A new state law makes it easier for college students to take time off for religious holidays. Gov. Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5166 into law on Monday (April 29), making Washington the first state requiring that institutions of higher education provide academic accommodations to students who need them for religious observances. This includes rescheduling exams and permitting absences, as long as the student notifies the professor of the needed accommodation within the first two weeks of class. College p

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Talk about abundance! Come Passover, contemporary American Jews have no shortage of kosher-le-Pesach foodstuffs with which to fill their stomachs and sate their appetites. Their immigrant forebears, in contrast, had to make do with limited fare. Stories of deprivation, of subsisting on matzo and butter, or bananas and sour cream, once made the rounds: In my family, they were as much a part of the holiday lore as tales of the biblical Exodus. During the eight days of the festival, no one has to go hungry. K

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In a world plagued by polarization and xenophobia, this Brooklyn judge and his law clerk rule in favor of peaceful coexistence.Judge Noach Dear, an Orthodox Jew, and his court attorney Deema Azizi, a Syrian Muslim refugee, have been turning heads at the New York Supreme Court since they began working together two years ago.“When people see Deema for the first time, they always do a double take,” he said. “With the response, ‘What a combination, an Orthodox Jew with a Syrian Muslim woman — it’s unbelieva

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A new initiative called 2 for Seder has a catchy slogan: “Pushing back on anti-Semitism with love and matzah.” The premise: Invite two people who’ve never been to a Seder—non-Jews in particular—to come to yours, “with the intent of building bridges and creating understanding about our Jewish values,” in the words of its creator, Marnie Fienberg. Our texts and tradition are passionate about welcoming the stranger. “You shall love the stranger as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt,” Leviti

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When Michael Lezak imagined what his future as a rabbi might look like, he didn’t foresee a needle exchange or free HIV and hepatitis C testing next door to his office, or naloxone being administered at least once a week in his hallway to someone who has overdosed on heroin. Nor, for that matter, did he imagine that his office would be in a church. That church is Glide Memorial United Methodist Church. Founded by pastor emeritus Cecil Williams and his wife, Janice Mirikitani, Glide is located in the Tende

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coalition of faith groups is showing up at the state capitol every Tuesday and taking on two big tasks: Pushing legislators for policy that reflects their values and trying to redefine the political voice of the faithful in Colorado. At the launch of Faithful Tuesdays in February, prayers from a Reform rabbi and a Unitarian pastor caused the heads of those gathered to bow, and short sermon-style speeches from a Catholic priest and an African Methodist Episcopal layperson echoed around the grand halls on th

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Domineque Hakim Marcelle Ray wanted an imam by his side when he was executed. The Supreme Court said no.

Source: Opinion | Is Religious Freedom for Christians Only? - The New York Times

(RNS) — “We can make our communities safer ... our faith deeper and our middle class bigger and more prosperous than ever before,” President Trump said.

Source: Trump's State of the Union garners mixed reactions among faith groups - Religion News Service

Fifth grader Eden Cohen and her friend, Stella, sunk their shovels into a hole they were digging recently to plant a pomegranate tree at Coastal Roots Farm.

Original Source: Lexington Herald
Source: https://www.courant.com/sd-me-tubshvat-forest-festival-20190118-story.html

By now, most political followers are aware that the 116th Congress is the most diverse in history. It includes the first Native American women — Sharice Davids, D-Kan., and Debra

Source: Although Congress is still overwhelmingly Christian, it is changing [faith & values] | Food + Living | lancasteronline.com

It was passed the same day that the first two female Muslim congress members took office

Source: Congress Rule Change Allows Religious Headwear on House Floor | Time

WASHINGTON (RNS) — The incoming class of lawmakers is predominantly Christian, but several newcomers are expected to take the oath of office while placing their hands on books other than the Christian Bible.

Source: Study: New Congress showcases religious diversity but is still mostly Christian - Religion News Service

(RNS) — Scholars, faith leaders, activists and other experts predict what changes the American and global religious landscapes will see after the New Year.

Source: What's coming for religion in 2019? Here's what the experts predict. - Religion News Service

The eighth annual Jewish and Muslim Day of Community Service sent more than 1,000 people of all faiths to community centers across the St. Louis area to work on projects

Source: St. Louis Jews, Muslims give back, tell stories of shared values, histories on Christmas | Metro | stltoday.com