Please see the announcement below from Rabbi Yohanna Kinberg regarding an upcoming symposium on antisemitism at Kol Ami in Kirkland, which is co-sponsored by FIRE. Please share with your friends and faith communities. For more information, please visit https://www.kolaminw.org/events-1/kirkland-together-becoming-allies-against-antisemitism or contact Rabbi Kinberg directly at rabbikinberg@gmail.com.

From Rabbi Kinberg:

Shalom FIRE community,

Can I ask for your help?

On May 11 Kol Ami and many community partners are hosting our 2nd annual Kirkland Together symposium on antisemitism. Our keynote this year is Professor Nancy Koppelman, a Humanities Washington speaker.

Would you be willing to share this flyer, put it in your weekly newsletter, post it to your own social media?

The Jewish community is in need of support. Your friendship and support at this time is so important.

Thank you. Many blessings,
Rabbi Kinberg

The organizers of the Celebrate Kirkland 4th of July Parade have sent out the parade sequence and lineup locations! FIRE will be entry #51 in the parade (out of 67 entries). Our lineup position is west of Market Street on 5th Avenue W. It will likely be in the vicinity of 2nd Street W; the map below shows the approximate location. There will be small signs along the edge of the roadway showing the position numbers – just look for #51. Note that we will be immediately following the group from The Dawoodi Borha Community of Seattle, who meet in Kirkland — a great opportunity for us to get to know each other!

A map of the parade route appears below. Note that the total walking distance from our lineup position, through the route, and back to the disbanding point on Market Street is about 1.2 miles and takes about 30 minutes at parade walking pace.

The closest place with a significant amount of parking is Kirkland City Hall including the Wester Lot just to its south, but there’s also a lot of parking along Market Street (north of 7th Avenue) and on surrounding neighborhood streets both east and west of Market. There are many other parking lots in downtown Kirkland, although getting to them can be a challenge with street closures for the parade. You can find information on parking in downtown Kirkland at https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Government/Departments/Public-Works-Department/Transportation/Downtown-Parking-Information. You can also take King County Metro, although note that the 255 route will be modified because of the parade road closures (see the Service Advisory at https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/metro/routes-and-service/schedules-and-maps/255.

As mentioned previously, the parade starts at Noon. However, being in position #51, there will be some waiting time before our group will start moving. Feel free to come whenever it works for you, to mingle and chat with folks in our group and others around. The earlier you come, the easier it is to find parking. If you need to use a toilet while waiting, portable facilities will be located in the Heritage Hall parking lot and at the corner of 2nd Street W and Waverly Way.

Participants in the parade are encouraged to wear clothing typical for their faith to help show the diversity of faiths participating in the FIRE group, t-shirts promoting peace and understanding, or other clothing of their choice. Those walking should wear sensible shoes; hats and sunscreen are advised, as the weather forecast for parade time is 78-80 degrees with bright sun; you may also want to bring water. Participants are welcome to carry signs and banners promoting peace, love, unity, and understanding.

If you have any questions, please email info@fire-wa.org or contact Toby at 206-790-6377. Hope to see you on Tuesday!

Fostering Interfaith Relationships on the Eastside (FIRE) invites members of all faith traditions and communities to walk with us in the 2023 Kirkland 4th of July Parade.

Participants in the parade are encouraged to wear clothing typical for their faith to help show the diversity of faiths participating in the FIRE group, t-shirts promoting peace and understanding, or other clothing of their choice. Those walking should wear sensible shoes; hats and sunscreen are advised (at least, let us hope they’re necessary!). Participants are welcome to carry signs and banners promoting peace, love, unity, and understanding.

The parade starts at Noon. It follows a route through Marina Park and around the downtown core, a total walking distance of about one mile; see the map below. Participants are asked to line up at the designated point in the Market neighborhood north of Heritage Park by 11AM. The position in the parade and the exact location at which the FIRE group will assemble will be assigned around July 1, posted on the FIRE web site, and emailed to FIRE email lists and all who RSVP.

Those interested in participating in the parade should email rsvp@fire-wa.org. Information on the group’s position in the parade and assembly point will be sent as soon as they are known. We will also send recommended parking locations along with the line-up information; you can also consider taking King County Metro to the Kirkland Transit Center which is downtown near the parade route.

For more information on the parade, visit https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Government/Departments/Parks-and-Community-Services/Register-for-a-Recreation-Program/Celebrate-Kirkland (note that the parade is now an official City of Kirkland event rather than being sponsored by the Kirkland Downtown Association). For further information on FIRE or our group in the parade, email info@fire-wa.org or contact Toby at 206-790-6377.

The organizers of the Celebrate Kirkland 4th of July Parade have sent out the parade sequence and lineup locations! FIRE will be entry #51 in the parade (out of 70 entries). Our lineup position is approximately 400 feet west of Market Street on 5th Avenue W. That is just to the east of 2nd Street W, roughly in front of the home at 135 5th Ave W. The map below shows the approximate location. There will be small signs along the edge of the roadway showing the position numbers – just look for #51.

The closest place with a significant amount of parking is Kirkland City Hall including the Wester Lot just to its south, but there’s also a lot of parking along Market Street and on surrounding neighborhood streets. You can find information on parking in downtown Kirkland at https://www.kirklandwa.gov/Government/Departments/Public-Works-Department/Transportation/Downtown-Parking-Information. You can also take King County Metro, although note that the 255 route will be modified because of the parade road closures (see the service advisory at https://kingcounty.gov/~/media/depts/metro/data/service-advisories/pdf/22-spe-136-rts234-255-celebrate-kirkland-4th-of-july-jul4.pdf).

As mentioned previously, the parade starts at Noon. However, being in position #51, there will be some waiting time before our group will start moving. Feel free to come whenever it works for you, to mingle and chat with folks in our group and others around. The earlier you come, the easier it is to find parking.

Participants in the parade are encouraged to wear clothing typical for their faith to help show the diversity of faiths participating in the FIRE group, t-shirts promoting peace and understanding, or other clothing of their choice. Those walking should wear sensible shoes; hats and sunscreen are advised (at least, let us hope they’re necessary!). Participants are welcome to carry signs and banners promoting peace, love, unity, and understanding.

You may also want to bring some water to stay hydrated. Earlier predictions of rain have given way to clouds in the morning and sun in the afternoon – the parade time forecast is 63 and cloudy, with rain ending by midnight on Sunday. But of course you never really know what’s going to happen in the Pacific Northwest!

If you have any questions, please email info@fire-wa.org or contact Toby at 206-790-6377. Hope to see you on Monday!

Fostering Interfaith Relationships on the Eastside (FIRE) invites members of all faith traditions and communities to walk with them in the 2022 Kirkland 4th of July Parade. The theme for this year is “Celebrate Kirkland, Together Again”.

Participants in the parade are encouraged to wear clothing typical for their faith to help show the diversity of faiths participating in the FIRE group, t-shirts promoting peace and understanding, or other clothing of their choice. Those walking should wear sensible shoes; hats and sunscreen are advised (at least, let us hope they’re necessary!). Participants are welcome to carry signs and banners promoting peace, love, unity, and understanding.

The parade starts at Noon. It follows a route through Marina Park and around the downtown core, a total walking distance of about one mile; see the map below. Participants are asked to line up at the designated point in the Market neighborhood north of Heritage Park by 11AM. The position in the parade and the exact location at which the FIRE group will assemble will be assigned around July 1, posted on the FIRE web site, and emailed to FIRE email lists and all who RSVP.

Those interested in participating in the parade should email rsvp@fire-wa.org. Information on the group’s position in the parade and assembly point will be sent as soon as they are known. We will also send recommended parking locations along with the line-up information; you can also consider taking King County Metro to the Kirkland Transit Center which is downtown near the parade route.

For more information on the parade, visit https://kirklanddowntown.org/events/celebrate-kirkland/. For further information on FIRE or our group in the parade, email info@fire-wa.org or contact Toby at 206-790-6377.