Category: Inter-faith
Iran’s Jewish Rorschach Test
This kind of complexity, so second-nature to Iranian Jews, always eludes the outsiders looking in. Thus, the Jews of Iran — lately a bitterly contested talking point for pundits of all stripes — have become a looking glass in which all find what they wish to see. Hawks hear Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and see another Holocaust in the making. Doves cite the existence of Hebrew schools and synagogues in Iran, and see no reason for alarm. Who is right? Everyone and no one at once. Full story here via here.
Twittering Across the Faith Line
I am fascinated by the role of new media in the world of multifaith relations. Take the events of yesterday morning… Rabbi Ira Stone At 9 a.m. I received an email from my colleague Rabbi Shai Gluskin that informed me that my teacher, Rabbi Ira Stone, was now posting about the Mishnah on Twitter. Not yet Twitter literate myself, I repaired to Facebook where I posted a “status update” announcing this news. An hour later, I received an email from Hussein Rashid, a scholar of Islam in New York City, who will be teaching for RRC next spring. He indicated…
The Networked Congregation
The Networked Congregation: Embracing the Spirit of Experimentation is written by my friend Andrea Useem. Do check it out; it is free and very easy to navigate.
Attempts to convert Mama Sarah Obama
Using religion for politics. It ain’t the Muslims this time. There has been an attempt, yesterday, to convert Mama Sarah Obama, President Barack Obama’s foster grandmother, to Christianity: … Presdident Obama’s family is an extended one, of Kenyan, American and Indonesian; and of Muslims and Christians. Obama’s father and paternal grandfather were both Muslims. The mother of Obamas father, the President’s real ‘granny’, Habiba Akumu Obama was a Muslim too. Mama Sarah Obama, his foster ‘granny’ and the woman who brought up Barack’s father – to protect Mr. Obama’s presidential ambition during the recent race for the White House –…
Sherlock Holmes Explains the Torah
Yes, it’s true, one of my area synagogues has Sherlock Holmes explain Leviticus 10:1-3. Thanks Rachel.
Academics and Islamophobia
Dr. Dan Varisco asks what responsibility academics have to challenge Islamophobia. My thoughts are here.