The Interfaith Alliance of the Bluegrass - TIABG

06/15/2026

Check this out!

Please join the Center for American Progress, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Interfaith Alliance, and the American Humanist Association in Washington, D.C., for the launch of our new report, “Religious Liberty For All: Celebrating This Founding Freedom at America 250.”

05/19/2026

We wish to express our deep sorrow over the tragic shooting at the San Diego Islamic Center. We send our prayers and condolences to the families and friends of the victims. We declare solidarity with those being targeted for their faith, and will stand up for their right to practice their religion without fear of violence.

This senseless hate must stop.

05/19/2026

04/30/2026

The Interfaith Alliance of the Bluegrass acknowledges with sorrow the passing this week of two men, pillars of the community, who led the way in fighting discrimination and injustice, with exceptional courage and determination.

Mr. Jesse Crenshaw, Esq., former State Representative for Lexington, KY and the first Black assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District, among many accomplishments, passed away on April 27, 2026.

Mr. Porter P.G. Peeples, former Director of the Urban League in Lexington, as well as member of the board of directors of the Kentucky Housing Corporation, passed away on April 29, 2026.

Both men devoted their lives to uplifting others through their own hard work and generously mentoring others.

We echo the thoughts of TIABG supporter, and President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Beta Lambda Chapter, Rev. Dr. D. Anthony Everett:

"On behalf of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Beta Lambda Chapter of Lexington, Kentucky, I express our organization's deepest condolences to the families of both men and the citizens of Lexington and the surrounding area on these monumental losses of great men with impeccable character to our community.

It does not escape us that these losses come on the eve of the United States Supreme Court’s deliberately disastrous and draconian judicial decisions to rule in favor of further dismantling the 1965 Voting Rights Act, a measure that both men fought for, lived by, and that was necessary for them to carry out the great work they accomplished in this lifetime. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity is deeply disappointed in the decision (https://shorturl.at/XA6qj), yet we remain steadfast as advocates 'to restore the protections through the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, as well as other policies and practices that ensure every eligible voter’s voice is heard' as we work alongside like-minded organizations and citizens 'to develop strategies to end partisan gerrymandering.' This is the mantle which we believe both Mr. Peeples and Brother Representative Crenshaw would have us carry forward. We stand convicted to this fight for justice, as they have both demonstrated in their lives."

We offer our condolences to the families of Mr. Peeples and Mr. Crenshaw, and we reaffirm our commitment to the cause of justice, holding their memory as inspiration.

04/30/2026

There are children hungry in Lexington, and the program which feeds them in school cannot keep up.

From TIABG President, Rabbi David Wirtschafter:

"Where there is no bread there is no learning." Sayings of the Ancestors

Our sages understood what Maslow would centuries later call the hierarchy of needs. Hungry people are going to have a difficult time learning. Every study shows that hungry kids have trouble with self-regulation and attaining knowledge. This is why we cannot ignore the shortfall in feeding our public-school students.

You may have seen the recent piece in the Herald-Leader about a $1.5 million shortfall in funding for students requiring free or reduced breakfast and lunch at FCPS. (The amount may have changed since the article was published.)

In consultation with Lisa Adkins at Blue Grass Foundation and Alan Stein, former Chairman of the Fayette Education Foundation, I would like to suggest two entities we can donate to towards the goal of alleviating the situation.

Please consider a contribution to

Fayette Education Foundation
P.O. Box 910951
Lexington, KY 40591-0951

Please write: "Attention Funding Gap Free and Reduced Lunch" in the memo.

Or donors can click the "DONATE" button at the top of the homepage fayettefoundation.org or go directly to fayettefoundation.org/giving

Select "FILL the GAP: Free and Reduced Lunch for FCPS students" - it is third on the dropdown menu under "My donation is for..."

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The second effort (rather than directly closing the current gap) is focused on paying off the debt of students who are unable to receive reduced lunch so that they can become eligible again.

Dahlhus Fund
Blue Grass Community Foundation
499 East High Street
Suite 112
Lexington, KY 40507

or
https://bgcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=10174

As we say at the beginning of our Passover seder "Let all who are hungry come and eat."

Straight From The Heart,

Rabbi David Wirtschafter

DONATE With your generosity, The Fayette Education Foundation helps realize the promise of an equitable and excellent public education, provides exciting opportunities across the district and empowers our students, educators and communities to thrive. More than 9,500 Fayette County Public Schools st...

04/29/2026

Inspiring

Islam's survival was an interfaith project, writes Iqbal Akhtar, Florida International University professor and member of the Interfaith Leadership Network.

Read the full essay here ➡️ https://www.interfaithalliance.org/post/the-islamic-tradition-of-building-interfaith-alliances-for-immigrants

04/29/2026

Interfaith Alliance has a new PSA, asking our country to Choose Love not ICE
https://lovenotice.org