| Subject: Re: Interfaith Encounter Association Report |
Author:
Giovanna
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Date Posted: 08:23:23 02/13/03 Thu
In reply to:
Giovanna
's message, "Interfaith Encounter Association Report" on 23:06:48 11/23/02 Sat
Dear friends,
Please find below Elana's report from the last meeting of the Jerusalem group of our Women's Interfaith Encounter.
I would like to use this opportunity and wish our Muslim friends ID SAID and KUL AN UINTUM BEKHEIR, for Id El Adha.
Best of wishes,
Yehuda
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Dear Friends,
The following report is compiled from the notes of Neima and the comments of Inbal, Hanan, and Aida, who conducted the meeting so well in my absence proving that we have co-created a process that belongs to eveyone and is
not dependent on any one person.
The January Women's Interfaith Encounter in Jerusalem began by watching
Nadia's video of our beautiful Hanukah-Ramadan-Christmas celebration which
was enjoyed by all. Ester shared a lovely poem.
Inbal began the discussion of Jewish Mourning practices based on her own
recent experiences with the tragic sudden death of her father. She spoke
about the practices of purifying and preparing the body for burial, burying
immediately, saying Kaddish after burial -- a prayer which praises God so
that he will praise the dead. Sitting shiva for seven days and receiving
visitors at home -- a process of sitting on the floor, talking about the
deceased, others bringing food to the home, holding prayer services three
times a day, gettting up on the seventh day and going to the grave. Then
at the end of the Shloshim on the thirtieth day, going to the grave for
prayers and setting up the gravestone. On year anniversary, the yahrzeit
candle is lit and go to the grave to say Kaddish and psalms. Ester added
that the burial practices are learned from Abraham who purchased ground to
bury Sarah so that he could honor her in death as in life.
Rose began speaking about Christian Mourning Practices by raising the
question of what happens after death. She told the story of Jesus and the
concept of eternal life -- death is not the end, but a beginning, an open
door. She quoted Goethe and St. Paul. Entering heaven is going home.
She spoke of the sacraments and blessings administered to those sick and
dying, anointing with blessed oil by a priest, receiving the eucharist, the
gift of the Holy Spirit, receiving grace, preparing for death. Then the
family prepares the body for burial and the entrance into heaven, burial in
done in a coffin in the ground or in a drawer. The funeral takes place
first in the church and then at the cemetery.
Aida spoke about the definition of death in Islam -- the body goes up to
heaven and the judgement of good or bad is made. Burial is as soon as
possible in a grave with the head towards Mecca. Family washes and
prepares body reciting the Koran. The man is placed in the salon briefly
for the women to say farewell -- there is a custom that they do not go to
the cemetery. At the grave, verses from the Koran are recited, body is
buried in a white shroud of simplest cotton without a coffin. Only
recently have gravestones been placed. Family recieves guests at home for
3 days, they don't prepare food, serve coffee with no sugar but a lot of
cardamon, sometimes serve dates. Verses from the Koran are recited. After
three days an announcment is made that the person is no more. Then sugar
is added to the coffee. At the one year there is a memorial ceremony and
the grave is visited on festivals.
There was a lively group discussion about all these practices and the
concepts of heaven and afterlife. In conclusion, Carmen pointed out all
the similarities that bind our religions and these practices together.
At the time of this meeting I was in California and emailed a few friends
including Lyn Fine, a teacher of the Mindfulness Practice of the Vietnamese
Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Hanh, who had given a Meditiation evening to our
group in the summer, -- to join me for a Walking Meditation in the Redwood
trees of Muir Woods near Sausalito. I asked them to bring friends. To my
astonishment, thirty women showed up representing many wonderful
organizations including the URI -- United Religions Initiative -- which we
are a part of.
We started in a large circle introducing ourselves, noting the significance
of the day (the birthday of Martin Luther King) and the precariouness of
the times with such violent and destructive energies in the world, and
unifying our own powerful energies of harmony, sisterhood, and joy. We
were led by Lyn and Wendy Harmon, a local resident and teacher of Tibetan
Vipassana Meditation. We walked slowly and silently with peace in every
step. It had been raining for days, but the sun came out and warmed us
even amidst the dense foliage of the deep forest. As I watched this long
quiet line of women, some hand in hand, some with arms joined, some hugging
trees, some on their own, -- touching this earth padded by leaves and
mulch, with such reverence and receiving so much strength and solace from
these ancient trees, I felt greatly strengthened and comforted. It had
become a sacred journey connecting us to each other and to Mother Earth
with all her healing and restorative powers. As we finished, we again
formed a circle and I promised them that I would bring back to the Women's
Interfaith Encounter all the love and support which they had given us.
In this same spirit, I will be having a Walking Meditation for women on the
Goldman Promenade on Friday, March 7, 2 p.m., the day before International
Women's Day. I invite you and your friends to join me.
The next Jerusalem Women's Interfaith Encounter is on Tuesday, February 18,
on the topic of "Purity and it's relationship to women" from the point of
view of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. I pray for all of us to remain
well and safe until then.
Love,
Elana
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The Interfaith Encounter Association
P.O.Box 3814, Jerusalem 91037, Israel
Phone: +972-2-6510520
Fax: +972-2-6510557
Website: www.interfaith-encounter.org
Yehuda Stolov, Director
E-mail: msyuda@phys.huji.ac.il
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