Board of Directors

photo © Audra Melton

Shakeela Z. Hassan MD, founder of Harran Productions Foundation, is a University of Chicago Professor Emeritus of Anesthesiology and Critical Care. She has made a life long commitment to promoting peaceful coexistence and understanding among different faith communities. In 1999, Hassan left her work and position at the University of Chicago hospitals and turned to documentary films as a catalyst for unity and interfaith understanding. Her grassroots fundraising effort for the PBS documentary, “Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet,” made possible its national PBS Broadcast in 2002. She was co-executive producer of “Ties That Bind,” which aired on WTTW in 2004. She is active in Chicago’s Islamic Foundation and serves on the boards of International Human Rights Law Institute, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago Theological Seminary, Lutheran School of Theology, and Lake Institute of Faith and Giving of the Indiana University Institute of Philanthropy, Hands of Peace, amongst others.

Romana Manzoor graduated from Salve Regina University in May 2007 with degrees in Socio-cultural Anthropology, Modern European History, and a concentration in Cultural & Historic Preservation. She recently graduated from the Catholic Theological Union in May 2010, achieving a Masters of Theology with a concentration in Inter-religious Dialogue. Presently, she works at the American Islamic College in Chicago as the school’s Interfaith Relations Coordinator. In February 2011, Romana organized the fourth Sounds of Faith concert, and the first to be hosted at a Muslim institution.

Experience with Harran and Sounds of Faith Reflections:
My first experience of Sounds of Faith was in 2009 at the beautiful Rockefeller Memorial Chapel in Chicago. On the refreshingly crisp November evening, over 1,000 people of diverse faith traditions, cultural backgrounds, ages, families, friends, neighbors, students, and professionals, filled every space next to one another in this non-denominational Christian prayer space. I was filled with something more powerful at that moment. It was a sense of unity, which brought a sensational feeling of hope and love. It was a glimpse of peace and what it means to be “One Under God.” This gathering was for God. The Sounds of Faith project transcends the mind’s working of interfaith and peace work and melts out of the heart a love that has no religion, ethnicity, race, class, or age—a love that washes over everyone present in the presence of God: For to love the Creator is to love Her Creation.

Then there was a sense of awe that ALL of these prayers, from our respective faith traditions, the diversity in the ways we worshipped, all have a similar aim, which is to give thanks and praise to God. The faces of those who offered their prayers in front of the gathering that night revealed such an expression—as they closed their eyes in moments of worship and their words of praise they sung, chanted, or recited resonated in their hearts, those observing closed their eyes in unison as the sound and rhythm broke through barriers and penetrated the hearts of all listening—for this was prayer. The sound of the words alone, though not always in English, traveled beyond trying to understand and instead created a presence of meditation in melody. Breathing was deepened. Bodies swayed at times in contemplation and at other times they danced in rhythm as the sounds heard from the Jewish cantors, Muslim reciters, and Christian choirs created movement in prayer.

It is for these reasons that I was inspired to have a version of the Sounds of Faith at the American Islamic College. Folks who had heard of the Sounds of Faith-Chicago were happy to receive another opportunity to witness this beautiful project and experience the sound paradigm. With Dr. Hassan’s timeless guidance and the help of the dedicated Harran team, we were able to provide the Chicago community once again, the Sounds of Faith. It was incredibly lovely to see the Bosnian Muslim moms clap, sway, and cheer on in praise to the St. Ailbe’s Kid’s Gospel Choir. A member of the audience reported having been in tears to see diverse traditions participate on stage together for it was a witness and testament of God’s Greatness. It’s comments like these that reveal the true importance of the Sounds of Faith for peacemaking, compassion, and healing as Dr. Hassan has envisioned. These sacred sounds build bridges of understanding. What a wonderful way to celebrate diversity and share the commonalities in unity! Thank you Dr. Hassan and the Harran Productions Foundation for providing a beautiful paradigm for human cooperation, understanding, and healing.

Lenore Mass is a cello instructor and member of the Symphony of Oak Park & River Forest (since 1995). Her volunteer work includes:

• First Vice Chair, Central District Council, Union for Reform Judaism
• North American Board member, Union for Reform Judaism
• National Board, Association of Reform Zionists of America
• Executive Committee, North American Council, World Union for Progressive Judaism
• International Assembly member, World Union for Progressive Judaism
• Board Member, Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute Camp
• Past President, KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation

Rabbi Michael R. Zedek is Senior Rabbi at Emanuel Congregation in Chicago. Previously he was the chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati (JFC). During his tenure, the Federation received national awards for innovative fundraising and programming. Prior to his service at the JFC, Rabbi Zedek was the senior Rabbi of Temple B’nai Jehudah in Kansas City, Missouri where he served for many years. A dedicated community activist, scholar and teacher, he received numerous awards including a Fulbright-Hays Grant. He was also named a National Conference of Christian and Jews community honoree. He has been a key adviser, program participant as shofar blower, and panelist for several Sounds of Faith events.