Upcoming Events
and Holidays
See an interfaith program missing below? Submit your event here and we’ll look at adding it to our calendar!
Durga Puja
Durga Puja is a major multi-day Hindu festival celebrated each autumn. It commemorates the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil. The festival is marked by elaborate temporary shrines (pandals), intricately crafted clay images of the goddess, cultural performances, devotional worship, and festive community gatherings.
5th Annual CompassionCon
Compassionate Atlanta invites you to the fifth annual CompassionCon!
Step into the CompassionCon Landscape, 15 unique neighborhoods that together form a vibrant, interconnected ecosystem where compassion is at the heart of education, collaboration, and civic engagement.
Each neighborhood represents an essential part of a thriving community, highlighting the positive Social Determinants of Health that support equity, well-being, and resilience.
Discover how compassion is woven into systems that impact daily life. See examples of community-based solutions that strengthen connections and improve quality of life. Learn practical ways to be an engaged, civic-minded neighbor who contributes to collective well-being.
At CompassionCon, we celebrate the power of compassion to build stronger, healthier, and more resilient citizens and communities, because when compassion thrives, everyone benefits.
To learn more please visit: https://compassioncon.org/.
International Festival of Language & Culture Presents: Symphony of the Earth
Symphony of the Earth brings talented young singers, dancers, and instrumentalists from more than 20 countries together to share the music, rhythms, and artistic traditions of their cultures.
Each performance carries the unique spirit of a different culture, while the entire production brings these diverse traditions together through music, dance, and choreography.
What begins as individual voices and rhythms becomes one shared artistic experience—a celebration of diversity, connection, and the beauty of our common humanity. Through the universal language of music and the energy of young performers, Symphony of the Earth invites audiences to experience the many colors and sounds of our world on one stage.
To learn more and buy tickets please visit: https://www.sandyspringspac.com/events/detail/symphony-of-the-earth.
Interfaith Atlanta Youth: Faith in Public Life Panel Discussion
Interfaith Atlanta Youth invites you to their upcoming event: Faith in Public Life. This event is a two-part series exploring how our diverse faiths shape how we show up in the world.
The first part will be on October 18th on Zoom from 2:00 - 3:00 pm on Zoom. The Zoom panel will feature individuals from five different religious background, sharing how their faith shows up in their lives (Zoom link to be emailed upon registration).
The second part will be on October 25th, from 3:00 - 5:00 pm at Christ the King School (46 Peachtree Way NE, Atlanta, GA 30305) in response to / conversation with the Zoom panel. Refreshments will be provided!
For those who cannot attend the Zoom panel on October 18th, a recording will be provided. We hope to see you there!
Please register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeSCCXZJkiVDlIdLGbA_bIZqxtzn1ZoiWudbEJeNT0jcfDWzA/viewform.
Atlanta Jewish Film: Building Bridges - Dinner with a Dialogue
Share a meal, meet neighbors from across Atlanta, and bring your perspective to the table.
Through facilitated small-group conversations, we’ll explore questions of identity, trust, belonging, and how we connect across differences. Selected clips from All God’s Children will help start the conversation—you don’t need to have seen the film to participate.
The evening offers space to share experiences, hear different perspectives, and get to know one another. Come ready to listen, reflect, and stay curious. You don’t need to have all the answers or agree on everything.
To lean more and register please visit: https://ajff.org/buildingbridges.
Samhain
Samhain is a sacred festival observed by many Pagans, Wiccans, and Celtic spiritual traditions, typically from the evening of October 31 into November 1. It marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the darker half of the year, while also serving as a time to honor ancestors and remember those who have died. Many observe Samhain by lighting candles or bonfires, preparing seasonal meals, visiting gravesites, creating ancestor altars, and participating in rituals focused on remembrance, reflection, and renewal.
All Saints Day
All Saints Day is a Christian holy day honoring all saints who have attained heaven, both those officially recognized by name and the countless ordinary faithful who are not individually canonized. It's observed as a solemn feast in the Catholic Church and is also recognized by many other Christian communities, though customs vary by region and denomination. In many countries, including parts of Latin America, the Philippines, and Europe, it's marked by attending mass, visiting family graves, and cleaning or decorating them with flowers and candles, often blending with local cultural traditions of honoring ancestors.
All Souls Day
All Souls Day is dedicated to remembering and praying for all the faithful departed, especially souls believed to be undergoing purification in purgatory before entering heaven, according to Catholic theology. Traditions include attending special masses, lighting candles, and visiting cemeteries to tend graves and offer prayers on behalf of loved ones who have died. In some cultures, this observance overlaps with or runs alongside distinct local traditions honoring the dead—such as Día de los Muertos in Mexico—though these often carry their own separate customs, symbols, and history beyond the Catholic liturgical calendar.
Faith Exchange Day: Congregation B’nai Israel
Please join Interfaith Atlanta for a Faith Exchange Day at Congregation B’nai Israel (1633 GA-54, Jonesboro, GA 30238). Congregation B’nai Israel is a vibrant and welcoming Reform Jewish community in the South Side of Atlanta, serving Fayette County and nine surrounding counties. It’s a warm, inclusive space where religion, tradition, and Jewish identity are deeply connected. We will be joining them for a Saturday morning Shabbat service with a time before and after to discuss and reflect.
Diwali
Diwali, widely regarded as the most beloved Hindu festival, is also called the Festival of Lights. It honors Goddess Kali in Bengal, while in other parts of India it's devoted to Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth. Like many other Hindu festivals, Diwali connects to a tale of Vishnu defeating evil in one of his numerous incarnations. Within Jainism, the celebration—referred to as Mahavira Nirvana—marks Lord Mahavira's attainment of Moksa. The lit lamp represents the light of wisdom overcoming the darkness of ignorance and delusion.
Birth of the Báb
Birth of the Báb commemorates the 1819 birth of Siyyid `Alí-Muhammad, known as the Báb, who declared himself a divine messenger in 1844 and is regarded by Bahá'ís as a forerunner to Bahá'u'lláh, similar to the role of a prophet heralding a new revelation. The Báb's own teachings and the religion he founded, Bábism, are seen by Bahá'ís as a preparation for the coming of Bahá'u'lláh. This holy day is one of several "Twin Birthdays" in the Bahá'í Faith and is typically marked with prayer gatherings, devotional readings, and celebration, often falling on consecutive days with the Birth of Bahá'u'lláh.
Birth of Bahá'u'lláh
Birth of Bahá'u'lláh commemorates the 1817 birth of Mírzá Husayn-`Alí Núrí, known as Bahá'u'lláh ("Glory of God"), the founder and central prophetic figure of the Bahá'í Faith, who Bahá'ís believe was the most recent in a line of divine messengers that includes Moses, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad. Bahá'ís regard him as having brought teachings emphasizing the unity of humanity, religion, and science for this age. Observed alongside the Birth of the Báb as one of the Twin Birthdays, this holy day involves gatherings for prayer, reflection on Bahá'u'lláh's writings, and communal celebration, and work is typically suspended for Bahá'ís observing the holiday.
Nativity Fast
The Nativity Fast is a 40-day period of spiritual preparation observed by Orthodox Christians leading up to the celebration of Christ's birth, typically beginning on November 15th and continuing through December 24th on the traditional calendar (dates vary for churches using different calendars). During this time, practitioners abstain from from meat, dairy, and other rich foods and practice increased prayer, almsgiving, and attendance at church services, as a way of cultivating humility and readiness to receive Christ. The fast is approached with quiet joy and anticipation, culminating in the Feast of the Nativity, where the fast is broken in celebration of the Incarnation of Christ.
Guru Nanak Jayanti
Guru Nanak Jayanti is one of the most sacred days in Sikhism, celebrating the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of the Sikh faith and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. Observances typically include Akhand Path (a continuous 48-hour reading of the Guru Granth Sahib), Nagar Kirtan processions with hymn singing through the streets, and communal langar meals open to all regardless of background. The day honors Guru Nanak's core teachings of one universal God, equality of all people, honest living, and selfless service to humanity.
Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji
The Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji commemorates the ninth Sikh Guru, who was executed in 1675 in Delhi for defending the religious freedom of Kashmiri Pandits and refusing to convert to Islam under the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. His sacrifice is revered as a profound act of courage and selflessness, made not to protect his own faith but the right of others to practice theirs freely. Sikhs mark this day with solemn prayers, kirtan, and reflection at gurdwaras, honoring his legacy as a defender of religious liberty and human dignity for people of all faiths.
Day of the Covenant
Day of the Covenant is a Bahá'í holy day that commemorates Bahá'u'lláh's appointment of his eldest son, `Abdu'l-Bahá, as the authorized interpreter of his teachings and the Center of the Covenant after his passing. Bahá'ís view this covenant as central to preserving the unity of their faith, ensuring a clear and unbroken line of guidance rather than the fragmentation seen after the passing of leaders in some other religious traditions. The day is generally observed with joyful gatherings, prayers, and reflections on the importance of unity.
Ascension of Abdu'l-Bahá
Ascension of Abdu'l-Bahá is a Bahá'í holy day marking the 1921 passing of Abdu'l-Bahá, the eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh who served as the appointed successor and authorized interpreter of his father's teachings. Bahá'ís regard him as a model of humble service and selfless devotion, and he is remembered for expanding the Bahá'í Faith internationally and for his extensive writings and talks explaining Bahá'í principles to audiences worldwide, including during travels through Europe and North America. This day is typically observed with prayer gatherings and reflection rather than celebration.
Advent
Advent is a season in the Christian calendar that begins four Sundays before Christmas and marks a time of anticipation and preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ. It is observed with themes of hope, peace, joy, and love, often symbolized by the lighting of candles on an Advent wreath each week. Many Christians use this time for reflection, prayer, and acts of kindness as they await the celebration of Christmas.
Faith Exchange Day: Atlanta Soto Zen Center
Please join Interfaith Atlanta for a Faith Exchange Day at Atlanta Soto Zen Center (1167 Zonolite Pl NE, Suite C Atlanta, GA 30306). The Atlanta Soto Zen Center, founded in 1977, is one of the largest Zen centers in North America. We will be joining them for a Wednesday evening Introduction to Soto Zen Meditation.
Meet Spirit of the Galilee
Interfaith Atlanta and Congregation Or Hadash invite you to an evening with three faith leaders from the Galilee. Rabbi Leora, Father Saba, and Dr. Malik are a Jew, a Christian, and a Muslim. They live within 20 minutes of each other, yet their life experiences have been very different.
As leaders and members of Spirit of the Galilee, they create spaces where Jews and Arabs of different religions can meet and build friendships and partnerships. They believe these relationships can point the way toward lasting peace and a shared society. Join us to meet them, hear about their work, and learn what interfaith relationships can look like in one of the world’s most complex places.
About the Speakers
Rabbi Leora Ezrachi-Vered is the Director of Spirit of the Galilee. Born in Jerusalem and raised in the Israeli Reform Movement, she trained as an educator and led the Reform Youth Movement before her ordination at HUC-Jerusalem in 2017. She served as rabbi of Nigun Halev in the Jezreel Valley until 2024. She is a board member of Tag Meir and is active in Rabbis for Human Rights.
Father (Abuna) Saba Haj is the spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox Church in his hometown of Iblin. A lawyer by training, he comes from a family of clergy and interfaith activists, and he brings music and leadership to his work. He is co-director of Spirit of the Galilee’s interfaith leadership group.
Dr. Malik Hujeriat was born in the Bedouin village of Bir Al-Maksur, where he now serves as principal of the middle school. He is an educator, poet, and scholar of Islam. He has published several books of poetry and leads writing retreats.
Winter Lights 2026
Interfaith Atlanta welcomes you to our annual Winter Lights Program, an interfaith celebration of the many ways faith communities understand and celebrate light. Join us for an evening of fellowship, art, and learning, followed by an opportunity to connect with local interfaith organizations. We look forward to celebrating the season with you as we gather in the spirit of light, hope, and community.
We will be collecting food donations during the event this year for Emory’s Eagle Food Pantry, a food bank for students and families of students suffering food insecurity. Please bring any canned or other non-perishable food items to be collected on the night of the event.
The event will be held at Emory University’s Canon Chapel, 515 South Kilgo Cir NE, Atlanta, GA 30322 on December 12th from 4-6 pm. Register below!
To see highlights from last year click here!
The Installation of Granth Sahib Ji
The Installation of Granth Sahib Ji commemorates when the Granth Sahib Ji became the eternal Guru and supreme spiritual authority of Sikhism. This day marks the moment when the line of human Gurus came to an end and spiritual guidance was entrusted to the sacred scripture, which is revered as the living Guru. Many Sikhs celebrate by gathering at gurdwaras for prayer services, devotional singing (kirtan), readings from the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, and community meals.
Interfaith Atlanta Youth: Faith in Public Life Panel
Interfaith Atlanta Youth invites you to their upcoming event: Faith in Public Life. This event is a two-part series exploring how our diverse faiths shape how we show up in the world.
The first part will be on October 18th on Zoom from 2:00 - 3:00 pm on Zoom. The Zoom panel will feature individuals from five different religious background, sharing how their faith shows up in their lives (Zoom link to be emailed upon registration).
The second part will be on October 25th, from 3:00 - 5:00 pm at Christ the King School (46 Peachtree Way NE, Atlanta, GA 30305) in response to / conversation with the Zoom panel. Refreshments will be provided!
For those who cannot attend the Zoom panel on October 18th, a recording will be provided. We hope to see you there!
Please register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeSCCXZJkiVDlIdLGbA_bIZqxtzn1ZoiWudbEJeNT0jcfDWzA/viewform.
Faith Exchange Day: Atlanta Friends Meeting
Please join Interfaith Atlanta for the first Faith Exchange Day at the Atlanta Friends Meeting (701 W Howard Ave, Decatur, GA 30030). The Atlanta Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends is an unprogrammed, non-pastoral Quaker meeting, gathered in the belief that every person has the capacity to know the will of the Divine directly, in continuing revelation, requiring neither a specific liturgy nor the interpretation of an intermediary. We will be joining them for their weekly Sunday service with a time before and after to discuss and reflect.
FUSD Poll Chaplain/Peacekeeper Training
Faiths United to Save Democracy is inviting interfaith and multicultural faith and civic leaders to join us in this important campaign to protect vulnerable voters. If you are interested please attend of the training meetings to be prepared for the role. Attending at least one training is required to serve.
To learn more and register please visit: https://www.turnoutsunday.com/poll-chaplain.
On Common Ground Session 3
This Summer and Fall, Commissioner Michelle Long Spears invites you to step into the spaces where compassion lives. This Interfaith Community Series on Homelessness brings together residents of DeKalb County District 2 for three intimate gatherings at sacred spaces across our community, where faith leaders are already doing the daily work of caring for our unhoused neighbors.
You will hear how communities are responding and add your voice to conversations that have the power to shape outcomes and form solutions to this most pressing need. This is civic engagement as an act of love, and your presence matters.
Space is limited. Come ready to listen, to learn, and to be changed.
To register please visit: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/on-common-ground.
Gahambar Ayathrem
Gahambar Ayathrem is one of six sacred seasonal festivals (Gahambars) in Zoroastrianism. Celebrated for five days, it symbolizes the creation of plants and marks the ancient agricultural tradition of bringing herds back from pasture and preparing for winter.
Navaratri
Navaratri (derived from Sanskrit, meaning "nine nights") is a major Hindu festival dedicated to the worship of the Goddess Durga. Spanning nine days and ten nights, it celebrates the triumph of good over evil and culminates on the tenth day with Vijayadashami (or Dussehra). Celebrations include honoring the nine forms of the Goddess over the course of nine days through worship, decorative displays, recitations of sacred legends, dramatic reenactments, and the chanting of Hindu scriptures.
The Arts as Divine Inspiration (Free Event)
Whether it’s a piece of fine art or the work of a craftsperson or an artisan, where does the inspiration to make art, to create, come from? Is art solely a product of the material world, or is it sometimes also somehow connected to something greater than us, to a higher power, able not only to entertain us, but to drive us to be better?
Art has a unique ability to inspire and uplift us, to teach us and help us understand the world around us, to help us heal and bring us together. But what is it – and who gets to make it? Is it solely the domain of a select few, or is the ability to create, to inspire, to bring beauty and healing to this world something that we all have the ability to do?
The word “inspiration” comes from the Latin word inspirare meaning “to breathe into,” or even to give life to. Though understood in many different ways and called by different names, as the first maker, the first creator, is that not what God has done with us? And if we are, as some believe, created in God’s image, then are we not also creators who can do the same – or at least have the capacity to be? Is this another spiritual quality for us to develop and reflect in this world? By not recognizing and developing this capacity, are we neglecting an entire part of ourselves, a part that connects us to each other and to something greater than ourselves? Viewed in this light, how might the arts contribute to our material and spiritual progress, as individuals and as a society?
Come join a different kind of conversation – one that welcomes every perspective in a search for the truths that unite us all – as we discuss the spiritual perspective offered by the Bahá’í Teachings on the spiritual nature of art and creation. Join us for a lively discussion as we explore the powerful role the arts can play in the spiritual and social progress of us as individuals and as communities.
“Arts, crafts and sciences uplift the world of being, and are conducive to its exaltation.” – Bahá’í Teachings
To learn more and reserve your spot to let them know you’re coming, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-arts-as-divine-inspiration-free-event-tickets-1999127781008.
Sisters United in Human Service 2026 Health Conference
Four days bringing people of different faiths, cultures, and backgrounds together to explore illness prevention, chronic stress, practical care, and stronger community support.
Health challenges do not affect individuals alone. Chronic stress, illness, limited access to care, and a lack of dependable support can touch entire families.
The 29th Interfaith Health & Human Service Conference creates a welcoming space for neighbors, practitioners, service organizations, and faith communities to learn from one another and turn useful information into action.
Across the weekend faith and community partners will gather for worship, reflection, health education, practical resources, and service. Our unique perspectives are part of the conversation. Our shared commitment to dignity, compassion, and well-being is what brings us together.
To learn more and to register please visit: https://www.sistersunited.org/ihhsc2026.
Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah is a Jewish holiday that marks the completion of the annual cycle of reading the Torah and immediately begins the new cycle. It is celebrated in the fall (usually October) with singing, dancing, and parading with the Torah scrolls in the synagogue.
Shemini Atzeret
Shemini Atzeret is a Jewish holiday that follows Sukkot, offering a time for rest, gratitude, and deeper spiritual connection at the close of the festival season. Many Jewish communities observe the day with special prayers, including prayers for rain, and in some traditions outside Israel, it is celebrated together with Simchat Torah, a joyful celebration of the annual Torah reading cycle.
FUSD Poll Chaplain/Peacekeeper Training
Faiths United to Save Democracy is inviting interfaith and multicultural faith and civic leaders to join us in this important campaign to protect vulnerable voters. If you are interested please attend of the training meetings to be prepared for the role. Attending at least one training is required to serve.
To learn more and register please visit: https://www.turnoutsunday.com/poll-chaplain.
World Rivers Day Interfaith Cleanup
Join Georgia Interfaith Power & Light and Ismaili CIVIC on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, from 2 to 4 p.m. for a special interfaith creek cleanup across five metro Atlanta sites.
This meaningful cleanup celebrates World Rivers Day and Global Ismaili CIVIC Day — two powerful traditions of service, reflection, and environmental care. World Rivers Day highlights the international importance of our rivers and inspires renewed commitment to protecting them. Global Ismaili CIVIC Day calls Ismaili Muslims to serve their communities worldwide through volunteerism.
Together, communities of all faiths are invited to act upon a shared ethic of environmental stewardship and care for our Common Home. All living creatures deserve clean water! The cleanup will be happening at five sites.
To learn more and register please visit: https://gipl.org/events/wrd26.
Sukkot
Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, is a Jewish festival beginning on the 15th day of Tishrei (usually September or October), shortly after Yom Kippur, and lasting seven days. It commemorates the forty years the Israelites spent dwelling in temporary shelters during their journey through the wilderness, and is observed by building and eating (and sometimes sleeping) in a sukkah, a temporary hut roofed with natural materials. It is also a harvest festival of joy and gratitude, marked by the gathering and waving of the four species (lulav and etrog), hospitality, and celebration, expressing thanksgiving for the autumn harvest and trust in divine providence.
Blessed Are They That Rest: A Vesper for the Weary
Join GIPL on Friday, Sept. 25, from 6:30 - 8 p.m. at Central United Church of Christ in Atlanta for Blessed Are They That Rest: A Vesper for the Weary — an evening of music, reflection, and communal nourishment that invites participants into the sacred practice of rest.
Through song, storytelling, and contemplative practices, this gathering will create space to reconnect with the rhythms of grace, restoration, and hope that sustain us in challenging times. This event is presented by Wisdom for the Storms – a GIPL-supported initiative that explores the spiritual, ethical, and communal resources needed to navigate the realities of climate change and ecological disruption.
The evening will be facilitated by Min. Julian Reid, founder of Notes of Rest®, a unique spiritual offering that invites the weary into the rest of God as practiced in Scripture and expressed through Black musical traditions. Join us for an evening of good food, meaningful conversation, beautiful music, and sacred rest as we consider what it means to receive and practice rest in a world longing for renewal.
General Admission is $20 and includes dinner. Doors open at 6 p.m.
To learn more and purchase tickets please visit: https://gipl.org/events/blessed-rest.
On Common Ground Session 2
This Summer and Fall, Commissioner Michelle Long Spears invites you to step into the spaces where compassion lives. This Interfaith Community Series on Homelessness brings together residents of DeKalb County District 2 for three intimate gatherings at sacred spaces across our community, where faith leaders are already doing the daily work of caring for our unhoused neighbors.
You will hear how communities are responding and add your voice to conversations that have the power to shape outcomes and form solutions to this most pressing need. This is civic engagement as an act of love, and your presence matters.
Space is limited. Come ready to listen, to learn, and to be changed.
To register please visit: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/on-common-ground.
Mabon
Mabon is a modern Pagan and Wiccan festival celebrating the autumn equinox (usually around September 21st–23rd), one of the eight sabbats on the Wheel of the Year, marking the point when day and night stand in balance. It is observed as a harvest thanksgiving, a time to express gratitude for the fruits of the season and to reflect on themes of balance, reciprocity, and preparation for the coming darker half of the year. The name Mabon, drawn from a figure in Welsh mythology, was popularized in the 1970s, and the festival is often marked with seasonal foods, gatherings, and rituals honoring the second harvest.
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, observed on the tenth day of Tishrei (usually September or October) as the culmination of the High Holy Days that begin with Rosh Hashanah. It is marked by a full day of fasting, intensive prayer, and repentance, during which the faithful seek forgiveness for wrongdoing and reconciliation with God and with one another. Tradition holds that on this day one's fate for the coming year is sealed, making it a solemn time of reflection, atonement, and spiritual renewal, often concluded with the sounding of the shofar.
Reverse Tashlich
Hosted in partnership with Georgia Interfaith Power and Light and Adamah ATL, Reverse Tashlich is an innovative Jewish environmental ritual celebrated globally whereby people work together to clean up local waterways, combating plastic pollution and acting upon a shared ethic of environmental stewardship.
To learn more and register please visit: https://gipl.org/events/reversetashlich2026.
Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center 2026 Community Development Symposium
The inaugural Community Development Symposium hosted by the Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center brings together faith-based organizations, developers, funders, and policy leaders to advance a shared question: how do we use faith-based-owned land to build attainable single-family homes that strengthen communities and generate sustainable economic opportunity?
Over 1.5 days of curated programming, attendees will enjoy:
Leadership conversations with municipal partners on the role of small-town and metro government in faith-based housing
Developer roundtables on innovative, statewide models for attainable single-family homeownership
FBO case studies highlighting the various ways land is being unlocked for community impact
Funding pathways panels with major institutional partners
A half-day of property tours showcasing different single family home models and how faith based land is being activated to benefit community
To learn more and buy tickets please visit: https://allevents.in/atlanta/2026-community-development-symposium/100001992159929978.
Das Lakshan
Das Lakshan is the ten-day festival observed by Digambara Jains as their principal annual occasion for spiritual reflection and purification, typically falling in the month of Bhadrapada (around August or September). Each of the ten days is dedicated to contemplating one of the ten supreme virtues, or dharmas, such as forgiveness, humility, truthfulness, and self-restraint, which guide the soul toward liberation. The observance is marked by fasting, scriptural study, worship, and seeking and granting forgiveness expressed through the phrase "Uttam Kshama," may any wrongdoing be forgiven.
Atlanta Jewish Film: Building Bridges
In a time when it can feel easier to retreat into our own communities, Building Bridges creates opportunities to come together, encounter stories different from our own, and build meaningful connections across Atlanta’s diverse communities.
Through film, facilitated dialogue, and community service, participants are invited to move from witnessing a story, to reflecting together, to taking action. Grounded in the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam, or Repairing the World, the series asks: What does it take to understand one another, stay in relationship through moments of tension, and turn connection into action?
In the first part of the series on September 15th at 7:15 pm, gather for a screening of All God’s Children (2024), an inspiring documentary that follows a five-year relationship between Congregation Beth Elohim and Antioch Baptist Church.
As these two faith communities navigate questions of racism, antisemitism, faith, identity, and belonging, the film offers a powerful look at what it takes to build trust, remain curious, and stay in relationship through moments of tension.
Use code BB4 for a special Interfaith Atlanta discount on tickets and check out our table before the screening. We hope to see you there!
To learn more and purchase tickets please visit: https://ajff.org/BuildingBridges.
Sacred Friends Explore Hinduism: Program and Temple Visits
Sacred Friends Interfaith invites you to their free Fall 2026 Zoom program, Sacred Friends Explore Hinduism. Sacred Friends Interfaith brings together people in small, diverse groups to consider important issues. This is first of a series on World Religions. Please save these dates: Tuesday evenings from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 15 – Nov. 3. We will be guided by our Hindu friends in Interfaith Friendship Circles to be composed of 4-6 persons of different faiths. Those who register for the program will have the opportunity to attend special guided Hindu Temple Visits. Together, we will endeavor to better understand the Hindu faith and our Hindu neighbors.
For more information and to register please visit: https://sacredfriendsinterfaith.org/announcement-of-sacred-friends-interfaith-llcs-world-religions-series-1st-program-sacred-friends-explore-hinduism/.
Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu deity revered as the remover of obstacles and the patron of beginnings, wisdom, and good fortune. Observed over ten days in the month of Bhadrapada (usually August or September), it is marked by the installation of Ganesha idols in homes and public pavilions, daily prayers and offerings of sweets such as modak, and devotional singing. The festival concludes with Visarjan, the joyful procession in which the idols are immersed in water, symbolizing Ganesha's return home and the cycle of creation and dissolution.
Intown Family Garba 2026
All are invited to celebrate Navaratri with Georgia Interfaith Power and Light at this year's Intown Family Garba on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Ebster Recreation Center.
They will start with a Children’s Garba from 4:30 to 6 p.m. featuring dance lessons and opportunities to learn about Navaratri.
From 6 to 9:30 p.m., the celebration continues with the Family Garba, including more joyful dances, traditional Aarti, followed by spirited Raas. There will be music, food, and popsicle treats for all ages!
All proceeds benefit Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL), supporting their work with faith communities across Georgia to address climate change, environmental injustice, pollution, and resource depletion in pursuit of a society where every living thing can flourish.
General Admission pre-purchased tickets are $7.50 for everyone ages 2 and over, and $10 at the door. $100 Family Sponsorships are also available. Family Sponsorships include four tickets to this year’s Garba and your name(s) on event signage, marketing, and promotional materials.
To learn more and purchase tickets please visit: https://gipl.org/events/garba26.
Gahambar Paitishem
Gahambar Paitishem (also spelled Paitishahem) is one of the six seasonal festivals, known as Gahambars, observed in Zoroastrianism, each celebrating a stage of the agricultural year and an aspect of creation. Paitishem marks the bringing in of the harvest, typically falling in mid-September, and is traditionally a time of communal gathering, shared feasting, prayer, and charity, reflecting the Zoroastrian values of generosity and fellowship. Like the other Gahambars, it expresses gratitude to Ahura Mazda for the bounty of creation and emphasizes community, with the food and offerings shared freely among all who attend, regardless of means.
Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, observed on the first and second days of the month of Tishrei (usually September), commemorating the creation of the world and beginning the High Holy Days. It is a time of prayer, reflection, and repentance, marked by the sounding of the shofar (a ram's horn), special synagogue services, and the eating of symbolic foods such as apples dipped in honey to express hopes for a sweet year ahead.
In Remembrance of 9/11: 25 Years Later
United in remembrance. United in hope. United in action.
Please join Interfaith Atlanta, First Christian Church of Decatur, and Gentle Spirit Christian Church for an interfaith commemoration of the tragic events of 9/11, 25 years later. This will be a time of solemn reflection and hopeful anticipation of continued interfaith unity in times of violence. We will hear from special guest speaker Ali Khaleel Assistant Director of Emerging Leaders Network at Interfaith America.
The event will take place at Decatur Legacy Park Hawkins Hall (500 S Columbia Dr, Decatur, GA 30030) and virtually. Register below or return to this page to watch a live video of the event! We hope to see you there.
Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary/Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos
The Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary or Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos celebrates the birth of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. It is observed on September 8th in the Eastern Orthodox Church and most Catholic traditions, falling among the first major feasts of the liturgical year, and is marked by special liturgies and hymns celebrating Mary's role in the story of salvation. For the faithful, it expresses joy at the birth of the one who would become the mother of Christ, and is held in particular reverence within Orthodox, Catholic, and some other Christian communities.
Paryushan
Paryushan is the most important annual festival in Jainism, a period of spiritual reflection, fasting, prayer, and study observed over eight days by Svetambara Jains. It is a time for practicing the core Jain values of nonviolence, self-discipline, and the purification of the soul, often culminating in heartfelt repentance and the seeking of forgiveness from all beings. The festival concludes with Samvatsari (or Kshamavani), on which Jains ask pardon for any harm caused, expressed in the phrase "Micchami Dukkadam," meaning may any wrongdoing be forgiven.