Kaufman Updates
Permanent link for Interfaith and Interwoven | By Zahabia Ahmed-Usmani, Youth Program Manager on December 16, 2025
“Baby, it’s cold outside!” Across worldview identities we can all agree that even before the winter season has officially arrived, the need for warm clothing is already upon us. Just as it is human to feel the bitterness of the frigid temperatures, Karen Meyers, one of the co-leaders of Interfaith and Interwoven, explains to upper elementary students at Godfrey Elementary that across religious and spiritual identities, a group of women who share a love of knitting and crochet wanted to share that passion with others in our community. Out of that love grew the group, Interfaith and Interwoven. In 2018, a member of the group who was affiliated with Temple Emanuel and a teacher at Godfrey asked if the group wanted to knit for the students at her school. This gave the group a shared purpose. Since 2018 the group has distributed between 190 (this Dec., 2025) to approximately 240 (in 2022) garments each year to the students at Godfrey Elementary.
This year when we distributed the garments, I told them that the women in the group were of all different religious backgrounds but that we all believe in serving others. Students proudly shared the traditions they belonged to as they chose their hand-knit hats or scarves, “oohing and aahing” at each other’s choices. Each student that walked in had a story and while we only had a few minutes to help them pick out the perfect piece that suited them, we shared the stories of the people who knitted or crochet the items the students chose- their warmth penpal of sorts. Each student that came in to receive a garment left with something to keep them warm, most left with an entire set of hat, gloves and mittens.
This multigenerational group of women of Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Secular, and other backgrounds have been meeting weekly since 2017/2018. Their meetings have moved from Central Reformed to Temple Emanuel to online virtual meetings. As they knit or crochet, any topic is up for discussion: death, love, trauma, historical atrocities, interfaith blunders, the after life, marriage practices, forgiveness, grief, parenting, depression, loss, food insecurity, conflict resolution, dialogue techniques, emotional capacity, financial devastation, the ecosystem, environmental care, favorite books, movie picks, math tips and tricks, and the list goes on. As the non-knitting convener of the group, I selfishly attend the meetings when my schedule allows me to, to glean the wisdom of this wonderful group of women.
Moving into 2026, the group’s format will change slightly. We will now meet on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month from 10-11:30 online. If you would like to join the group please email the Kaufman Interfaith Institute at [email protected].
