Religion

On Oct. 7, 1885 a 16-year-old German barber named Friedrich boarded a ship for New York.  Fleeing the military service then required in Germany, he became one of over a million German immigrants who flooded these shores between 1880 and 1885.  Once he had accumulated...

Gilroy Life goes online only for rest of year Local news publication Gilroy Life has ceased printing its paper edition until the end of this year following the September death of publisher Marty Cheek, according to Gilroy Life editor Robert Airoldi. The publication will continue...

In the San Francisco Bay Area, we seem to be in a bubble of more open-minded thinking and inclusion. There are other places, regions and states that seem to be filled with fear of the outsider and suspicion of neighbors of different ethnicity, national...

This time of year, many of us think about going back to school, for ourselves or for our children or grandchildren. There are all sorts of questions: Who is taking children to school? Do we have the correct supplies? Who is making the lunches?...

Think about a time in your life where you displayed courage. What gave you the strength to engage in this action? The Latin root of the word courage is “cor” which means heart. In Judaism, the name for courage is Ometz Lev—Heart Strength.  In a few...

A special time of the year for millions of Muslims worldwide began in the first week of March 2024, the Islamic month of Ramadan.  Ramadan is the ninth month and holiest month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is a time of festivity, community, charity and...

“Fear not, says the Lord” (Isaiah 41:10, 43:1) is a well-known Bible verse offering comfort and strength to believing Christians who are assured that God is with them in presence, protection and power to help overcome fear, distress and difficult situations.  The phrase “Fear not”...

How powerful words are! Rabbi Seymour J Cohen wrote: “Words can inspire, destroy, console us, entice us. Throughout history words promoted hatred, murder, even wars! How many politicians permanently had their careers ended by false rumors and innuendos!” Each of us have experienced the power...

We’re about to celebrate one of my most favorite Jewish holidays: Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, which begins Dec. 18 and runs through Dec. 26. It’s my favorite because more than any other Jewish holiday, Chanukah is all about celebrating our freedom to live proudly...

In the San Francisco Bay Area, we seem to be in a bubble of more open-minded thinking and inclusion. There are other places, regions and states that seem to be filled with fear of the outsider and suspicion of neighbors of different ethnicity, national...