A tradition of respect, since 1969.
Individuals from various religious communities have served as a Presidents of the Interreligious Council and have dedicated their time, energy, and resources to the fulfillment of greater understanding and a commitment to honoring the sacred that exists in all of us.
Past Presidents
1969-1972: Rabbi Alfred Wolf, Jewish (Co-Founder)
1973-1974: Dr Carl Segerhammar, Lutheran Church of America
1975-1976: Msgr. Royale M. Vadakin, Roman Catholic Archdiocese
1977-1978: Dr. Randall C. Phillips, United Methodist Church
1979-1980: Rabbi Meyer Heller, Wishire Boulevard JewishTemple
1981-1982: Rev. George Cole
1983-1984: Msgr. William J. Barry, Roman Catholic Archdiocese
1985-1986: Rabbi Paul Dubin, Wilshire Boulevard Jewish Temple
1987-1988: Rev. Canon Harold G. Hultgren, Episcopal Diocese
1989-1990: Rev. Dr. Fred Register, United Church of Christ
1991-1992: Rabbi Harvey Fields, Wilshire Boulevard Jewish Temple
1993: Rev. Vivian Ben Limam Roman Catholic Archdiocese
1994-1995: Dr. Maher Hathout, Islamic Center of Southern California
1996-1997: Beth Chandler Paullin
1998-1999: Rabbi Robert Gan, Board of Rabbis
2000: NONE
2001-2004: Rt. Rev. Alexei Smith, Roman Catholic Archdiocese
2005-2008: Rev. Canon Dr. Gwynne Guibord, Episcopal Diocese
2009-2010: Judy M. Gilliland, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
2011-2012: Rt. Rev. Joseph J. Scott, Roman Catholic Archdiocese
2013: Mr Jonathan Freund, Board of Rabbis
2014-2015: Randoph Dobbs, Bahá’í Center of Los Angeles
2015-2017: Canon Robert Williams, Episcopal Diocese
2018–2021: Deacon Danny Amos, Roman Catholic
2021–present: Swami Mahayogananda, Hindu (Vedanta)
1973-1974: Dr Carl Segerhammar, Lutheran Church of America
1975-1976: Msgr. Royale M. Vadakin, Roman Catholic Archdiocese
1977-1978: Dr. Randall C. Phillips, United Methodist Church
1979-1980: Rabbi Meyer Heller, Wishire Boulevard JewishTemple
1981-1982: Rev. George Cole
1983-1984: Msgr. William J. Barry, Roman Catholic Archdiocese
1985-1986: Rabbi Paul Dubin, Wilshire Boulevard Jewish Temple
1987-1988: Rev. Canon Harold G. Hultgren, Episcopal Diocese
1989-1990: Rev. Dr. Fred Register, United Church of Christ
1991-1992: Rabbi Harvey Fields, Wilshire Boulevard Jewish Temple
1993: Rev. Vivian Ben Limam Roman Catholic Archdiocese
1994-1995: Dr. Maher Hathout, Islamic Center of Southern California
1996-1997: Beth Chandler Paullin
1998-1999: Rabbi Robert Gan, Board of Rabbis
2000: NONE
2001-2004: Rt. Rev. Alexei Smith, Roman Catholic Archdiocese
2005-2008: Rev. Canon Dr. Gwynne Guibord, Episcopal Diocese
2009-2010: Judy M. Gilliland, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
2011-2012: Rt. Rev. Joseph J. Scott, Roman Catholic Archdiocese
2013: Mr Jonathan Freund, Board of Rabbis
2014-2015: Randoph Dobbs, Bahá’í Center of Los Angeles
2015-2017: Canon Robert Williams, Episcopal Diocese
2018–2021: Deacon Danny Amos, Roman Catholic
2021–present: Swami Mahayogananda, Hindu (Vedanta)
The Civility Project
The Civility Project is an public service announcement from the Interreligious Council of Southern California. All rights reserved.
Video by Leslie Foster
Edited by Julia Alty
Produced by Ryan Bell
Video by Leslie Foster
Edited by Julia Alty
Produced by Ryan Bell
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Press Release
Home for the Holidays
Interreligious Council to mark 45th year of service by sharing in Habitat for Humanity build in Lynwood; presentation of $10,000 gift set for Dec. 9
[ Los Angeles — IRC] With a Dec. 9 work day – and a $10,000 gift to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) – the Interreligious Council of Southern California will mark its 45th year of service in the region.
Media and community representatives are invited to gather December 9 at 11:30am at the Habitat LA build site, 3303 Magnolia Avenue, Lynwood 90262.
“Many people think Habitat for Humanity provides housing for the homeless,” said Randolph Dobbs, Council president and representative of the Los Baha’i Center. “The truth is affordable housing is out of reach for the working poor and that’s why Habitat is such a good fit for the charitable efforts of the Interreligious Council. It’s something to which everyone can relate.”
“We launched an Interfaith Initiative over the last two years to bring together Los Angeles’s rich faith and spiritual traditions around Habitat’s mission of building a world where everyone has a decent place to live,” said Chris Untiet, faith relations manager for Habitat LA. “We are thrilled to be serving with the IRC as we complete our first Interfaith House.”
The Interfaith House is one of seven residences being built on the Lynwood site. Each Habitat LA house sponsorship costs $150,000, Habitat LA officials say. More information is available online at www.habitatla.org.
The build day also will involve members of the “Future50,” a cohort of rising interfaith representatives, ages 24-36, co-sponsored by the Council and the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture. The cohort members are invited to work strategically with the Council moving toward the Council’s 50th anniversary year in 2019.
“The energy of the Future50 is moving the Council in new directions,” said Robert Williams, a Council vice president and representative of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, who co-chairs the Future50 initiative with Judy Gilliland, a Council past- president and representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“Interfaith collaboration looks much different today than it did 45 years ago, and we are all about inviting in refreshing new approaches.”
About the Interreligious Council
Founded in 1969, Founded in 1969, the Interreligious Council of Southern California has made common cause of cooperative and constructive interfaith activity. According to a recent USC study, Los Angeles is the most religiously diverse city in the world. At a time when much of the rest of the world is splintering into sectarian division and conflict, Southern California has witnessed a surge in interfaith understanding. More is online at www.irc-socal.org.
Interreligious Council member organizations include:
Armenian Apostolic Church – Western Diocese
Baha’i Communities of the Greater Los Angeles Area
Board of Rabbis of Southern California
Buddhist Sangha Council of Southern California
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Islamic Center of Southern California
Islamic Center of Southern California
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Sikh Dharma of Southern California
Southern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Southern California Ecumenical Council
Vedanta Society of Southern California
Contact: Robert Williams, IRC vice president for communication and canon for community relations, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, 213.308.0222, cell; rwilliams@ladiocese.org.
Habitat LA Contacts: Angela Moore, Starfish PR, 310.429.8868, cell; angela@starfish-pr.com, or Jo-An Turman, Habitat LA, 310.749.6613, cell, juturman@habitatla.org,
About Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) strives to eliminate substandard housing through advocacy, education and partnership with families and individuals in need to build decent, sustainable and affordable housing. Since 1990, Habitat LA has built and repaired more than 1,000 homes locally and worldwide,
transforming the lives of hundreds of individuals. Habitat LA is a GuideStar® Valued Partner and has achieved the coveted Charity Navigator 4-Star rating awarded to non-profits for sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency.
For more information, please visit http://www.habitatla.org or call 310-323-4663.
Interreligious Council to mark 45th year of service by sharing in Habitat for Humanity build in Lynwood; presentation of $10,000 gift set for Dec. 9
[ Los Angeles — IRC] With a Dec. 9 work day – and a $10,000 gift to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) – the Interreligious Council of Southern California will mark its 45th year of service in the region.
Media and community representatives are invited to gather December 9 at 11:30am at the Habitat LA build site, 3303 Magnolia Avenue, Lynwood 90262.
“Many people think Habitat for Humanity provides housing for the homeless,” said Randolph Dobbs, Council president and representative of the Los Baha’i Center. “The truth is affordable housing is out of reach for the working poor and that’s why Habitat is such a good fit for the charitable efforts of the Interreligious Council. It’s something to which everyone can relate.”
“We launched an Interfaith Initiative over the last two years to bring together Los Angeles’s rich faith and spiritual traditions around Habitat’s mission of building a world where everyone has a decent place to live,” said Chris Untiet, faith relations manager for Habitat LA. “We are thrilled to be serving with the IRC as we complete our first Interfaith House.”
The Interfaith House is one of seven residences being built on the Lynwood site. Each Habitat LA house sponsorship costs $150,000, Habitat LA officials say. More information is available online at www.habitatla.org.
The build day also will involve members of the “Future50,” a cohort of rising interfaith representatives, ages 24-36, co-sponsored by the Council and the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture. The cohort members are invited to work strategically with the Council moving toward the Council’s 50th anniversary year in 2019.
“The energy of the Future50 is moving the Council in new directions,” said Robert Williams, a Council vice president and representative of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, who co-chairs the Future50 initiative with Judy Gilliland, a Council past- president and representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“Interfaith collaboration looks much different today than it did 45 years ago, and we are all about inviting in refreshing new approaches.”
About the Interreligious Council
Founded in 1969, Founded in 1969, the Interreligious Council of Southern California has made common cause of cooperative and constructive interfaith activity. According to a recent USC study, Los Angeles is the most religiously diverse city in the world. At a time when much of the rest of the world is splintering into sectarian division and conflict, Southern California has witnessed a surge in interfaith understanding. More is online at www.irc-socal.org.
Interreligious Council member organizations include:
Armenian Apostolic Church – Western Diocese
Baha’i Communities of the Greater Los Angeles Area
Board of Rabbis of Southern California
Buddhist Sangha Council of Southern California
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Islamic Center of Southern California
Islamic Center of Southern California
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Sikh Dharma of Southern California
Southern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Southern California Ecumenical Council
Vedanta Society of Southern California
Contact: Robert Williams, IRC vice president for communication and canon for community relations, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, 213.308.0222, cell; rwilliams@ladiocese.org.
Habitat LA Contacts: Angela Moore, Starfish PR, 310.429.8868, cell; angela@starfish-pr.com, or Jo-An Turman, Habitat LA, 310.749.6613, cell, juturman@habitatla.org,
About Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) strives to eliminate substandard housing through advocacy, education and partnership with families and individuals in need to build decent, sustainable and affordable housing. Since 1990, Habitat LA has built and repaired more than 1,000 homes locally and worldwide,
transforming the lives of hundreds of individuals. Habitat LA is a GuideStar® Valued Partner and has achieved the coveted Charity Navigator 4-Star rating awarded to non-profits for sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency.
For more information, please visit http://www.habitatla.org or call 310-323-4663.
