terms on the San Jose City Council – including two years as Vice Mayor – she helped win City funding for the Children’s Health Initiative, which made our county the first in the nation to ensure health coverage to virtually every child who lives here.
Cindy lives in downtown San Jose with her husband and son.
Dinner will be served. Please RSVP to pacificasv.org/rsvp/
Ashure Night
We dream a ship. On this ship people of the globe live in harmony with one another. As a cup of Noah’s pudding, each nation embraces the other. We dream a ship. On this ship, everyone will be able to keep and retain their own identity, culture, faith, heritage, richness, and taste.
Pacifica Institute cordially invites you to share the Noah’s pudding contest with us.
Download a flyer: ashure2015
Dinner will be served. Please RSVP to http://www.pacificasv.org/rsvp
Tolerance, Respect & Pluralism
SiVIC Board Chair Rev. D. Andrew Kille spoke at the Pacifica Institute on March 4, 2015. The title of his talk was “Tolerance, Respect, and Pluralism: Changing Relationships in a “Multi-“ World.” The full text of his presentation, including the “Dialogue Decalogue” developed by Leondard Swidler, is available on the Pacifica Institute website.
Pacifica Institute Speaker Series: Lt. Ryan Lin- Crime Prevention Tips
Lieutenant Ryan Lin is the supervisor of the Crime Prevention Unit for the City of Sunnyvale. He has been with the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety since 2002. During his time as an officer, he has served in Police, Fire, Traffic Enforcement, and as a Detective in Investigations before he was promoted in 2010 to his current position in the Crime Prevention Unit.
Free admission; lunch will be served. RSVP to pacificasv.org/rsvp