Compiled and adapted by from American Values Religious Voices letters by Eboo Patel, Jean Pierre Ruiz, Andrea Weiss, Susan Garrett, Carmen Nanko-Fernández, Aristotle Papanikolaou, Katharine Rhodes Henderson, M. Craig Barnes.

Learn more about the campaign to send 100 letters from Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh scholars and clergy to President Biden, Vice President Harris, and the rest of their administration over the first 100 days in office. 

This project was inspired by the 2016 election, in which the scholars and clergy sent 100 letters to the former administration for the first 100 days of office.

Full poem text below:

How can it be more inclusive of others?  How can it bring you better programming?   How can Tefilla be more spiritual?  How can it make your lives easier?  What sort of things can they do to make your experiences more meaningful?  What is your relationship like with your clergy?

The Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion lost our teacher, our friend, and our rabbi, Rabbi Aaron  Panken, Ph.D. in a tragic plane accident yesterday.

In the last drash that he gave to his community at graduation on May 3, he presented us with the most profounding words, words that I hope we can all take comfort in on this very difficult time in the Jewish world and in our global community.

“Our celebration comes, this year, amidst a particularly challenging and painful world, one that in many respects transcends anything I have seen in my lifetime. We now live in a world in which truth is distorted, basic institutions of American life like the press, the courts, the electoral system, the FBI, the beautiful mosaic of immigration that made this country what it is, the dignity and value of public leadership and civil service, egalitarianism and a woman’s right to choose, and so many others, are threatened in ways we simply could not have imagined a mere two years ago. We see countries long civilized reverting to policies of nationalism and tactics of scapegoating reminiscent of our darkest times. We labor under the challenges of privacy and the ability for noxious leaders to spread their message ever more broadly and more efficiently through warped use of social media, cynical and often violent supremacist protests, and through targeting innocent immigrants as vicious criminals. But here’s the thing: the Jewish people, and our religious friends of other faiths, have seen this before, and we have lived through it, and thrived and built again and again and again. We are a people of action and courage, of innovation and fearlessness, of adaptation and endless creativity.”

Jewish Cantors Celebrate Hanukkah With Virtual Concerts : NPR

The Cantors of Wisconsin perform over a video call. On Sunday, for the first time ever, about a dozen Wisconsin cantors will virtually broadcast a mix of Hanukkah tunes, both traditional and reimagined. David Barash hide caption toggle caption David Barash The Cantors of Wisconsin perform over a video call. On Sunday, for the first time ever, about a dozen Wisconsin cantors will virtually…