Tikkun Olam

Nice article about Julius Rosenwald, a Jewish philanthropist who built schools for black children in the American south in the early 20th century.

The article is occasioned by the release of a documentary movie about Rosenwald. Here's the trailer:

Orlando

This week brought another horrible mass shooting, this time at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The killer has been identified as a Muslim.

The New York Times story, with videos, can be found here.

Since the event there have been reports that the killer, though nominally Muslim, was in fact not religious. Although he claimed allegiance to ISIS (and, apparently, other, competing Islamic terrorist groups) his motivation seems to have been complex. He was violent, homophobic, possibly conflicted about his own sexuality.

See the Time magazine story, with more video, here.

In response, there have been interfaith expressions of sympathy and condolences for the victims' families, not the least from Muslims.

Another story with video, this one from Huffpo.

Of course there are some religious folk who use the incident as an opportunity to peddle hate in God's name.

Like this sicko. I wonder where he was radicalized.

The Southern Baptist Convention's response seems torn between sympathy and legalism...

I don't necessarily agree with the spin of this story, but the facts can be found in it nonetheless.

But many, perhaps most responses from religious groups have been supportive.

Read what happened when an Orthodox Jewish Congregation went to a gay bar.

Inforgraphic: Light Ceremonies in Many Religions

 The imagery of light plays an important role in many faiths. If you have trouble reading this infographic, scroll to the bottom and click "source."




Source

Shanah Tovah!

Source.

The High Holy Days

Rockford Rabbi Binah Wing explains Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur in this article.

Religous Dress

Nice article here about why some religious groups dress as they do.

There is no mention of the Mormon temple garments, however. Some women would like to have the temple garments redesigned.

They Tried to Kill Us (We Survived, Let's Eat)

Jewish humor from Jewmungous (Sean Altman). The video features the estimable Garth Kravitz as the rabbi!

Shema by Anna Brooks

Kind of sounds like Jewish praise music.

Blasphemy!

A funny, if blasphemous, scene from Monty Python's Life of Brian.

Sukkot Poem Video

From the Jewish Standard:

This captivating music video begins with all the sounds of the Hebrew alphabet and takes flight into a surreal rendition of the image-rich poetry and prayers recited on the Sukkot festival.

Vocal artist Victoria Hanna researches ancient sacred Hebrew texts and sets them to music that explores their mystical nature in combination with contemporary modes of communication and symbols. Her work reveals transcendental aspects of voice, text, and spatial perception, as well as an astonishing vocal range and timbre

Much of the inspiration for her current work comes from Jerusalem, where the overlapping of past and present, ancient and modern, lies at the city’s very core.

Her work presents sacred Hebrew texts, prayers and spirituals in a unique and utterly modern context integrating theatre, music, spoken word and video. 

Translation:

Man and beast
Flesh, spirit and soul
Sinew, bone and skin
Likeness and image - a tapestry
Splendor resembling futility
Compared to images of beasts
Luster, figure and stature
Renew the face of the earth
Planting trees in desolate lands
Winepresses and stacks of grain
Vineyards and sycamores
To the demarcated land
To heal with powerful rains
To give life to forsaken refuse
To sustain with vegetation
To enhance with sweet fruits
To invigorate with flowers
To rain on the sproutlings
To pour a stream of cool waters
To cloak with droplets
To elevate the thirsty earth
Which is suspended on silence

Lord who saves
Other than You there is no Savior
You are powerful and abundantly able to save
I am impoverished
Yet You shall save me
God is the Savior
God delivers and saves
Those who cry to You - save
Those who yearn for You - save
Satisfy Your lambs
Cause an abundance of crops, of trees, of vegetation - save
Let the wind bring the soaring clouds
Let the stormy rains roll in
Let the clouds not be withheld
God who opens a hand and satisfies Your thirsty ones - satisfy
Your callers - save
Your beloved - save
You seekers - save
Your wholesome ones - save

HBRW

HBRW

Th lphbt s hrd t mstr;
Rdng bck t frnt’s dsstr.
Nlss h’s rd th clssfds,
whr trth, bbrvtd, hds,
th wld-b rdr f th Bbl,
prsntd wth th txt, s lbl
t trn nd rn wth shrks nd hwls-
th hbrw Scrptrs hv n vwls!
- Jessica Shaver