Monday, August 3, 2009

A Holy Time

Reflections on Wearing a Head Covering

An Interview with Board Member Rabbi Carol Harris-Shapiro

Board Member of the Interfaith Center and professor in the Intellectual Heritage Department at Temple University, Rabbi Carol Harris-Shapiro explained that it was an extremely gradual process for Jewish communities around the world to accept the daily practice of wearing a yarmulke (kippah in Hebrew). Rabbi Harris-Shapiro explained that she personally covers her head in situations where the recitations of prayers or blessings might occur.

When Rabbi Harris-Shapiro sees women of other faiths wearing head coverings, she smiles at the familiarity of the religious act. Although she admits her own ignorance about the meaning behind head coverings in other religions, she identifies with the common theme of modesty.

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An Interview with Board Member Sister Judith Kreipe

For forty years – 1960-2000 – Interfaith Center board member Sister Judith Kreipe (Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary) wore a veil. As a Sister of the Roman Catholic Church, there was an expectation to veil oneself in order to display modesty before God.

After her community adopted the Vatican’s decree that made wearing a head covering optional, and after serious personal consideration, Sister Kreipe chose to remove her veil. In the end, she decided to do so because when thinking about Jesus, she recognized that he blended into the society of Nazareth and was seemingly just like everyone else. Sister Kreipe decided that being a religious was more about following the life and example of Jesus Christ than about what one wears.

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The Interfaith Center Goes to PECO

On April 29, 2009 the Interfaith Center was proud to partner with PECO/Exelon Corporation in offering a program, "Understanding Religious Diversity and Its Impact on the Workplace". The program was organized by PECO’s diversity council and employee networking groups and was attended by 300 employees - people from all departments and positions.

The panel was not intended to promote any particular religion but to share experiences, address stereotypes, and educate about religious practices in our increasingly diverse community. PECO's Diversity Committee hoped to further its vision: "Exelon strives to create an employee culture of inclusion, respect and understanding.” This forum was intended to contribute to that culture by educating employees abut the fundamental aspects of some major world religions and their intersection in the workplace.

Board Member Spotlight: Imam Muhammad Abdur-Razzaq Miller

My name is Gabi Wachs. For my senior project I worked at the Interfaith Center as an intern during the month of May. As part of my duties, I was given the honor of spending an afternoon with the Interfaith Center’s Board Chair, Imam Muhammad Abdur- Razzaq Miller.

After a tour of his mosque - the Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship - and a delicious home-cooked meal with him and his wife, I was granted the privilege of interviewing him. I found that there are few people in the world who are as introspective, deep-thinking, and committed to interfaith dialogue as is Imam Miller. As Imam Miller so wisely asks, “Before we start yelling at each other, why don’t we talk to each other first?”

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The Interfaith Center thanks contributing writer Gabi Wachs and editor Rev. Nicole Diroff.

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