Religion

Members of the faith community of South County were disturbed, saddened and angered when we were made aware of a hate incident against our brothers and sisters in the Muslim community. For Muslims, this is the holy month of Ramadan, a time of fasting and...

As we approach the darkest time of the year, Jews prepare to celebrate Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. The ancient story took place in the 2nd century BCE during the reign of Syrian-Greek King Antiochus IV. He imposed harsh decrees upon the Jews forbidding...

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...

“There is no peace on earth,” I said, “for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good-will to men!” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow penned these words in a poem written during the Civil War in 1863. The poem was later set...

The Interfaith CommUNITY of South County (ICSC) and the Interfaith Clergy Alliance of South County invite all residents of Morgan Hill, San Martin and Gilroy to join us for our annual Thanksgiving gathering at 3pm Nov. 20. We will meet at Congregation Emeth, 17835...

Before the Fourth of July celebrations are in the rear-view mirror, I offer a religious perspective. The United States of America's Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 (declared in 1776, achieved in 1783, after an eight-year war), is a date we celebrate with enthusiasm...

I was supposed to be in Israel today. To be precise, this morning, I was going to wake up in a quaint hotel near the Old City of Safed, enjoy a delicious breakfast al fresco while taking in the mountaintop views, tour the Artists' Quarter,...

The pictures from Minneapolis that we have seen in the last few weeks have shown us that neighbors look out for neighbors. It is inspiring to see the community at work where people come together for the common good.  As human beings we are all...

The Father of our nation, George Washington, had a remarkable correspondence with the first Catholic Bishop in the United States, John Carroll. At the time Catholics were, at best, 1% of the population of the young nation and were living in only two states:...

There are times in each of our lives when we wonder, “Have I missed what God has for me? Is it too late for me?” Looking back on opportunities missed (and let’s face it—we all have them) it is easy to find ourselves in...