From Hanukkah to hajj, from ‘green’ gifts to school celebrations, ReligionLink offers a half-dozen story ideas for the holidays ahead.
Ways to love Hanukkah
The eight-day festival of Hanukkah, which begins at nightfall Dec. 4 and ends at sunset on Dec. 12, is a minor Jewish holiday – but one of the best-known and most widely celebrated. (Read a description of Hanukkah at the Judaism 101 Web site.) Here are some possible angles for covering the festival of lights:
• Hanukkah was little celebrated by American Jews until the 1870s, when some members of a New York Young Men’s Hebrew Association started a movement to reclaim the festival. Vanessa Ochs, a University of Virginia anthropologist and author of the 2007 book Inventing Jewish Ritual, can talk about the distinctly American evolution of the holiday and new ways it is being celebrated. Contact through Arielle Levites, Jewish Publication Society, 800-234-3151 ext. 5601, 215-832-0601, alevites@jewishpub.org.
• Ritual plays a vital function in children’s lives, and families can create a different custom for each night of Hanukkah, says Sharon Duke Estroff of Atlanta, author of the 2007 book Can I Have a Cell Phone for Hanukkah? Her Jewish parenting columns are syndicated internationally. See her Dec.1, 2006, World Jewish Digest article. Contact 770-310-4400, sharonestroff@sharonestroff.com.
• As they commemorate an ancient triumph at Hanukkah, Jews are finding new ways to reconnect with their spiritual roots. Paula Amann, a journalist who lives near Washington, D.C., is the author of the 2007 book Journeys to a Jewish Life: Inspiring Stories From the Spiritual Journeys of American Jews. Contact 301-754-0881, paula.amann@gmail.com.
• While reflecting on Judaism’s past, Jews can examine what Israel has meant and will mean to them – a complicated topic as the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians continues. Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin of Atlanta is the author of the 2007 book A Dream of Zion: American Jews Reflect on Why Israel Matters to Them. Contact 404-314-9136, jeffsalkin@gmail.com.
• Tradition holds that women are to abstain from work during the first half-hour the menorah is burning each evening. Shulamit Reinharz, Jacob Potofsky Professor of Sociology at Brandeis University, and her family annually host a large Hanukkah party with 30 or more menorahs and have women light them. She can talk about women’s roles in the observance of the holiday. Reinharz is founding director of the university’s Women’s Studies Research Center and the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute. Contact 781-736-2126, reinharz@brandeis.edu.
I’m dreaming of a green holiday
Much of the holiday season (perhaps too much) involves excess consumption of resources – money, food, paper, energy and so forth. Is it possible to celebrate in simplicity? As spirituality and eco-mindfulness become more closely intertwined, discussion of how and why to rejoice in green religious holidays seems, well, natural. Some starting thoughts:
• This fall Georgia Interfaith Power & Light sold Advent and Hanukkah kits that use compact fluorescent light bulbs. It also posts an Advent Study Guide and Hanukkah Study Guide with stories and prayers. The guides suggest that families change out one light bulb at home with an energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulb for each Sunday in Advent or each night of Hanukkah. Contact executive director Katy Hinman, 404-588-9978, khinman@gipl.org.
• Gift-giving can be green. For example, an “eco-family starter kit,” as suggested by Nancy Sleeth, could include environmentally conscious cleaning products, recycled paper products, compact fluorescent bulbs, handkerchiefs and a retractable clothesline. The Sleeth family downsized its affluent lifestyle – and scaled back on Christmas materialism – when her husband, J. Matthew, resigned his jobs as hospital chief of staff and emergency room physician to become an evangelical environmental activist. He wrote Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action and is executive director of Christians in Conservation/A Rocha USA. Contact 859-858-0066, contact@servegodsavetheplanet.org.
• Many congregations and religious organizations have been changing their practices to emphasize stewardship of God’s creation. How are they changing holiday practices to reflect those beliefs? Many organizations offer tips for individuals and congregations, including EarthCare, a Christian organization that posts guides to shopping and creation care in personal and congregational life.
• The National Council of Churches posts a congregational covenant for churches that commit to environmental stewardship. It includes suggestions for families and congregations at Christmas.
• According to the Medical University of South Carolina’s green holiday tips, “If every American family wrapped just 3 presents in re-used materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.” Look for ways people of faith, congregations and organizations are using similar tactics to emphasize giving and meaning during the December holidays.
• For suggestions on simplifying or “greening” the holidays, see The Use Less Stuff Report’s checklist of waste-saving suggestions. or the Center for a New American Dream’s “Simplify the Holidays” guide.
• For interview sources, see ReligionLink’s guide to religion and environment experts and organizations.
‘Golden Compass’ worries Christians, atheists
Moviegoers are anticipating the Dec. 7 release of the film The Golden Compass, based on the enormously successful book of the same name by Philip Pullman. The 1996 book kicked off Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, which dealt, in part, with the nature of the soul and of organized religion. It culminated with the two main characters, a boy and girl, killing an old man held up as God by a powerful religious organization.
Producers New Line Cinema has been criticized for toning down the religious themes of the book to a point that has angered both Christians and atheists. The Christians, with Catholic League president Bill Donohue taking the lead, say that the lack of religious themes will entice children to read books that deliver a dose of atheism. The atheists, some of whom have been given a voice by Annie Laurie Gaylor of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, say the film does not go as far as the book in highlighting what they believe are the evils of religious institutions. “This must be the only film attacked in the same week for being too religious and for being anti-religious — and by people who haven’t seen it,” author Pullman told Fox News.
The controversy over the film – featured during the Christmas season — raises the question: What’s the right amount of religion to make a movie successful these days? How can filmmakers attract people of faith without turning off people for whom religious belief is not central? Can a movie be critical of religious institutions – as many Americans are – without alienating believers? With the enormous success of Mel Gibson’s film The Passion of the Christ and the failure of the NBC television show The Book of Daniel, — both of which featured Jesus — how is Hollywood to know what is the right balance?
• David Bruce is the main critic and essayist behind Hollywood Jesus, a Web site dedicated to culling out the religious and moral content in entertainment products. Contact 541-261-2916, david@hollywoodjesus.com.
• Bill Donohue is the president of the Catholic League For Religious and Civil Rights, a Catholic civil rights advocacy group that responds to religious discrimination issues concerning Catholics and other Americans. Contact 212-371-3191.
• Annie Laurie Gaylor is co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a watchdog group that promotes the separation of church and state. It is based in Madison, Wis. Contact 608-256-5800, algaylor@ffrf.org.
• For experts on religion in film, see ReligionLink’s guide to religion and pop culture.
• Read an Oct. 31, 2007, article by Catherine Donaldson-Evans posted on the Web site of FoxNews about some Christian groups who say watering down the religious themes of the book for the movie will entice children to read the books, which the groups say are anti-religion and pro-atheism.
Religious holidays at school
Holidays bring excitement, but in public schools, they also inspire fear and confusion over what is legally acceptable according to church-state court rulings and government guidelines. Many schools have excised religion altogether from holiday music, festivals and displays, while others attempt to acknowledge all holidays. The choices aren’t clear-cut: School districts often receive unsolicited, conflicting advice from advocacy organizations about what’s legally acceptable. The issue is complicated by the fact that federal court rulings in different parts of the country have been mixed.
In fact, there is no one correct way to handle religious holidays in public schools, experts say. Though school officials must follow certain guidelines (see links below), they are also wise to craft practices by taking into account the religious makeup of the school and area. In general, schools may celebrate secular aspects of holidays and teach about their religious aspects if they do so in an “objective” manner – in other words, to give information about rather than to inspire faith.
Journalists generally encounter holiday issues when a conflict occurs. They can, however, also look for schools that have successfully incorporated holidays into their curriculum year-round and have clearly defined what role holidays and religion play in children’s learning. A call to the local school district’s attorney may also yield stories about how conflicts or questions are resolved before they land in court. Attorneys say some questions on what is acceptable fall into gray areas where law is not clear. For example, a teacher may not read to students from a religious text, but what happens when a parent reader shows up in class and decides to read scripture?
• For church-state legal experts with a variety of viewpoints, consult ReligionLink’s guide to church-state experts and organizations. The guide also lists law firms that routinely handle cases involving religious holidays in schools.
• Read an April 2007 article from the National School Boards Association’s Web site that offers guidance on acknowledging Christmas in public schools.
• The American Center for Law and Justice posts a 2006 letter with Q-and-A about religious holidays in public schools.
• Americans United for Separation of Church and State posts a document outlining current law on religion in the public schools, including religious holidays. It is endorsed by a diverse group of religious organizations.
• Read the First Amendment Center’s FAQ about religious holidays in public schools.
• See a chapter on religious holidays in the public schools in the 2001 publication Finding Common Ground.
• The Rutherford Institute posts 12 Rules of Christmas, guidelines for schools and teachers regarding Christmas in the public schools.
Hajj preparations intensify
Hajj – the pilgrimage Muslims are expected to make to the holy city of Mecca at least once – has never been an easy trip. But since the Sept. 11 attacks, making the journey to Saudi Arabia has become even more complex as the U.S. heightened its security standards, Saudi Arabia reduced the number of visas it issues, and outbreaks of influenza among pilgrims threaten lives. In addition, more than 500 pilgrims have died in the last four years in stampedes that occurred during a stone-throwing ritual, in which pilgrims stone a symbolic devil; in 1990, nearly 1,500 pilgrims died in a stampede. To simplify the trip and make it safer, local and national Muslim groups are organizing meetings between prospective hajjis and U.S. Customs and Transportation Security Administration officials for the first time. Other groups are organizing more general hajj workshops for the first time that will pay special attention to getting through airport security and customs more easily. This year hajj begins around Dec. 18, 2007, with the sighting of the new moon. Journalists who wish to report on local Muslims’ hajj journeys can start now by finding out how preparations and precautions for the trip are changing.
• Shakeel Syed is the executive director of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California. Last year, the council organized a meeting between hajj tour directors and imams leading the pilgrimage and U.S. Customs and TSA officials at Los Angeles International Airport. The council will repeat it this year as a town hall event open to prospective hajjis as well. They said they have also heard from Islamic organizations in other areas interested in sponsoring similar events. Contact 714-239-6473, info@shuracouncil.org.
• Ahmed Bedier is the executive director of the Tampa , Fla. , chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Last year, for the first time, he met with Tampa U.S. Customs and TSA officials to discuss the travel plans of local residents preparing for hajj. Contact 813-514-1414.
• The Islamic Learning Foundation, a project of the Islamic Circle of North America in New York, will conduct a hajj workshop on Nov. 24 and 25 at their center in College Point, N.Y. This is the first year the group will offer the program, which they hope will better equip and prepare people for the trip. Contact Azeem Khan, 516-369-6542, azeem@icnait.com.
• Imam Tahir Anwar frequently conducts hajj workshops. In November 2007, he conducted one for a group of hajjis at a Los Angeles area mosque. The workshop was not sponsored by the mosque, but was organized by an informal group of Muslims interested in being better prepared for the trip. It was the first time they had organized such a workshop. Contact 408-768-4661, Imamtahir@yahoo.com.
• Islamicity maintains a page devoted to traveling to Mecca for hajj.
• See ReligionLink’s 2006 edition about flu concerns during hajj.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains a site listing health requirements and recommendations for pilgrims traveling from the U.S. to Saudi Arabia for hajj.
• Read an overview of hajj on the Religion and Ethics page on the British Broadcasting Corp. Web site.
• Read a transcript or watch the video of a Dec. 29, 2006 , Religion & Ethics Newsweekly report on hajj.
Kwanzaa goes global
Kwanzaa has gone international. In its 41-year history, the December holiday that celebrates African-American culture, community and family has been celebrated in Japan, England and Canada. This year, add Paris to the list. In addition, community celebrations now attract large corporate sponsors. Wal-Mart and Microsoft are among the co-sponsors of Dallas ’ KwanzaaFest, which may attract up to 40,000 people. Have the holiday’s celebrations changed with the spread to other countries and cultures? How is the celebration being influenced by corporate sponsorships? The seven days of Kwanzaa begins Dec. 26 and ends Jan. 1.
• The Official Kwanzaa Web Site is the Web site of The Organization Us, which is chaired by Maulana Karenga, the founder of the holiday. It has comprehensive information on the holiday, its history and celebration. Karenga is a professor of black studies at California State University in Long Beach. Contact 562-985-5620, mkarenga@csulb.edu.
• Ama Mazama is a professor in the African-American studies department at Temple University in Philadelphia. She wrote a book about Kwanzaa, Kwanzaa ou la Célébration du Génie Africain, that was published in France in 2006. Contact 215-204-1992, mcerol@temple.edu.
• Akinyele Umoja is a professor of African-American studies at Georgia State University in Atlanta. He attributes the popularity of Kwanzaa to its nonreligious nature. Umoja is on research leave through spring 2008 but can be reached by email. Contact 404-651-2157, aadaku@langate.gsu.edu.
• The Soul of America, an African-American-centric travel agency, has a list of Kwanzaa celebrations around the U.S. and in Paris.
• Read a Dec. 15, 2004, USA Today editorial by Malcolm A. Kline that discusses the American roots of Kwanzaa and confusion among Africans about its origins and celebration.
• Cheryl Kirk-Duggan is a professor of theology and women’s studies at the Shaw University Divinity School in Raleigh, N.C. She can discuss the current celebration of Kwanzaa in black communities and congregations in the South. Contact 919-716-5522, cduggan@shawu.edu.
