#Temple Emanu-El

[newyorkthegoldenage]

Mayor LaGuardia stands with other mourners in front of Temple Emanu-El before the funeral of George Gershwin, July 15, 1937. Services were held simultaneously in Los Angeles, where Gershwin died, and New York. He died following surgery for a brain tumor on July 11. He was 38 years old.

Photo: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

[ajl1963]

Deco Doings - March, 2023

[rabbitcruiser]

World Religion Day  

World Religion Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in January every year, and is a reminder of the need for harmony and understanding between religions and faith systems. On this day, communities of different faiths have the opportunity to get together and listen to each other, as well as celebrate the differences and commonalities that the delicate intermingling of culture and religion brings. There are approximately 4,200 religions around the world. While many people live their lives without religion, faith in a higher being or power works for the majority of people. Whatever the reasons, we are all for the idea of people being unified despite differences, and celebrating them.

History of World Religion Day

The first official observance of World Religion Day (as it is known today), was in 1950, but the concept began a few years prior to that. In Portland, Maine, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’í Faith hosted a talk in Eastland Park Hotel in October 1947, culminating in the decision to observe an annual event, then known as World Peace Through World Religion. By 1949, the event began to be observed in other parts of the U.S. and grew more popular. By 1950, it came to be known as World Religion Day. On this day, at various different locations, many authors, educators, and philosophers are invited to speak on world religions and the importance of establishing and maintaining harmony between them. It’s a great forum for learning more about other religions and cultures too, and a chance to intermingle socially with people of different faiths and worldviews.

Since this concept was the brainchild of people from the Bahá’í Faith, it is worth exploring what this faith is and tracing its historical roots. As a religion, Bahá’í first emerged in Persia (modern-day Iran), in the 1800s. There are three core principles of this faith — unity of God, unity of religion, and unity of all mankind. It is a monotheistic faith, believing in a single god, and that the spiritual aspects of all religions in this world stem from this single god. Another central tenet is the belief in the innate equality of all human beings. Thus, all humans have the same rights and responsibilities. If you look at it, the Bahá’í Faith is an all-encompassing one that recognizes the commonalities between all religions, so Baháʼí believes that all faiths have common spiritual goals too, especially since religions are ever-evolving.

World Religion Day  timeline

1800s The Baha`i Faith is Established

In Persia, around 1844, the Bahá'í Faith is established by a mix of people from Christian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian religious roots.

1949 World Peace Through World Religion

The first event takes place in Portland, Maine, to establish the foundation of World Religion Day.

1950 World Religion Day is First Observed

As World Peace Through World Religion begins to spread across the U.S., the celebration morphs into World Religion Day.

1957 Bahá'í Leadership Passes on to a Group

Rather than passing on from individual to individual, the death of Shoghi Effendi leads to the faith leadership passing to the Universal House of Justice.

World Religion Day FAQs

How many religions are there in the world?

Many scholars estimate that there are approximately 4,200 different active religions in the world today.

How many countries celebrate World Religion Day?

World Religion Day is currently celebrated in over 80 countries around the globe.

Which religion has the most adherents?

Christianity tops the list, with a whopping 2,3 billion. Next comes Islam with 1,8 billion. Third on the list are those unaffiliated with any particular religion, at 1,2 billion.

How to Observe World Religion Day

Attend an interfaith event

Engage with other religions

Try out a different religious experience

Many different organizations hold interfaith events on this day, where people can get together and hear about the beliefs and philosophies held by others of different faiths. These events are great spaces for eminent speakers, writers, and spiritual leaders to share openly about what they subscribe to, and why.

World Religion Day provides the perfect opportunity for people to step out of their individual bubbles and engage with the beliefs and spiritual ideologies of others. It’s about dialogue and the freedom to both express and listen; most importantly, it’s a time to learn from each other. This day reminds us that religion does not have to be a taboo subject, and everyone has a unique story to tell.

Religion is often inextricably linked with culture, so why not experience the best of both by attending a religious event of some sort, outside of your own? Whether it is going to a mosque or temple, or celebrating a religious festival you are not familiar with, it’s a great way to make inroads into different community groups and build relationships.

5 Facts About World Religions You May Not Know

You name it, there’s a patron saint for it

Wicca is not an ancient religion

Mormons have limited beverage options

The “Qur’an” mentions Jesus more than Muhammad

Hindus can also be atheists

In Catholicism, there is a patron saint for nearly everything, including coffee, beekeepers, and headaches.

Though it sounds like it would be ancient, considering its roots in European fertility cults, Wicca was introduced in the 1950s.

Mormons are forbidden from drinking beverages like tea, coffee, or alcohol; soda, however, seems to be okay.

Though this is not a popularity contest, the “Qur’an” apparently mentions Jesus Christ five times more than Muhammad.

While Hinduism is a polytheistic religion, it is also possible to be a practicing Hindu and an atheist — the moral and ethical code remains the same.

Why World Religion Day is Important

It purports to unite people

Interfaith harmony

A chance to experience something different

We love any day that seeks to bring people together, irrespective of differences, and this day fits the bill exactly. Whatever one’s religious beliefs and culture, the longing for acceptance and unity will be a fundamentally human one that unites us already.

World Religion Day offers people across the globe a chance to get to know others of different religions better, and seeks to foster a better understanding of religious differences through peaceful means such as dialogue.

The various interfaith and religious events organized by communities around the world are an exciting opportunity and opening for people to immerse themselves in spiritual experiences different from what they know. And so much of it is cultural that we see it as a win-win.

Source

[davidstanleytravel]

The Public Prosecutor's Office on Waterfortstraat in Punda, Willemstad, Curaçao, is the former Temple Emanu-El (1867) which ceased to be a synagogue in 1963.

[infiniteglitterfall]

Uggghhh, what is UP with Canada?!

In Vancouver, the Schara Tzedeck synagogue's windows were smashed on April 19th.

In Toronto on April 19, five windows at the Kehillat Shaarei Torah synagogue were smashed with a hammer.

In Toronto on April 26, someone set a sign on fire at Beth Tikvah Synagogue....

....And again on April 28.

In Toronto in May, Jewish community members started escorting a kid to school because he was being bullied by peers who told him, "We're going to do to you what Hamas did to Israel," pushed him, kicked him, threw stones at him, and told him, "we need to kill you." This had been going on for six months. (His family had gone to both the school and police repeatedly at this point and it had only escalated; the kids throwing stones at him on the way to school was new.)

In Toronto on May 17th, Kehillat Shaarei Torah's windows were smashed again.

On May 25th before dawn, two people shot at Bais Chaya Muska, a Jewish girls' school in Toronto.

On May 29th, in the middle of the night, someone shot at the Belz Yeshiva Ketana school in Montreal.

In Vancouver on May 30, someone poured fuel on the doors of the Schara Tzedeck synagogue, then firebombed them.

In an article on June 7, Rabbi Lisa Grushcow of Emanu-El-Beth Sholom synagogue in Montreal said people have yelled “Hitler was right!” and “Jew!” at her congregants as they arrive for Shabbat services and that Jewish kids are being bullied in local schools.

On June 1 in Toronto, a man smashed the window of the Anshei Minsk synagogue with a rock.

On June 3 in Kitchener, someone smashed the front door of Beth Jacob synagogue.

On June 19th in Montreal, three small bullet-like holes were somehow made in the windows of Falafel Yoni. (I don't know, all the articles go out of their way to say they don't know WHAT made the holes.) Falafel Yoni is owned by a Jewish man who was born in Israel, and has appeared on boycott lists despite the owner never having said anything political about Israel.

On the same day, down the street from Falafel Yoni, someone smashed the windows of a nearby gym whose co-owner is Jewish and had also been born in Israel.

On June 30 in Toronto, someone threw stones at the Pride of Israel synagogue, then at Kehillat Shaarei Torah, smashing windows (again) in the latter.

On the weekend of July 27th, a father and son in Toronto were arrested for planning a terrorist attack and murder on behalf of ISIL, which is wild.

On July 29th, someone torched a bus belonging to the Bobov Hassidic school in Toronto.

And smashed the windows of a DIFFERENT Jewish school in Toronto, Leo Baeck Jewish Day School, and set it on fire.

On July 31 in Toronto, guess which synagogue had three signs set on fire? That's right: Kehillat Shaarei Torah.

Plus one sign set afire at Toronto's Temple Sinai Congregation the same night, presumably by the same arsonist, who might even have been the stone-hurler of June 30.

There are probably ones I missed. Just putting this list together took like three hours, though. I kept having to go, "Wait, surely that can't be the same synagogue AGAIN" and "they only mention the closest major intersection, which one was this?!" and "that can't be a different one, how many windows did they smash??" and go look for more sources. Plus a couple of articles were giving conflicting dates for one of the incidents.

And nobody ever gives actual dates, they just say shit like, "Blah blah blah was reported Monday...." so I have to look at the article date and then look at a damn calendar.

I went back as far as April because everything I found was referring to earlier incidents. Back to April. February and March were relatively quiet, at least in the news. Although interestingly, February is when the most hate crimes in Toronto had been reported, at least as of ... oh, I see.

As of March.

On the bright side, I did discover that Kehillat Shaarei Torah consistently has great jokes on its sign.

[angryjewishcockroach]

These are the three menorahs that we own that we did not light this year (but we did display them).

The first one is an artsy menorah that I'm pretty sure we got at the same time as our oil one. It is very much not my style and has never been. We've never used it, likely because my mom doesn't want to bother with having to clean out the wax from various places, which I get.

The second one is Synagogues of Europe by artist Maude Weisser. The plaque on it says it was made in 1995, but I'm not sure when/where we bought it. As you can see, it hasn't survived previous lightings very well, which is why we didn't light it or the next one.

The synagogues depicted are (from right to left):

Prague, Czechoslovakia: The Altneuschul or "Old-New Synagogue" (c.1280)

Toledo, Spain: Santa Maria La Blanca Synagogue (c. 1200)

Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia: The Dubrovnik Synagogue was built in the 17th century

Cracow, Poland: The Rema Synagogue (c. 1550)

Vilna, Poland: This gate is located at the entrance to the Shulhof on Jews' Street in the Jewish Quarter of Vila.

Lutsk, Poland: The Lutsh Fortress Synagogue (c. 1626)

Zabludow, Poland: The Zabludow Synagogue (c. 1756)

Budapest, Hungary: The Synagogue in Obuda (1820)

Florence, Italy: Tiempo Israelitico, completed (1882)

The third one is Synagogues of North America, also by artist Maude Weisser. This one has a little plaque that says it was designed in 1997, but we got it two summers ago at the Touro Synagogue (the synagogue on the far right), the first purpose-built synagogue in the United States, in Newport, Rhode Island, where the artist herself was working (!!!).

The synagogues depicted are (from right to left):

Newport, Rhode Island: Touro Synagogue (dedicated 1763)

New York City: Temple Emanu-El (built in 1929)

New York City: B'nai Jeshurun (consecrated in 1827)

Elkins Park, Pennsylvania: Beth Shalom (built in 1959; designed by Frank Lloyd Wright)

San Fransisco, California: Shearith Israel (built in 1854)

Cincinnati, Ohio: Congregation B'nai Jeshurun (built in 1848)

Boston, Massachusetts: The Vilna Shul (built in 1919)

Chicago, Illinois: Kehilat Anshei Ma'Arav (built in 1891)

Charleston, South Carolina: Beth Elohim (built in 1840)

Bonus: a shot of all our menorahs because seven nights’ worth of candles is too pretty not to share:

[mariacallous]

After stepping down as chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary in the spring of 2020, Arnold Eisen found himself with the time and motivation to think about a big question he’d long put off as the leader of the Conservative movement’s flagship university and, before that, as a professor of Jewish culture and religion at Stanford University. 

“When my friends asked, ‘Arnie, why is it that you have faith and we don’t?’ — I tried to figure out what experiences in my life made me open to the possibility of faith,” he said last week.

He answers their question in a new book, “Seeking the Hiding God: A Personal Theological Essay,” in which Eisen describes what he believes about a God whom he acknowledges to be elusive, if not unknowable. 

The book is a professional departure for Eisen, whose previous books examined the interior lives of American Jews and and the classics of modern Jewish thought with the forensic gaze of an academic. It is also a personal departure for an observant Jew who nonetheless shared the American Jewish allergy to what he calls “fervent God-talk.” 

“I was writing scholarship about other people’s Jewish thought for something like 40 years, but I always somehow avoided, as many scholars do, facing the questions of what I actually believe,” said Eisen.

Begun during the COVID lockdown and finished after Hamas’ 2023 attack on Israel, the book synthesizes the thoughts of some of Eisen’s intellectual heroes, including the Conservative movement theologian Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and the German-Israeli philosopher Martin Buber. 

From Heschel he learns that Judaism is a call to action; from Buber, that miracles aren’t evidence of the supernatural, but an invitation to “abide in the astonishment” of creation. In our interview, Eisen said his aim is not to prove to the reader that God exists or that God is good, but to offer one Jewish believer’s account of how Judaism makes sense of the world. 

Eisen grew up in suburban Philadelphia, where his family attended the Conservative synagogue Temple Emanu-El. “I had my mother lighting candles every Friday night. I had my father saying the priestly benediction, putting his hands on my head and crying,” he recalled. Those powerful emotional bonds, he said, shape his theology. ”These memories sustain me. Not every one of us has that. One can come to God and Jewish tradition or any religious tradition later in life, but it makes it easier to have this kind of background.”

Eisen earned a B.A. in religious thought from the University of Pennsylvania, a BPhil in the sociology of religion at Oxford University, and his PhD in the history of Jewish thought from Hebrew University. 

Prior to becoming JTS chancellor in 2007 — the first non-rabbi in the role — he served on the faculties of Stanford, Tel Aviv and Columbia universities. He remains a full-time member of the JTS faculty.

The book, he said, is also meant to close the gap between the academy and everyday life.  

“I wanted to give an account of what this Jew believes at this point in his life, and hope that that will be meaningful to my readers and will engage them in the project of thinking about this for themselves,” said Eisen, 73. 

Our conversation was edited for length and clarity. 

You are a scholar of American Judaism and the history of Jewish thought, and for 10 years you were a chancellor of a university, albeit one that also ordains rabbis. Why did you feel the need to write a book of theology?

When I was chancellor of JTS, working six long days a week, I had every excuse in the world to avoid this. But I recognized, even before I stopped, that the first project I wanted to take on when I stopped being chancellor was this. I wanted to try to do an account of what I myself believed about God. 

And then I had a sabbatical year off, and it turned out to be the COVID year, and it was also the year I was about to turn 70. So there was this confluence of circumstances that led me to sit down and think hard and reflect. 

I am going to ask you something that may be unfair, but I am thinking of an old radio program, “This I Believe,” where guests had to lay out their philosophies in five minutes. Do you have the elevator pitch version of your theology? 

I don’t have that pitch, but let me start with the title: ”Seeking the Hiding God.” When I say the hiding God, the dominant theological issue in Jewish life for the last couple generations has been the Holocaust, and one of the major theological responses to the Holocaust is what we call [in Hebrew] “hester panim,” the hiding of God’s countenance, which is a phrase from the end of the book of Deuteronomy. And some Jewish thinkers apply this not only to reactions to tragedy, but, for example, to the condition of modern life. Martin Buber writes a book called “Eclipse of God.” Or the Orthodox thinker Eliezer Berkowitz, who says that this is a permanent condition of human life: that if God was so close to us that we could grab God at every opportunity, there wouldn’t be room for us to be free human beings with initiative in action and thought. So God needs to be far away, as it were, for us to be who God wants us to be. 

I had the sense for a long time that if I was really a better person or more devoted to my Judaism, or spent more time in prayer, or more time thinking about God, that I would be granted a much more robust set of religious experiences, and I would be much more certain about this God that our tradition teaches us can be encountered. And what I came to recognize is that my sporadic, momentary, ephemeral encounters with God were far more typical than not, and that many Jewish thinkers testify that this is precisely the kind of experiences that they’ve had as well. 

That’s the “hiding part.” But you also write in the book that if God’s countenance is hidden, God’s intentions are not. You write how Buber said that human beings cannot know when or how God acts to punish or reward, but they can heed the prophets who said they should pursue “righteousness and loving-kindness to the maximum extent possible under the circumstances.”

If there’s a mantra in the book, it’s Deuteronomy 29:28: The mysteries belong to God, but the revealed things are given to us and to our children to live a life of mitzvah, and we can have this good life. 

In that regard, a word that keeps coming up in your book is “action,” and how human action is key to bringing out redemption, or realizing love in the world, or righting injustice. That seems key to your theology. 

Central, absolutely central. I can’t imagine belief in God is meant for us to secrete ourselves away and to meditate and contemplate our own enlightenment. That’s not what this tradition says. I’m a child of the ’60s, and I saw that political action and social activism made a difference for good in the world. And in Heschel I had in front of me this personal example, even before I met him: I’d read his books and admired his work, and then I got to meet him, and he just left me convinced that that piety does not stop in the synagogue. You have this famous paragraph in his book “God in Search of Man” in which he writes that Judaism doesn’t take a leap of faith. It takes a leap of action. And that paragraph means everything to me. 

I think many Jews appreciate action — home rituals like the Passover seder, or acts of loving-kindness or social action expressed as tikkun olam — but don’t understand the point of prayer. I know it’s a vast question, but what do you think is happening when you are in prayer?

I can say that for me, there isn’t only one thing that’s happening, and it doesn’t always happen. Prayer in Judaism is not just petition, which is what the English word sounds like. It’s not just asking for things. It could be saying thank you, or saying hello, or “here I am, God, I’m happy you’re in my life,” or “I’m sorry.” And for me, the hope is to have a sense of being fully myself. I’m trying my best to stand before God, even when it’s really hard to imagine this God that I want to stand before. I’m really standing before myself and that which is most precious to me in the world, and trying to use my time in the world well, and stepping aside from all the distractions of normal life and focusing inwards. And by focusing inward, you somehow connect to God.

But what I should declare in this moment, since you asked in this direct way, is that unlike some Jewish thinkers like Mordecai Kaplan [the founder of the Reconstructionist movement], who did not believe in a God who can hear prayer, I’m much more open-minded about this. I would not have the chutzpah to make a declaration about what God can and cannot do. I think Kaplan was anachronistic there and that you can’t say what any modern person can believe. And I testify in the book that I myself have had experiences where I feel my prayers have been answered. What that means from God’s side, I don’t know. 

I know lots of people who can’t bring themselves to engage in anything like what we call prayer, because they can’t tell it to their minds, and so they don’t try. And what a shame that is. Because if one opens oneself to this possibility of encounter with the divine, the transcendent, whatever you want to call it, then it may happen. 

You write that when you teach American college students about Buber and Heschel, they ask “why these thinkers needed to talk about God so much when what they really cared about was ethics.” It’s the classic question: Can’t you be good without God, and what does belief in a supreme being add to the equation? 

Yes, one could have a good life without God. And yes, one does not have to be a Jew to have a good life or whatever afterlife is promised to us. But if this is an eternal human search, and if you can have the grace of encounter with God — if that is possible, why would you possibly want to live without that? I’m not preaching to anybody. But what I am saying, in all humility, is that I cannot imagine my life without the Torah and without the quest for God or the Sabbath any more than I could imagine my life without my wife and my kids and my good friends — without love. It’s just part of the basic operating equipment that makes me the person I am. The great theologian Franz Rosenzweig taught that we’re not here to prove anything. We’re here to testify. 

I want to ask you to put on your institutional hat for a second, and ask from that perspective why so many American Jews might be resistant to the transcendent. According to Pew, U.S. Jews are far less likely than the public overall to say that religion is important in their lives. You write in your book, “Jews engage in sustained or fervent God-talk much less than Americans of other faiths.” As someone who was in the business of training rabbis for 10 years, do you see that as a failure of the synagogue or other institutions?

Because of my background in modern religion in general and in modernization, and my studies of sociological theory and sociology of religion, I’m acutely aware of how difficult faith is in the modern world, and especially for Jews in America, where we are such a distinct minority. And if you’re a Jew, you’re exposed to this dominant secular language on the one hand, and Christian language on the other hand, which is, chances are good, evangelical or fundamentalist. And the Jewish language you hear from other Jews is a very ultra-Orthodox language, which may not suit you, and you may become convinced that that’s the only language there is. So we have failed them, yes, but the culture is such that it makes it really hard not to fail.

I had the experience again this past weekend speaking at a synagogue in San Diego, and having to tell committed Jews that the theology which says God is responsible for everything that happens in the world is by far not the only Jewish theology there is. One does not have to believe that the Holocaust happened with God’s acquiescence, let alone with God’s active participation. And [the audience] was simply not aware of all these options. They’ve never been exposed to them, not as adults and not back in Hebrew school. That, to me, that’s tragic.

I want to ask specifically about the Conservative movement, because you headed one of its flagship institutions. First, is there something capital-C Conservative about your theology?

No, I didn’t write the book denominationally. I am a lifelong Conservative Jew, and my theology is certainly compatible with that. But I am a Jew first and foremost, and the dominant resources in my book are the Torah and the siddur and the rabbis of old, and modern Jewish thought of all stripes. There’s [Modern Orthodox Rabbi Joseph] Soloveitchik is in this book, along with Heschel, and [Reform Jewish philosopher Emil] Fackenheim, Kaplan. Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist. It’s not a Conservative book.

More and more, we may affiliate with a particular synagogue, but we’re not necessarily in our thinking denominational. I cannot be ultra-Orthodox because I’m an egalitarian Jew, but beyond that, there’s meaning to be found in every single denomination.

The other question I want to ask about the Conservative movement is its relevance. In sheer size, influence and market share it is not the central movement it was a generation or more ago. In what ways did you confront this challenge as chancellor, what changes did you hope to bring about, and did some of that thinking have anything to do with the ideas in the book?

Let’s understand what conditions fostered the growth of Conservative Judaism in the ’30s through the ’60s, which were sociological and economic and political. This was the right movement with the right message for the time. And then I think the movement made two key innovations — the first, of course, being egalitarianism regarding women, and the second, which I had a direct role in, which was opening itself up to LGBTQ individuals in a full way. Had we not done either of those things, the movement would not be even as successful as it is today. It would not be a live movement. 

But these are very difficult times, and I think that we’re not doing so badly. Yes, the number of people who say “I’m a Conservative Jew” is much less than it used to be. I think that is primarily because Conservative rabbis will not perform intermarriages, and if you can’t have a Conservative rabbi [officiate] your wedding and you’re intermarried or the child of an intermarriage, you’re not going to say, “I’m a Conservative Jew.” But the membership statistics [as opposed to self-identity] are not that bad. The Reform movement is several percentage points above Conservative, Modern Orthodoxy is still around 3 to 4%, which means it’s not growing by leaps and bounds, and ultra-Orthodoxy is growing, yes, but only by virtue of birth rate. So we in America have a problem. All of us have a problem. Yes, the middle is shrinking, but Judaism is shrinking and religion is shrinking. If less than 40% of American Jews are affiliated with anything Jewish, where are we with this community? How can we be a stronger community? How do we get people in the door? This is our problem. 

So since you wrote a book about theology, not institutional reform, I want to ask how your ideas about God and practice and action might address the questions you just posed. 

When it comes to what you do with the people when they’re in the door, I have strong opinions, and they are directly related to the book. The Yom Kippur chapter, for example, explains how, on the one hand, I love Yom Kippur. I love the music. I love the liturgy. I love the experience of 25 hours with my community. And yet I can’t stand a lot of the liturgy. I disagree profoundly with the leading theme. I don’t think God is there deciding who lives for another year and who doesn’t, and that’s the central theme of the day. 

So how can you have a congregation which gets together for 25 hours without giving people the chance to sit around small tables, when they’re most open, perhaps most thoughtful, and discuss honestly with one another what they actually believe about these things? I urge every single rabbinical student I come in contact with, do not do the Unetaneh Tokef prayer [“who shall live, and who shall die…”] without contextualizing it. Do not let people believe that if they walk out of synagogue and get hit by a car, God has decided to get them hit by a car. 

The final thing I’d say about this is that we’re in a difficult time. Because of AI, people are going to lose their jobs, and people who have jobs are going to be [doing something] completely different than they were before. And it’s scary because of climate change: The catastrophe is imminent, and at some level, we all know this. The Hamas attack on Oct. 7 made tragedy and fear visceral for many Jews, and some of them flocked back to Jewish communities. They want contact with their tradition. They’re looking for meaning. It’s a moment of crisis, but it’s a moment of great opportunity, and we just need to be creative. 

There are dozens of really skillful clergy and educators in this country who are doing this all the time, and it can be done. It’s just not widespread enough. We’re not always as creative as we could be, but I’m convinced that the possibilities are there now. 

I wanted to ask about Israel: How does it fit into your theology? You write that “God is counting on human beings to write the next chapter of history,” which would suggest that you find it difficult to believe that Israel’s creation and its well-being are in the hands of a God who intervenes in history. 

Israel is crucial to my Judaism, but it’s not because God is doing this. I don’t know what God is doing there. I pray that it will turn out to be the beginning of the flowering of our redemption. But who knows? 

My teacher David Hartman [the late Israeli-American philosopher] taught me and many other people that the theological model for Israel is not Exodus, where God split the Red Sea, but Sinai, where what is important is that Jews try to live up to the responsibilities of the Covenant, and that they translate the ethical principles pronounced in the 10 Commandments. Israel opens up new possibilities for covenant. What can we do now that we’re a majority responsible for non-Jews as well as for Jews, Jewish healthcare policy, Jewish foreign policy, Jewish educational policy, etc.? It’s a great opportunity to see what mitzvah can mean in the modern world. In a place where Jews have a majority, it’s not about God intervening in history.

My last question is going to be the classic one that I think everyone who tackles theology has to talk about, which is your views of the afterlife. Do you believe in one, and how does death figure into your thinking about God and your purpose in life? 

I can’t be like Moses Mendelssohn in the 18th century, the great Jewish thinker, and prove to you logically that there’s an afterlife where the good are rewarded and the evil are punished. I can’t do that, but what I can do is witness to the kind of faith that I’ve managed to acquire, which holds out the possibility that death is not the end of everything. Genesis teaches that Sarah’s life continues with her children, and Jacob’s life continues with his children. And I certainly think that’s true, but it’s not only in children, and it’s not only in students, and it’s not only in the legacy we leave behind us. It could well be that there’s some immortality for the person. 

When I was at Stanford and the Dalai Lama came to speak, I was really struck by the fact that he fervently believes that our beings do not cease to be when we die. So we’re in good company. I think that we should not give up on this, and that theologians, if they can encourage this kind of hope, they should, and that’s what I try to do in the book.

[have-you-been-here]

Temple Emanu-El, New York City, New York, USA (the largest synagogue in the USA!)

[arag0ns]

A while ago, I made a post to help spread the link so people could donate to the Montana Jewish Project to buy back Temple Emanu-El. Which was successful! Yay!

But now they need to raise some money again! This time, its to fund a new roof for the building! They are asking for $100,000 by October 15 this year. I have added a link to their own fundraising site so anyone who can spare a few dollars can chip in too. Lets help again some more!

[coltonwbrown]

Temple Emanu-el on East 65th Street, New York City and its spectacular Hildreth Meière–designed mosaics.

Source

[dondarfsnowbonk]

From the MJP's website:

We Did It!

On August 25, 2022, the Montana Jewish Project closed on the Temple Emanu-El building returning the building to Jewish hands for the first time in 87 years.

The past months have sometimes felt like pushing a boulder up a mountain trail. Without the incredible community support we received, MJP would not be reclaiming this building. Every dollar donated, every collection raised from a synagogue or church, every fundraiser held in MJP’s honor brought this, every volunteer hour, and every email sharing hope and ideas helped bring us to this joyful day.

Help a Jewish Community Buy Back Its Own Damn Synagogue!

Firsty, thank you for reading this, and I hope you’ll get through it and give us the honor of a donation, firstly, and a reblog, secondly. Maybe even a note to any friends you have outside of tumblr! 

If you don’t care about the history, skip to the bold at the end! 

This is Temple Emanu-El, in Helena, Montana. At the time it was built, it was the only synagogue between Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Portland, Oregon. It was built with the hard work of the Jewish community that had come west to seek their fortune and stability, having heard that people were more willing to do business with Jews in the West, a place where social strictures were slightly relaxed. This turned out to be true, and the community thrived. 

This picture resolves small on tumblr, but you can see the love and care they put into it. It’s modeled after the great synagogues of Europe, with heavy stonework, onion domes, and intricate stained glass. The president of the congregation cried at its opening and dedication. 

As the years went on, the West became more settled, and for a series of socio-political reasons of which my History of the American West major ass is well aware but are ultimately unimportant to the issue at hand, Jewish communities left much of the interior west for metropolitan areas. By the 1930s, the Jewish community was so small that they could not justify the large and lavish worship center. 

They sold it to the city for one dollar. 

The promise made to them was that it would be used for the public good. The state readied the former temple for its new function as offices for Social and Rehabilitation Services, sandblasting of the Hebrew inscription, “Gate to the Eternal,” above the entry and removing the star-studded, painted domes.. The copper was stripped from the building and likely reused to re-clad the State Capitol’s dome at about the same time. 

That lasted all of 40 years, when the State of Montana decided to let it sit idle and decay, so they could justify the sale of the building, sold for a pittance to the public good, to the Helena Catholic Diocese for $83,000  (this is an opinion of mine, though it is not an uneducated one, and I do firmly believe it. I do not, however, represent that they allowed it to fall into disrepair to justify the sale as objective fact.) 

This is the building now

In a twist of fate, the diocese can no longer afford to maintain the building. They are selling it, and the Jewish community of Helena is trying to buy it. 

The Montana Jewish Project is being far far far nicer and more politic about this than I would be, but in fairness, they actually how to get Nice Goyim to donate, and I don’t, so. The Diocese is spinning this as selling the building for much less than its worth, which may be true, but if you bought it for $83,000, that would be $280,000 now. 

They are selling it for $925,000. And we have to have 70% of the purchase price by February 28th. Easy terms, right? 

Here’s where you come in! If the idea of Montana’s Jews getting back the building that was sold to the Diocese in spite of the original agreement appeals to you, you can and should donate to their capital campaign. They even have an option for your donation where if we don’t get Emanu-El back, your money will be returned to you instead of being used for other MJP protects and repairs. 

This place won’t just be used for the Jewish community, though I think that would be enough. They want it to be used as a museum and center for the community as well, to teach about Jewish life in Montana, with Jewish cooking classes, and social programs, and teaching non-Jews about Jewish customs and culture. 

I just want to get the cross off the top.

Donate here

[newyorkthegoldenage]

Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, April 3, 1921.

The 42nd St. Library is on the left; beyond and across the street is Temple Emanu-El.

Photo: Arthur Hosking via MCNY

[ajl1963]

Deco Doings - April, 2024

Spring by William Welsh, 1930. Image from Pinterest. Here are some wonderful Art Deco events to enjoy this April. Bard Graduate Center Sonia Delauney: Living Art (In Person Exhibit)      February 23, 2024 – July 7, 2024, 18 West 86th Street, New York, NY      Center Hours: Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM; Thursday – Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Box, 1913. Oil on wood. 20…

[rabbitcruiser]

World Religion Day  

World Religion Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in January every year, and is a reminder of the need for harmony and understanding between religions and faith systems. On this day, communities of different faiths have the opportunity to get together and listen to each other, as well as celebrate the differences and commonalities that the delicate intermingling of culture and religion brings. There are approximately 4,200 religions around the world. While many people live their lives without religion, faith in a higher being or power works for the majority of people. Whatever the reasons, we are all for the idea of people being unified despite differences, and celebrating them.

History of World Religion Day

The first official observance of World Religion Day (as it is known today), was in 1950, but the concept began a few years prior to that. In Portland, Maine, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’í Faith hosted a talk in Eastland Park Hotel in October 1947, culminating in the decision to observe an annual event, then known as World Peace Through World Religion. By 1949, the event began to be observed in other parts of the U.S. and grew more popular. By 1950, it came to be known as World Religion Day. On this day, at various different locations, many authors, educators, and philosophers are invited to speak on world religions and the importance of establishing and maintaining harmony between them. It’s a great forum for learning more about other religions and cultures too, and a chance to intermingle socially with people of different faiths and worldviews.

Since this concept was the brainchild of people from the Bahá’í Faith, it is worth exploring what this faith is and tracing its historical roots. As a religion, Bahá’í first emerged in Persia (modern-day Iran), in the 1800s. There are three core principles of this faith — unity of God, unity of religion, and unity of all mankind. It is a monotheistic faith, believing in a single god, and that the spiritual aspects of all religions in this world stem from this single god. Another central tenet is the belief in the innate equality of all human beings. Thus, all humans have the same rights and responsibilities. If you look at it, the Bahá’í Faith is an all-encompassing one that recognizes the commonalities between all religions, so Baháʼí believes that all faiths have common spiritual goals too, especially since religions are ever-evolving.

World Religion Day  timeline

1800s The Baha`i Faith is Established

In Persia, around 1844, the Bahá'í Faith is established by a mix of people from Christian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian religious roots.

1949 World Peace Through World Religion

The first event takes place in Portland, Maine, to establish the foundation of World Religion Day.

1950 World Religion Day is First Observed

As World Peace Through World Religion begins to spread across the U.S., the celebration morphs into World Religion Day.

1957 Bahá'í Leadership Passes on to a Group

Rather than passing on from individual to individual, the death of Shoghi Effendi leads to the faith leadership passing to the Universal House of Justice.

World Religion Day FAQs

How many religions are there in the world?

Many scholars estimate that there are approximately 4,200 different active religions in the world today.

How many countries celebrate World Religion Day?

World Religion Day is currently celebrated in over 80 countries around the globe.

Which religion has the most adherents?

Christianity tops the list, with a whopping 2,3 billion. Next comes Islam with 1,8 billion. Third on the list are those unaffiliated with any particular religion, at 1,2 billion.

How to Observe World Religion Day

Attend an interfaith event

Engage with other religions

Try out a different religious experience

Many different organizations hold interfaith events on this day, where people can get together and hear about the beliefs and philosophies held by others of different faiths. These events are great spaces for eminent speakers, writers, and spiritual leaders to share openly about what they subscribe to, and why.

World Religion Day provides the perfect opportunity for people to step out of their individual bubbles and engage with the beliefs and spiritual ideologies of others. It’s about dialogue and the freedom to both express and listen; most importantly, it’s a time to learn from each other. This day reminds us that religion does not have to be a taboo subject, and everyone has a unique story to tell.

Religion is often inextricably linked with culture, so why not experience the best of both by attending a religious event of some sort, outside of your own? Whether it is going to a mosque or temple, or celebrating a religious festival you are not familiar with, it’s a great way to make inroads into different community groups and build relationships.

5 Facts About World Religions You May Not Know

You name it, there’s a patron saint for it

Wicca is not an ancient religion

Mormons have limited beverage options

The “Qur’an” mentions Jesus more than Muhammad

Hindus can also be atheists

In Catholicism, there is a patron saint for nearly everything, including coffee, beekeepers, and headaches.

Though it sounds like it would be ancient, considering its roots in European fertility cults, Wicca was introduced in the 1950s.

Mormons are forbidden from drinking beverages like tea, coffee, or alcohol; soda, however, seems to be okay.

Though this is not a popularity contest, the “Qur’an” apparently mentions Jesus Christ five times more than Muhammad.

While Hinduism is a polytheistic religion, it is also possible to be a practicing Hindu and an atheist — the moral and ethical code remains the same.

Why World Religion Day is Important

It purports to unite people

Interfaith harmony

A chance to experience something different

We love any day that seeks to bring people together, irrespective of differences, and this day fits the bill exactly. Whatever one’s religious beliefs and culture, the longing for acceptance and unity will be a fundamentally human one that unites us already.

World Religion Day offers people across the globe a chance to get to know others of different religions better, and seeks to foster a better understanding of religious differences through peaceful means such as dialogue.

The various interfaith and religious events organized by communities around the world are an exciting opportunity and opening for people to immerse themselves in spiritual experiences different from what they know. And so much of it is cultural that we see it as a win-win.

Source

[whavradio]

Temple Emanu-El Members Vote to Approve Selling Main Street, Haverhill, Building

Methuen’s Christian Family Center seeks to buy the building that houses Haverhill’s Temple Emanu-El on Main Street. Temple President Jennifer Lampron formally notified members in an email Thursday and asked for support to cover any contingencies that may arise as the proposed buyer continues building inspections. Lampron told WHAV last August, the congregation has been aging and many members lost…

[lboogie1906]

Nestor Miguel Torres (born April 25, 1957) a virtuoso technician Classical, jazz, and composer was born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico to Nestor Torres Sr., pianist and vibraphone, and Ana E. Salcedo Baldovino-Torres. He skipped two grades, began flute studies at 12, and began studies at Interamerican University. He took classes at the New England Conservatory of Music. He received a BSM from Berklee College of Music at the age of 16. He received an Artist Diploma from the Mannes School of Music.

He performed with the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra and the New World Symphony. He appeared in Cachao: Como su ritmo no hay dos. He released the album, Burning Whispers, which sold more than 50,000 copies.

He married Patricia San Pedro (2002). He was a central attraction at Connecticut’s Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz. Mayor Eddie Perez proclaimed August 19, 2004, as “Nestor Torres Day” with two concerts at Hartford’s Keney Park and Arch Street Tavern.

He played at the World Music Concert during One World Week at the University of Warwick. At the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, he was nominated for “Best Latin Jazz Album Nouveau Latino.

He played at the Herbst Theatre in the San Francisco Civic Center where he performed “Tango Meets Jazz.” He performed at the 21st Central American and Caribbean Games in Mayagüez, Puerto and presented his composition “Saint Peter’s Prayer” for the Dalai Lama at Miami Beach’s Temple Emanu-El. He became the founding director of the Florida International University’s first charanga ensemble, made up of winds, strings, and percussion instruments used to perform traditional and modern versions of folk music from the Caribbean and especially Cuba.

He premiered his composition “Successors” for the concert, “Voices of the Future ” performed with the Miami Children’s Chorus at the New World Center on Miami Beach. In 2017, he released his first album of Latin American classical flute music, Del Caribe, Soy!

His music is a crossover fusion of Latin, Classical, Jazz, and Pop sounds. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence