Judaism

Fire Breaks Out at New York Cathedral

December 19, 2001

Source: Newsday

On December 19, 2001, Newsday reported that a "fire that swept through the gift shop of the world's largest Gothic cathedral," the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York. "From its inception, the cathedral was chartered not just as the mother church of the Episcopal Diocese of New York but as a house of prayer whose bronze doors were open to all people... Indeed, in recent years, sermons have been delivered by rabbis, Zen Buddhists and African animists. The Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, retired U.S. Army Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf...

Read more about Fire Breaks Out at New York Cathedral

Holiday Season in the Workplace

December 18, 2001

Source: The Providence Journal

http ://p rojo.com/cgi-bin/story.pl/opinion/06719201.htm

On December 18, 2001, The Providence Journal featured an editorial on holidays in the workplace. "Many bosses decide, with a wink and a nod, to recast their Christmas parties as 'holiday' parties, but then still decorate in green and red and play Christmas carols. Such watering-down seems to work. The Christians can see their tradition in abstract form, and non-Christians find it less directly offensive. But it's not a real solution......

Read more about Holiday Season in the Workplace

Editorial: "Workplace understanding without 'Secret Santas'"

December 18, 2001

Source: The Providence Journal

http://projo.com/cgi-bin/story.pl/opinion/06719201.htm

On December 18, 2001, The Providence Journal featured an opinion piece by Dr. Doug Hicks "Workplace understanding without 'Secret Santas.'" It began: "The best debates about religious diversity take place beside the water cooler in the December-holiday season at the office." Further, "September's terror has forced Americans to take a fresh look at themselves. They have discovered...

Read more about Editorial: "Workplace understanding without 'Secret Santas'"

Religious Holidays at the White House

December 17, 2001

Source: The New York Times

On December 17, 2001, The New York Times reported that "there is a creche in the East Room of the White House this year, as there has been every December since... 1967. But last week there was also a Hanukkah party with a kosher buffet among the glittering forest of White House Christmas trees, and last month there was the first iftar dinner held in the Executive Mansion, complete with fresh dates and Muslim prayers, to break the daily fast during Ramadan... The many gods in American life are alive and well at the White House,...

Read more about Religious Holidays at the White House

Interfaith Talks Take New Dimensions in Seattle

December 16, 2001

Source: The Seattle Times

On December 16, 2001, The Seattle Times reported that, in Seattle, "two Christian pastors, a Jewish rabbi and a Muslim layman talked about how people of different faiths can learn to trust each other in these troubled times... In the aftermath of Sept. 11, interfaith groups -- especially those featuring Jews, Christians and Muslims -- are finding a renewed sense of purpose. Though Christian-Jewish dialogues have taken place for decades in Seattle, it has only been in recent years -- and especially since Sept. 11 -- that such groups...

Read more about Interfaith Talks Take New Dimensions in Seattle

Documentary Tackles Struggle of Gay Orthodox Jews

December 14, 2001

Source: The Boston Globe

On December 14, 2001, The Boston Globe featured a movie review of the documentary "Trembling Before G_d" which documents the struggles of "gay men and lesbians who want to practice Orthodox Judaism." The review reported that "the director [of the film], himself a gay Orthodox Jew, travelled to cities around the world to interview his subjects... The rigidity of many of the rabbis interviewed is balanced by the presence of the openly gay Orthodox rabbi Steve Greenberg, who offers a more progressive, but no less scholarly,...

Read more about Documentary Tackles Struggle of Gay Orthodox Jews

FBI Uncovers Plot to Bomb Mosque and Congressman's Office

December 14, 2001

Source: Los Angeles Times

On December 14, 2001, The Los Angeles Times reported, "At Mosque, Relief and Thanks." While members of the King Fahd mosque community were feeling "gratitude," the alleged bomb plot "also set off another round of acrimony between Muslim and Jewish organizations." The article reported that "The Muslim Public Affairs Council called on the Justice Department to freeze the JDL's assets, just as federal authorities recently shut down the Holy Land Foundation" and "the Council on American-Islamic Relations [CAIR] demanded that the Anti-...

Read more about FBI Uncovers Plot to Bomb Mosque and Congressman's Office

Connecticut School Board Addresses Celebration of Religious Holidays

December 14, 2001

Source: The Hartford Courant

On December 14, 2001, The Hartford Courant reported that at a recent school board meeting in Coventry, CT, "parents were upset about the wording of a memo School Superintendent Michael Malinowski sent to principals. The memo urged them to be mindful of the separation of church and state. Malinowski sent the memo after discovering that a creche and a cross had been put up in the school system... In impassioned speeches, parents said that in striving to be politically correct, the school system is being intolerant by not exposing...

Read more about Connecticut School Board Addresses Celebration of Religious Holidays

Hate Group Distributes Anti-Semitic Literature

December 13, 2001

Source: The Boston Globe

On December 13, 2001, The Boston Globe reported that "for the third time in two months, Sharon [MA] residents found anti-Semitic literature from a West Virginia hate group thrown on their front yards... The papers blamed Jews for a recent anti-Catholic incident at the town's high school, and attacked Israel." The article also reported that similar literatures appeared recently in numerous other towns, including Weston and South Boston.

Kansas City Celebrates Pluralism

December 12, 2001

Source: The Kansas City Star

http://www.cres.org

On December 12, 2001, The Kansas City Star reported that "since Sept. 11, leaders in government - like those in schools, hospitals, media and business - want to be sure they are discharging their duties with particular sensitivity to religious concerns... As part of a recognition of pluralism in the [Kansas City] area, Jackson County Executive Katheryn J. Shields is developing a six-month calendar of community open houses scheduled by ethnic and faith...

Read more about Kansas City Celebrates Pluralism

FBI Uncovers Plot to Bomb Mosque and Congressman's Office

December 12, 2001

Source: The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/onpolitics/transcripts/issa_text121201.html

On December 12, 2001, The Washington Post published the full transcript of the press conference of Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) regarding the bombing plot. His statement read, in part: "Although this plot apparently involved members of the Jewish Defense League, I know that Jewish Americans, of which I have some of my colleagues with...

Read more about FBI Uncovers Plot to Bomb Mosque and Congressman's Office

Rocks Thrown at East Bay Mosque

December 11, 2001

Source: Contra Costa Times

http://www.contracostatimes.com/partners/ns/mosque_20011211.htm

On December 11, 2001, The Contra Costa Times reported, "Concord mosque attack probed as hate crime." The article noted, "Two men wearing dark hooded sweatshirts threw a total of two rocks through the front window of the Islamic Center of Contra Costa at 1:15 a.m. Sunday, said Concord police Lt. Dan Siri. No one was injured, though many parishioners were worshipping...

Read more about Rocks Thrown at East Bay Mosque

Rochester Interfaith Group to Visit "Ground Zero"

December 11, 2001

Source: The Democrat and Chronicle

http://www.rochesternews.com/1211story5.html

On December 11, 2001, The Democrat and Chronicle reported "Diverse area delegation on visit to ground zero." The article noted, "An interfaith delegation from Rochester will journey to New York City today. Approximately 50 participants -- representatives of the Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh communities -- will make the trip, hoping to reflect on the events of Sept. 11 and to solidify their...

Read more about Rochester Interfaith Group to Visit "Ground Zero"

Jewish Inmate in Ohio Allowed Beard

December 11, 2001

Source: The Plain Dealer

On December 11, 2001, The Plain Dealer reported that "an Ohio inmate may keep his flowing beard as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court's refusal yesterday to intervene in a challenge of state rules on prisoners' facial hair. The high court without comment let stand a 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling giving inmate Hbrandon Flagner, a Hasidic Jew, an exemption from Ohio's beard-length rule. The state argued that a decision in the Elyria native's favor could invite a flurry of lawsuits over prison grooming rules... Flagner, who...

Read more about Jewish Inmate in Ohio Allowed Beard

Pages