Our Location

The Institute is located next door to the Visitors’ Center of the Women’s Rights National Historical Park. The park preserves the Wesleyan Chapel, which in July 1848 hosted the first Women’s Rights Convention. At this convention Elizabeth Cady Stanton read the Declaration of Sentiments that she and had crafted, using the Declaration of Independence as her model.

In 1871 members of the congregation constructed a new church in the same block as their Wesleyan Chapel—the building in which our Institute is now housed. Inspired by the courageous congregation that made the radical and controversial first Women’s Rights Convention possible, we are proud to carry forward into future years this heritage of pioneering leadership.

Our History

The Women’s Interfaith Institute was founded in the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts in 1992 under the leadership of Allison Stokes. After Allison moved to New York, she organized the Institute’s Finger Lakes affiliate in 2002. Although the two non profit organizations are incorporated separately, we share a common mission and our boards work closely together.

In February 2003, the Institute in the Finger Lakes purchased the historic church next door to the Women’s Rights National Historical Park. We held a ceremony to bless our new space in June, 2003 and a gala opening and dedication in June, 2004. The theme was “Bringing Peace to Life,” and our keynote speaker was Dr. Maura O’Neill, author of Women Speaking, Women Listening: Women in Interreligious Dialogue.

Ongoing Events

Retreats and conferences
Interfaith discussion groups
Interfaith celebrations
Lectures
Art exhibits
Concerts, plays and films
Book signings
College student volunteer days
Leadership seminars

Our building offers meeting and performance spaces which are available to the public. Our extensive library collection is made up of several thousand books on women and religion and related subjects. Once it is catalogued, it will be open to scholars and researchers.