THE THREE WISE GUYS, LLC
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FLORIDA

The Three Wise Guys on the Road As with many endeavors, it began as a topic of casual conversation: “we should look at doing a radio show together,” said Rabbi Steven Engel, Senior Rabbi of the Congregation of Reform Judaism in Orlando. The three colleagues were seated together at the Park Plaza Gardens restaurant in downtown Winter Park for one of their regular lunch get-togethers. For about a dozen years Imam Muhammad Musri – the Senior Imam of the Islamic Society of Central Florida – Rabbi Steven Engel, and the Rev. Bryan Fulwider who served for 13 years as the Senior Minister of First Congregational Church of Winter Park, had shared in many areas of interfaith work in the greater Orlando community. One of the regular activities of the three clergy friends has always included shared speaking engagements where they talk together out of their Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faith perspectives. The Imam and the Rev. agreed, believing this could be a very good thing for our local central Florida community and beyond. The Three Wise Guys” The Three Wise Guys It’s the whole point of the show: three clergy from different faith traditions sitting down as friends to talk together about important things from the perspectives of the different religions they represent. In our world, where the most prominent examples regarding religious people – captured and promoted through a 24-hour news cycle by the media, most often highlighting the ways in which people of differing faiths act in violence, disrespect and disdain, and apparent malevolence toward one another and others – our world needs a strong voice that provides a counterbalance to this very warped view. The Three Wise Guys Here’s what The Three Wise Guys would say: “Our goal through this project is to educate, enlighten, inspire, and model a kind of inter-religious dialogue that builds community and creates a world that is fit to live in for all of us. We believe this is God’s calling for people of all faith traditions. We believe God intends for each of us to find ways to build bridges and create greater understanding for the people and nations of our world. We believe that God never calls any of our religions to behaviors of violence or destruction of the other. We are fully aware that there is “bad religion” in our world – there always has been; however, there is far more “good religion” in our world. Good religion works for peace, respects and values the other person regardless of their religious perspective (or no religion at all), and works through acts of compassion to make the world a better place for everyone. The Three Wise Guys and the whole “Friends Talking Faith” creative and production team Rabbi Engel received a B.A. in Physics from Rutgers University, a Masters of Arts in Hebrew Letters from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles and Rabbinic Ordination from the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1988. After ordination he served as Associate Rabbi in Columbus Ohio. He then became the spiritual leader of Mississippi’s largest congregation where he was actively involved in local and state civic and political affairs and was often called upon to represent the Jewish community of Mississippi. While there he successfully challenged the Governor on issues related to religious diversity and hate crimes. He received Mississippi’s most prestigious leadership award from the Mississippi Religious Leadership Conference and citations from the Governor and Mayor making May 12th “Rabbi Steven W. Engel Day” in the state of Mississippi and in city of Jackson. He has been prominent on the national scene as well having appeared in national media including The New York Times, USA Today, US News & World Report, CNN and on the Today Show. Century”. Rabbi Engel has also been actively involved in Social Concerns twice serving as President of Stewpot Community Services, Jackson MS’s largest social service agency, and was co-founder of “The Feed The Homeless Breakfast” program in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. He was one of four founders of the Amos Network, an interfaith community organizing group and CRJ has a myriad of programs to helping those in need in Central Florida. He is currently involved in bringing together the Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities for dialogue and interfaith programs. The Three Wise Guys ” (he serves as managing partner for the production company). The program – which has gained a very large audience over its five-year run – can be heard each Tuesday evening at 6:30 PM on Orlando’s NPR affiliate, 90.7 WMFE. In June of 2012, along with Rabbi Engel and Imam Musri, he founded Building US. Rabbi Engel received a B.A. in Physics from Rutgers University, a Masters of Arts in Hebrew Letters from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles and Rabbinic Ordination from the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1988. After ordination he served as Associate Rabbi in Columbus Ohio. He then became the spiritual leader of Mississippi’s largest congregation where he was actively involved in local and state civic and political affairs and was often called upon to represent the Jewish community of Mississippi. While there he successfully challenged the Governor on issues related to religious diversity and hate crimes. He received Mississippi’s most prestigious leadership award from the Mississippi Religious Leadership Conference and citations from the Governor and Mayor making May 12th “Rabbi Steven W. Engel Day” in the state of Mississippi and in city of Jackson. He has been prominent on the national scene as well having appeared in national media including The New York Times, USA Today, US News & World Report, CNN and on the Today Show. Century”. Rabbi Engel has also been actively involved in Social Concerns twice serving as President of Stewpot Community Services, Jackson MS’s largest social service agency, and was co-founder of “The Feed The Homeless Breakfast” program in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. He was one of four founders of the Amos Network, an interfaith community organizing group and CRJ has a myriad of programs to helping those in need in Central Florida. He is currently involved in bringing together the Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities for dialogue and interfaith programs.