On Monday, Dec. 8 at 12 p.m. an interfaith community will gather at the Sunken Gardens of the Courthouse for a 45-minute program promoting understanding, civility and compassion.

Organized by representatives of Santa Barbara’s Islamic and Jewish communities at time of heightened violence and mounting tensions in the Middle East, the “coming together” is open to everyone wishing to affirm the importance of recognizing one another’s humanity. Imam Yama Niazi of the Islamic Society of Santa Barbara and Rabbi Arthur Gross-Schaefer of the Community Shul of Montecito and Santa Barbara, will lead the program, in collaboration with Christian clergy of several denominations.

Rabbi Gross-Schaefer explained the impetus for the event, citing Elie Weisel’s famous aphorism that “the opposite of love is not hate, it is indifference.” Gross-Schaefer stated, “The decision to come together in this context is itself an act of courage and mirrors the Rami statement, “that has the potential to change us and our Santa Barbara community.”