Events and Programs

Rita Semel's 100th Birthday

Our founder, Rita Semel, turned 100 on November 15th. The Interfaith Center at the Presidio Board of Directors honored her with an Interfaith Service in the historic Presidio Chapel, on Thursday, November 18th. The Keynote Speaker was the Rt. Rev. William E. Swing, Founder and President, United Religions Initiative, Seventh Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California (Ret.) Also present were Faith leaders, public officials, family, and friends. Rita Semel's mantra is the Hebrew "Tikkun Olam" (Repairing the World), a reflection of her Jewish Faith. Her life and work are living proof of those famous words uttered by Margaret Meade sixty years ago, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has". What is most astonishing is that Rita, at 100, is still at work in the vineyard! She is, without question, the best of us.

A Short List of Rita's Faith, Interfaith & Humanitarian Work and Honors

First Associate Editor, Jewish Community Bulletin
Public Relations – America-Israel Cultural Foundation, Israeli Consulate, and March of Dimes
San Francisco Conference on Religion and Race
Associate Director and Executive Director, Jewish Community Relations Council
Founder, Interfaith Center at the Presidio, Member of the Board and Treasurer
Founder and Board Chair, San Francisco Interfaith Council
First Chair, Global Council for the United Religions Initiative
Catholic Charities CYO, Member of the Board
Family Services America, Member of the Board
San Francisco Resource and Leadership Council, Member of the Board
Friends of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, Member of the Board
Jewish Family and Children’s Services, Member of the Board
San Francisco Children’s Rights Coalition, Member of the Board
San Francisco Family Service Agency, Member of the Board
San Francisco Homelessness Board, Member of the Board
Intergroup Clearinghouse, Member of the Board
Board of Trustees, Graduate Theological Union
Honored by Islamic Society of San Francisco, Bay Area Cultural Connections, and United Muslims of America
Honored by the California State Assembly, Woman of the Year 13th District
United Way’s Mortimer Fleishacker Jr. Volunteer Award
National Council of Jewish Women’s Hanna G. Solomon Award
Women in Community Service Rosa Parks Award
Delegate to the fourth United Nations World Conference on Women in China
Honored by Islamic Society of San Francisco
San Francisco Foundations’ Community Leadership Award
Honored by Catholic Charities CYO Loaves and Fishes Gala
Clinic by The Bay, Member of the Board
Congregation Emanu-El, Member of the Board
Grace Cathedral, Member of the Board
In-Home Health Service Public Authority, Member of the Board
Commissioner, Human Services Agency Human Services Commission, City & County of San Francisco

Programs

Presidio Chapel Open House/Docent Tour

The historic Spanish Colonial Revival style Presidio Chapel, built by the Army in 1931, with a breathtaking view of San Francisco Bay, is open on select Sundays throughout the year. Please see our event calendar for dates and times. It is home to a 33’ mural by Victor Arnautoff, a protégé of Diego Rivera, and stained glass windows by Willemina Ogterop, the first woman stained glass artist west of the Mississippi to be inducted into the Stained Glass Artists Guild.

The Interfaith Center at the Presidio welcomes many visitors each year to the historic Main Post Chapel (Presidio Chapel). Many of these visitors were once stationed at the Presidio or lived at the Presidio with their parents when it was an Army base. They were married or worshipped in the Main Post Chapel. They wish to see the Chapel and relive those memories and moments. One of our recent visitors came to the Chapel with her photograph album containing a few precious photos of her parents wedding in October 1943. She knew they were married in San Francisco before her father shipped out to the war in the Pacific. She believed they were married at the Presidio Chapel. When I looked at her photographs I realized that the building in the photographs was not the Chapel. I know what the other chapels on the Presidio look like and it was not the chapel in her photograph. I googled the Chapel at Fort Mason, and it matched the Chapel in her photographs. She was so happy to have found the Chapel where their wedding took place. You cannot imagine her joy. It was our pleasure to direct her to the Fort Mason Chapel, less than 2 miles away.

The Presidential Inaugural Committee's Memorial and Nationwide Tribute to Remember and Honor the Lives Lost to COVID-19

The Interfaith Center at the Presidio participated in the Presidential Inaugural Committee's Memorial and Nationwide Tribute to Remember and Honor the Lives Lost to COVID-19 on January 19, 2021 at 2:30 pm PST by ringing the historic Presidio Chapel bell.

Healing for Veterans, Comfort for Military Families

Like all military houses of worship, the Post Chapel served as a place of contemplation, comfort, and healing for military service men, women, and families. This role continues today at the Interfaith Center, where the historic Post Chapel borders the San Francisco National Cemetery and the Chapel grounds hold memorials to chaplains and those who served in the Vietnam War. The Interfaith Center hosts annual observances for Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Fleet Week while ministering in this sacred space to the special needs of our Veterans and their families.

Photographs courtesy of Bill Wilson

Events

Interfaith Center at the Presidio Veteran's Day Service

Memorial Day Interfaith Service 2021

The Memorial Day Interfaith Service at the historic Main Post Chapel - a lovely tribute to those who gave their lives for our country.

The Executive Director of the Interfaith Center at the Presidio, Rev. Gerald Caprio, gave the Invocation and Benediction at the observance of Memorial Day at the San Francisco National Cemetery.

Veterans Day Interfaith Service 2020

On Veterans Day, the Interfaith Center at the Presidio (ICP) hosted an event honoring our Veterans. With music, prayer, and words from leaders in the Bay Area, we reminded attendees that our veterans are worthy of thanks and praise. Attendees included veterans and others in the Bay Area and from around the Nation. While in this difficult time there are a variety of opinions as to the way forward, the ICP celebrated veterans and those that support them. It is our honor to do so.

U.S. - Japan Sister Cities Bell Ringing - 75 Years of Peace Since Hiroshima and Nagasaki

The Interfaith Center at the Presidio and the San Francisco Interfaith Council, at 4:15 pm PST on Wednesday, August 5, 2020, rang the Presidio Chapel bell 75 times participating with sister cities across the United States and Japan, to mark 75 years of peace since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Veterans Day Interfaith Service 2019

At our annual Veterans Day Interfaith Service at the Presidio Chapel we were honored to welcome Mr. Luc Ferier, Chairman and Founder of Forgotten Heroes 14-19 Foundation. Mr. Ferier's presentation "Humanity Does Not Abandon Mankind to Darkness - The Untold Stories of Muslims, Christians and Jews During the First World War", provided remarkable insight into interreligious cooperation. Mr. Ferier has written a book "The Unknown Fallen" on these remarkable soldiers of World War I. For more information please visit www.unknownfallen.com or www.muslimsinww1.com
Captain Kyle Zeck (USAR) tolled the Chapel's bell 21 times at 5-second intervals at 11:00 am to commemorate the signing of the Armistice which ended the First World War.

Veterans Dinner

On the evening of November 11th, the Interfaith Center at the Presidio hosted a Veterans dinner and discussion of civic engagement with Colonel Peter Gleichenhaus for the Honoring Sacred Space campaign at Foreign Cinema restaurant in San Francisco. ICP unveiled its plans to build the Interfaith Center at the Presidio for the 21st century and a permanent home for the McDonald Peace Windows.

Blessing of the Fleet Interfaith Sunday Service

A historic and memorable morning at the Main Post Chapel. On the occasion of the 244th anniversary of the United States Navy, the Interfaith Center at the Presidio, in collaboration with the San Francisco Interfaith Council, the Navy League of the United States and the Fleet Week Host Committee offered an “Interfaith Blessing of the Fleet Service.” In addition to US Navy, US Marine Corps and US Coast Guard officers and enlisted personnel, we were honored by the presence of a large contingent from the Royal Australian Navy. Also in attendance were the Consul Generals of Japan, Indonesia and Hungary, as well as a representative of the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Commission. Visiting chaplains from the United States and Australian Navies and the U.S. Coast Guard participated in the service at this former military chapel.

🎶🎶🎶 Sunday Concerts at Presidio Chapel 🎶🎶🎶

Since geography is irrelevant in the virtual realm, both our artists and our audiences are enjoying these intimate ICP Sunday Concerts from across the country, wherever they may be. Here are some of their responses: ...a pleasure to play such a wonderfully managed event... marvelous concert…a beautiful and diverse recital…I am a most appreciative and grateful audience member…the sound came through fine on my speakers…we enjoyed the concert so much…the music helps us deal with these unsettling times…please continue ZOOM concerts.
[Dr. Deon Nielsen Price, ICP Composer-in-Residence and Curator of Sunday Concerts]

The beautiful chapel is the venue for a series of monthly Sunday afternoon and evening musical performances — from vocal solo and choral to instrumental and dance, both classical and contemporary. Please see our event calendar below for dates and times.

"It is joyful and blessed to share the enjoyment and healing effect of high quality music in the Presidio Chapel with its uniquely vibrant acoustics." ~Deon Nielsen Price, Doctor of Musical Arts

In the 2019-2020 season, we completed our ambitious series of new chamber operas that represent traditions of different faiths, and also presented violin, voice, piano, harp, and guitar recitals, and a chorale.

Sunday Concerts at Presidio Chapel include beloved classical works that European master composers wrote for solo instruments, chamber ensembles, and voice, and, in addition, exciting new works by living composers, most of whom we are privileged to meet in person at the concerts. Our artists, from the Bay Area, and from across the country, are always delighted to perform in this historic venue with its uniquely vibrant acoustic that supports their tone.

Funded entirely by donations, the concerts are offered as a free service to the community. It is gratifying to see our diverse audience members enthusiastically enrich their lives through exposure to the variety of artistic musical styles we present.

ICP Sunday Concerts - Welsh baritone Jeremy Huw Williams and Paula Fan, piano

Pianist William Corbett-Jones Plays Bach assisted by Violinist Jassen Todorov

Pianist William Corbett-Jones played the Partita in D French dances by J. S. Bach on the October 17, 2021 Sunday Concert at Presidio Chapel. Jassen Todorov joined him for Bach's Sonata in E for Violin and Piano. As an encore they premiered the arrangement by Deon Nielsen Price, ICP Composer-in-Residence, of Bach's famous Arioso.

The Light of Man - and Woman and Music of India

Sunday Concerts at Presidio Chapel, on November 17th, presented the one-act chamber opera workshop performance of "The Light of Man - and Woman" by Dr. Deon Nielsen Price, based on an ancient story from the Hindustani "Upanishads" in a 20th century setting. World class artist performer of Indian music on the sitar, Hasu Patel, was joined by William Rossel on table, for "Music of India." The Interfaith Center at the Presidio was honored by the presence of Indian Consul General Sanjay Panda and Mrs. Panda.