What’s at the Heart of Each Faith?

Date: February 12, 2026
Time: 5:00–8:00 PM (Panel: 5:30–7:00 PM)
Location: FIU — SIPA Room 103
Cost: Free & open to all (students and non-students welcome)
🍽️ Free vegetarian meal provided

All are welcome. No prior knowledge required.

The FIU Multifaith Council invites you to “What’s at the Heart of Each Faith?”—an introductory interfaith panel designed for students and community members who want to better understand religious traditions they may be unfamiliar with.

This event focuses on personalizing faith members and offering a welcoming, accessible introduction to core beliefs, practices, and symbols across major world religions.

• Introduce students to people of different faiths in a personal and approachable way
• Foster understanding across religious differences

The centerpiece of the evening is a panel featuring leaders from diverse faith traditions represented at FIU. Panelists will be asked questions that are well-known within their own communities but often unfamiliar to outsiders—for example, the meaning behind religious attire, daily practices, or spiritual commitments.

The goal is not debate, but clarity, understanding, and connection.

Information Tables & Open Dialogue

Following the panel, attendees are invited to visit informational tables hosted by each faith group. This is a chance to ask questions one-on-one, continue conversations, and learn more in an informal setting.

Fr. Luis Pavon (Catholicism)

Fr. Luis Pavon is the Parochial Vicar at St. Agatha Catholic Parish and serves as a chaplain and leader for Catholic Panthers at Florida International University. Through his ministry, he supports students in spiritual formation, service, and faith-based leadership, fostering a welcoming Catholic presence on campus.

Joel Otero (Interdenominational Christianity)

A Florida native, husband, and father of four, Joel has spent over 20 years mentoring domestic and international students. His work focuses on helping students understand the Bible, develop their relationship with God, and apply spiritual teachings to everyday life and relationships.

Dr. Yasemin Saib, PhD (Islam)

Dr. Saib is a trilingual translator and interpreter (English, Arabic, Turkish) with extensive experience in legal, medical, and psychiatric settings across South Florida. She is also an academic, nonprofit leader, and founder of several organizations, and is affiliated with FIU and Masjid al-Ansar.

Rabbi Berel Garelick (Judaism)

Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Rabbi Garelick grew up near Chabad Headquarters and has dedicated his life to Jewish education and outreach. He received rabbinical certification in Melbourne, Australia, studied and taught in Jerusalem, and has served Jewish communities around the world. He currently serves as the rabbi at FIU through Chabad.

Dr. Samani Pratibha Pragya, PhD (Jainism)

Dr. Pragya is a scholar of Jain Studies and a Samani (saint) in the Jain Terapanth lineage. Her expertise includes modern Jain yoga, meditation, comparative religion, and philosophy. She currently serves as a Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor at FIU and earned her PhD from SOAS on the history and methods of Prekṣā Meditation.

Haridas das, M.B.A. (Sanātana Dharma /Hinduism)

Haridas das is a monk and nonprofit arts leader who spent over a decade working in business intelligence and financial technology before entering monastic life. He now helps lead Sacred Vedic Arts, a Miami-based nonprofit dedicated to preserving and sharing Vedic artistic traditions through education, exhibitions, and community programming. He serves the FIU student body through the multifaith council.

• Students, faculty, and community members curious about religion or interfaith dialogue
• Those unfamiliar with religious traditions and seeking a beginner-friendly introduction
• Anyone interested in respectful conversation, cultural literacy, and understanding their neighbors

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Host or Publisher Sacred Vedic Arts