ABOUT US

WISDOM's Mission Statement

With tensions in the Middle East, Iraq, and Darfur constantly in the news, and with communities of faith in Metro Detroit becoming more and more segregated from each other, we want to empower Women’s Interfaith Solutions for Dialogue and Outreach in MetroDetroit to give women opportunities to listen to each other, respect each other’s differences, and take action towards change.   We at WISDOM hope to establish venues for community service projects to help “repair the world,” while having the chance to dialogue with women of different faiths whom we don’t usually meet in our sheltered circle of friends and family.  We also hope to arrange educational opportunities at our diverse places of worship to learn about each other’s religions with an empathy and spiritual energy that will strengthen friendships.  We invite you to join our journeys towards celebrating Detroit’s religious diversity, while expanding and intensifying our knowledge about each other in order to dispel myths, stereotypes, prejudices, and fear that exist with lack of understanding.   > View PowerPoint Presentation

Shahina Begg, Co-Founder

Born and raised in India Shahina Begg moved to the United States in 1973 where she accepted Islam. Shahina has contributed to a variety of levels of faith-based, interfaith and charitable organizations. As a co-founder of the Muslim Unity Center in Bloomfield Hills, a mosque committed to serving all Muslims regardless of ethnicity or race, Shahina has helped to educate Muslims and non-Muslims alike about the tenets and beliefs of Islam. Shahina has headed the Women's Charity Group at the Muslim Unity Center, providing a venue for various philanthropic and charitable efforts. Aside from her current role in WISDOM, she has contributed to interfaith work through organizations such as the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion and the Reuniting the Children of Abraham. Shahina also volunteers for Bloomfield Township Meals on Wheels program and enjoys spending time visiting seniors and volunteering in nursing homes. Shahina and her husband own Naked Furniture in Royal Oak and have three beautiful children, Sami, Yusuf, and Sofia.

Gail Katz, Co-Founder  

Gail is a retired  ESL (English As A Second language) teacher from the Berkley School District.  Gail ran a diversity club called Students Taking a Right Stand for fifth through eighth graders for many years, and coordinated many diversity initiatives in the district.  Gail is the chairperson of the World Sabbath for Religious Reconciliation, a beautiful service for World Peace, which takes place the last Saturday in January every year at Christ Church Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, MI.  Gail works part time for the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion, coordinating the Religious Diversity Journeys for seventh graders in six Oakland County school districts, and she is an Interfaith Partner with MRDI and the Children of Abraham Unity Council in Hamtramck as well.   Gail is a Vice-President of the Jewish Community Council and the chairperson of their Detroit-Jewish Initiative, a committee that connects the Jewish community with other faith based and ethnic groups in Detroit.  Gail is an active member of Congregation Beth Shalom in Oak Park, working towards involving her synagogue in diversity and interfaith events. Gail will be the next president of Kadima, a Southfield Based Mental Health Agency starting in May, 2007.   Being so involved in WISDOM has given Gail the energy to explore her own religion, Judaism, in greater depth. 

Trish Harris, Co-Founder

One week after her graduation from Michigan State, Trish began her Human Resources career as the first woman in Ford Motor Company’s Management Training Program in Ford Tractor Operations. Later she moved to Marketing and Sales Operations, where she worked until her retirement in 2002.

She is a member of St Hugo of the Hills Parish in Bloomfield Hills. She also is a member of Catholic Caucus of South East Michigan, a non-partisan advocacy group seeking economic justice for all in the light of the Gospel and Catholic Social Teaching. Trish supports the global ministries of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisterhood, by playing an active role on the committee for their largest fundraising activity.

In 2007, she and Gail Katz jointly presented the story of WISDOM at a Harvard Conference entitled “Women’s Interfaith Initiatives After 9/11”. In 2008, Trish was honored as a “Diversity Champion” by the Race Relations & Diversity Task Force- Birmingham/Bloomfield area.

She has a longstanding interest in the study of comparative religions, women’s issues, and native people’s spirituality. In her spare time, she is a voracious reader, enjoys golf and travels to continue to expand her worldview.

WISDOM BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2008-2009

EXECUTIVE BOARD

PRESIDENT: Gail Katz , West Bloomfield, Jewish

VICE-PRES. Shahina Begg , Bloomfield Hills, Muslim

VICE-PRES. Trish Harris, Bloomfield Hills, Roman Catholic

VICE-PRES. Beth Applebaum, Huntington Woods, Jewish

SECRETARY Sharon Buttry, Hamtramck, American Baptist

TREASURER: Bhavna Mehta, Farmington Hills, Jain


GENERAL BOARD

Sheri Schiff, Birmingham Jewish

Fran Hildebrandt, Farmington Hills, Jewish

Judy Satterthwaite, Rochester, United Church of Christ

Ellen Ehrlich, Southfield, Episcopalian

The Rev. Marsha Foster Boyd, Ph.D., Detroit, African Methodist Episcopal

Rehana Qureshi, Canton, Muslim

Brenda Rosenberg, Bloomfield Hills, Jewish

Paula Drewek, Warren, Baha’i

Freda Sampson, Detroit, Baptist

Supreet Singh, Northville, Sikh

Rachna Bhatia, West Bloomfield, Sikh

Gigi Salka, Bloomfield Hills, Muslim

Antonietta Abuzeid, Bloomfield Hills, Muslim

Padma Kuppa, Troy, Hindu

Noelle Sutherland, Waterford, Buddhist

Baheejah Shakoor, South Lyon, Muslim

Cheryl El-Amin, Detroit, Muslim

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Women’s Interfaith Solutions

for Dialogue and Outreach
in MetroDetroit
PO Box 525, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303
Email WISDOM